The cabin crew announced, ” Ladies and gentlemen, Welcome to Cairo International Airport. Local time is 11.05 am and the outside temperature is 35° Celsius.”
As it was my first solo trip, mixed emotions and many questions about the country and it’s people kept me occupied. The only thing I was certain about was the weather. How are summers in Egypt? Well they are too hot, but since I love to travel off-season (most of the time) I couldn’t complain.
Cairo was covered in shades of golden and brown in the morning and by night, the same city seemed like a disco, where people were partying on the streets, roaming in their vehicles, singing songs loudly etc. Having read about precautions to be taken for a solo female travelers, which includes not to be outside generally at night, it was hard to resist going outside. Cairo was alive during the night!
Being a slow traveler, I stayed in Cairo for quite a long time. And so, apart from visiting different places, I witnessed the local culture a little too closely. From Egyptian wedding to crazy driving skills, I had experienced it all. Do you know Cairo has no traffic signals? Adventurous isn’t it?
Cairo had something new to offer everyday, not only in terms of places, but also in terms of people, food and experiences. Apart from learning few Arabic phrases, I also learned that people all around the world have same set of emotions. They greet with a warm smile, help in times of need and are curious to know more about travelers.
When the idea of going to Egypt first cropped up, all my friends and relatives constantly gave their opinion about how unsafe it was to travel to this country. Honestly never listen to anyone! Just do what you think is right, just like I did! In the end living in Cairo turned out to be one of the best decisions that I made.
Although it’s been over a year now, it feels like it was just yesterday when I was in Cairo. It’s difficult to leave something so precious behind you. Egypt has captivated all my senses, so much that today when I look back, nostalgia hits me hard and only one statement crosses my mind : ‘I want to go back again’.
If you are also planning to visit Cairo then make sure to read my Egypt Travel guide that will help you in planning better. It contains itinerary, hotels, best time to visit and other information, essential to make an informed decision. Also make sure to read things to do in this city and make your plans accordingly.
Pin it 😉
