Egypt, Transit in Cairo

Monday, June 13'th

It was a hot summer, especially that day we (Shehab and Peer) left for Cairo. Once a week Egypt Air make a roundtrip in Scandinavia

going Cairo -> Stockholm -> Copenhagen -> Cairo so 6 hours later we were in the Middle East, my first trip outside Europe.

Our EgyptAir machine

We had a stopover of 10 hours before going on to Thailand and was going to stay at Shehabs parents appartement for the night. They only use this in the summertime as a summer residence, the rest of the year it is vacant.


Egyptian Visa and passportstamps

When you are in transit it is possible to get a Visa in the Airport in the form of a "Unesco Campaign to save Nubian monuments" stamp for a few pounds. Before departure I tried to get a visa from the Egyptian embassy 		in Copenhagen, but it would take a month and cost a fortune. This is much better if you are just in Cairo for a day.

We got our stamps and headed for the Limousine service. It is much safer than the normal cab service. Very strict control and it is noted where we are going in case we are reported missing. At the same time we give the driver instructions to pick us up the next morning and take us back to the Airport. Shehab discover that he has left his Camera in the plane. Hopefully we will get it back tomorrow. We drive through the Arabian night, it all seems like a dream in my sleepiness. The noise, the scents, the sights - all so exotic.

At the apartment the door opens reluctant by not being used for half year. The lights are out and the loo is hosting a family of rats. They are flushed out and we prepare for a Egyptian night without air-conditioning.


The Limousine in front of the appartement complex, El Maadi

Tuesday, June 14'th

At 7AM next morning the phone ring to confirm that the cab is on the way. A quick shower and off we go to the airport. Half an hour later and two hours before flight we arrived. First you go through the baggage control and then you check in. We rushed through the control but the flight wasn't ready for check-in and the nice cool air-conditioned waiting room was just feet away. We managed to get some water but it was hot in the check-in. Shehab got hold of an official and explained about his camera, and yes

- they had found it so if he could prove his boarding pass had the correct seat, he could get it back - No problem.

Check-in and more waiting but now air-conditioned. Dull and expensive sandwiches in the airport but we were off to Thailand to visit our friend Sune. There was just time enough for writing some postcards, what else can you do. At 11AM I was in my seat 52J and half an hour later the jumbo departed towards the sun, my first jetlag was imminent.

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