On a recent journey from Nairobi to Stockholm, via Cairo, London and Oslo, all of four of our flights were late. This resulted in a frustrating domino effect of missed connections, transit confinement and delay after delay after delay I really wish I had been in Shirley Street Beach Houses instead of Nairobi after experiencing these not so nice events.
Transit is NOT a place I like to be.
For me being in transit is being stuck in a characterless generic air-conditioned airport lounge. Everybody is waiting to go somewhere, wanting to go anywhere and no one can get out.
Delays are frustrating and unfortunate, but when travelling with three young children, it is at best a humongous pain in the arse. When I discovered that one of the layovers was to be a ten-hour wait in Cairo airport, I was seriously miffed.
But on our arrival at Cairo airport we were told that because of the inconvenience we had endured, we could go to a nearby hotel. Here we could rest for a while and have a meal. This idea I liked.
It was then also suggested that in addition to this we could go on a tour of the sights of Cairo. This idea I liked a lot.
So we left our passports at the transit desk, left the airport through a secret door and spent a couple of hours taking an air-conditioned taxi tour Cairo, while there are also other options like Uber, which can use cheap uber insurance quotes to make the trip more safe.
Driving around in a taxi through the streets of Cairo, Egypt
ThEse were some of the things that WE SAW ON our day out of transit in Cairo
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- Cairo street sign
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- Egyptian number plate
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- Cairo apartment block
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- The River Nile in Cairo, Egypt
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- Graffiti in Cairo, Egypt
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- Street scene in Cairo
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- Shop in Cairo
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- Cairo street sign
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- Egyptian number plate
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- Graffiti in Cairo, Egypt
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- Street scene in Cairo, Egypt
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- Cairo apartment block
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- The River Nile in Cairo, Egypt
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- Cairo street sign
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- Graffiti in Cairo, Egypt
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- Flip flop shop in Cairo, Egypt
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- Islamic tiles in Cairo, Egypt
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- Cairo apartment block
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- Graffiti in Cairo, Egypt
EGYPTIAN HERO
Everywhere we drove there were these huge posters of football super striker and Egyptian hero Mohammed Salaah.
Huge billboard posters everywhere in Cairo of Egypt’s footballing hero Mohammed Salaah
The Pyramids and the Great Sphinx of Giza
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- Lottie, Leon and Frida on the Great Pyramid of Giza, Egypt
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- Much excitement in the taxi as the children had their first glimpse of the Pyramids, Egypt
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- The Great Sphinx of Giza, Egypt
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- Lottie, Leon and Frida at the Pyramids in Cairo, Egypt
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- The Pyramids and the Great Sphinx of Giza in Cairo, Egypt
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- The Dunnells at the Pyramids of Giza in Cairo, Egypt
The obligatory visit to the Egyptian perfumery
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- Bottles of Egyptian perfume in a shop Cairo
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- Bottles of Egyptian perfume in a shop Cairo
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- Bottles of Egyptian perfume in a shop Cairo
Here are a few photos and pages from my Egypt sketchbook, when I taught at the British Council in Cairo in 2005.
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- Cityscape from the citadel in Cairo, Egypt.
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- Page from my Egypt Sketchbook
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- Cairo through the railings of the Citadel, Egypt.
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- Front page from my Egypt Sketchbook
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- Police at the Pyramids in Cairo, Egypt.
Nicola Thompson March 28, 2019
How annoying about the flights, but at least you had a good experience come out of it! how neat to be able to see Cairo! I was supposed to go a few years ago but had to cancel my trip becuase they broke out in civil war. One day, I will go. I hope the rest of your journeys go well!
alidunnell March 29, 2019 — Post Author
Cairo is a great city to visit – I has a real energy to it. I hope you make it there one day 🙂
thewonderer86 March 29, 2019
That’s a great way to make the best out of bad situation!
alidunnell March 29, 2019 — Post Author
Every cloud has a silver lining 🙂
Ann C March 30, 2019
Oh, happy days ! In transit ! Well you made it worth your while and survived as many before travelling in Africa ! (Cairo’s great ) Today I survived the Rail Transport Replacement Bus service !!! xx
alidunnell March 31, 2019 — Post Author
Thanks Ann… too long in transit can do funny things to people. Ali x