Trying to recall Cairo

It's Wednesday afternoon and this time next week I'll be in Cairo. Hard to believe!

It's wonderful someone will be meeting me at the airport. I hadn't realized how apprehensive I was about my arrival in Cairo... Large airports tend to be overwhelming even when you've been there before and you speak the language....I was in the Cairo airport last year but it's a bit of a blur in my mind. It was BUSY, full of travelers, confusion, languages and dialects, an ATM with a very long line, a security spot where we thought our picture was being taken but were told later it was to detect if you had a fever (swine flu precautions).

We were met by three members of our group who'd arrived earlier in the week; this was a big help! They had transportation arranged but I can't remember if it was a van for all of us or taxis. I do remember the insane traffic! Also the main road which was lined with palm trees and some very beautiful gated estates. The cars raced in all directions and it was chaotic, to say the least.

Our hotel wasn't wonderful but could have been worse...I can't even remember how many people I shared a room with; whether we had our own bathroom; what floor we were on...nothing. We must have eaten but that memory escapes me as well. I went shopping for a cell phone with someone who'd gravitated to our group and supposedly knew all about phones and where to buy them. That too was a chaotic scene...he bargained with the sales man and they reached what sounded like a good deal for me. The phone worked well in Egypt but when we got to Gaza it stopped functioning. It wasn't such a good buy!

I'm trying to recall memories and information in hopes that will make this trip easier. So far I haven't come up with much to go on/