So as I sit here looking out at the Sunrise of Cairo and American University I'm reliving my travel experience. Its currently 6:38am here. I have spent about 28 hours traveling.
Ok so we start at Chicago. Which Chicago airport please get better. Why do i need to leave the domestic terminal re-check in, take a bus to a different international terminal and do security again. Not only that but they are forcing hundreds of people through one tiny line as business class which gets maybe one or two people an hour is just sitting there watching as the rest of us in Economy struggle through one line. Warsaw airport was fine my cousin was a little bit late but its ok we went out grabbed some food went through security again then on my flight to Cairo.
Arriving in Cairo was actually pretty easy getting into the country also pretty easy. But then as with any big city there are people just waiting to take advantage of you. So as we arrive I grab my bags then i wait hoping to be met by someone from american university carrying a little sign with my name and id number on it. It was supposed to be easy but of course no one to be found other than two old taxi drivers trying to take the one bag from my hand im just saying la la la (no) and holding on to my bag because everyone knows dont trust these guys. But im starting to get a bit desperate no driver to be seen slowly the people on my plane are getting picked up and taken by family or drivers then its down to a few a guy approaches me speaking semi-decent English saying he can help. I was like sure if you would like to help please call this phone number. So he calls no response... great. its the only phone number i have. So here he is Achmed (yes the first Egyptian i meet is Achmed) saying hey i can take you to the university easy no problem im trying to explain to him i already have a driver but hes good at his job and keep saying no problem ill take you easy. Then a sense of salvation two other people approach me saying they were also coming from different countries expecting a driver to AUC, I was thinking this is awesome im not alone anymore but then they let it slip that they are going to the Downtown campus Zamalek/Tahrir square.... I was sitting there thinking are you kidding both of them are going to the same place im the only one going to the New Cairo campus. I was the third wheel. Basically.
So i decide screw it Ive been traveling for 28 hours i just need to get to the school and its been about an hour since the driver was supposed to meet us. I say yes ill take this guys taxi. So then he starts saying itll be about 200 egyptian pounds. Which is total crap and i know it the AUC website said it should really only be about 60 pounds. So I start thinking "Its ok I've seen my step-dad barter in mexico like its his job I got this" So after 10 minutes of trying to play it like hey screw it ill just get a different cab. I get a price of 100 pounds. Still expensive but ive never felt more accomplished.
I get into the mans cab with his driver pay him then he leaves says american university and some other things to the driver then were off. From the signs that I could read I kind of knew we were going in the right direction. But as soon as he hit a sign slowed down to read it then went Hmmmmmmmm did several u-turns I realized my driver was lost. Its 4am in the middle of Cairo with a cab driver i cant understand and hes lost. Great. He stopped by a gas station and eventually got directions and within minutes we were at the University. But the whole time i was thinking im a dead man.
Im glad the traveling part is over now i just need to find some food somewhere on this campus.
Ok so we start at Chicago. Which Chicago airport please get better. Why do i need to leave the domestic terminal re-check in, take a bus to a different international terminal and do security again. Not only that but they are forcing hundreds of people through one tiny line as business class which gets maybe one or two people an hour is just sitting there watching as the rest of us in Economy struggle through one line. Warsaw airport was fine my cousin was a little bit late but its ok we went out grabbed some food went through security again then on my flight to Cairo.
Arriving in Cairo was actually pretty easy getting into the country also pretty easy. But then as with any big city there are people just waiting to take advantage of you. So as we arrive I grab my bags then i wait hoping to be met by someone from american university carrying a little sign with my name and id number on it. It was supposed to be easy but of course no one to be found other than two old taxi drivers trying to take the one bag from my hand im just saying la la la (no) and holding on to my bag because everyone knows dont trust these guys. But im starting to get a bit desperate no driver to be seen slowly the people on my plane are getting picked up and taken by family or drivers then its down to a few a guy approaches me speaking semi-decent English saying he can help. I was like sure if you would like to help please call this phone number. So he calls no response... great. its the only phone number i have. So here he is Achmed (yes the first Egyptian i meet is Achmed) saying hey i can take you to the university easy no problem im trying to explain to him i already have a driver but hes good at his job and keep saying no problem ill take you easy. Then a sense of salvation two other people approach me saying they were also coming from different countries expecting a driver to AUC, I was thinking this is awesome im not alone anymore but then they let it slip that they are going to the Downtown campus Zamalek/Tahrir square.... I was sitting there thinking are you kidding both of them are going to the same place im the only one going to the New Cairo campus. I was the third wheel. Basically.
So i decide screw it Ive been traveling for 28 hours i just need to get to the school and its been about an hour since the driver was supposed to meet us. I say yes ill take this guys taxi. So then he starts saying itll be about 200 egyptian pounds. Which is total crap and i know it the AUC website said it should really only be about 60 pounds. So I start thinking "Its ok I've seen my step-dad barter in mexico like its his job I got this" So after 10 minutes of trying to play it like hey screw it ill just get a different cab. I get a price of 100 pounds. Still expensive but ive never felt more accomplished.
I get into the mans cab with his driver pay him then he leaves says american university and some other things to the driver then were off. From the signs that I could read I kind of knew we were going in the right direction. But as soon as he hit a sign slowed down to read it then went Hmmmmmmmm did several u-turns I realized my driver was lost. Its 4am in the middle of Cairo with a cab driver i cant understand and hes lost. Great. He stopped by a gas station and eventually got directions and within minutes we were at the University. But the whole time i was thinking im a dead man.
Im glad the traveling part is over now i just need to find some food somewhere on this campus.
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