Before (abl) Ramadan: Last chance for a road trip

So what is better than a road trip?

A road trip involving staying in a crack house where our travel companions were being threatened with swords if they slept, being squished in the back seat of approximately 8 minibuses between your roommate and two of your favorite Egyptian men, staying at a military base resort, wearing a swimsuit in Egypt, swimming in the sea, hitchhiking in exchange for hot-boxing this man named Michael's car, driving backwards down the highway in a minibus chasing a broken hookah, multiple near death experiences, and arriving back in Cairo as the sun came up, all for about 200 Egyptian pounds (approximately $40)

OK so we had decided Alissa, I, and a few other friends from work would be heading up to Alexandra / the North Coast for the weekend. So we pack up our stuff, leave straight from work. I got my Kosheri and my Halawa (Egyptian sweets) and we set off on the metro, somehow found this random bus depot, took the bus to Alex, took a taxi to the middle of nowhere, got picked up by my coworker's stoned cousin at about 3 AM and driven at approximately 120 mph through alleyways to his house, waiting for death the entire time. Stoned cousin went to the store down the street, came back with a giant chain saw, escorted us past his guard dogs in the entry way and took us upstairs. Alissa and I were given our own apartment in the crackhouse, smelling of urine, the walls covered in graffiti and rotting off, and given a key, told, "this is for your safety." Haha, we locked ourselves inside, attempted to secure the windows and slept.

Evidently for the boys upstairs it was a different story. They shared an apartment with stoned cousin who threatened and prodded them with swords and knives every time they attempted to sleep. He also robbed his own cousin at knife point for drug money. In the morning, they insisted on getting us breakfast, then making us tea, than it was time for Friday prayers. We got out of there approximately 1:30 PM after we became slightly desperate. Strangely enough I wasn't particularly freaked out at this point in the journey. So after assuring stoned cousin we DID NOT need a ride, we caught a minibus to Seedy Krair (this is a military resort, reserved for the families and friends of important people in the military). So we got there and the contrast was ridiculous. A friend of my coworker picked us up at the gate, and all of a sudden I was home. It was like the La Jolla Beach and Tennis club (tennis, private beach, swimming pool, expensive cafes, lifestyles of the rick and famous in these cabana apartment things). It even smelled like San Diego, same plants, next to the sea, and the wealthy and military vibe. So strange. Even though I've been kinda trying to avoid this kinda thing my whole life, it felt really nice all of a sudden.

And then we went to the swimming pool! We wore swimsuits! So strange, we were forced to wear swimcaps and we swam and swam, the only exercise besides walking we'd gotten in a long time. And then I saw the Mediterranean sea at night, under the stars, and I put my feet in the almost too warm water, and I breathed in the sea breeze and then we sat in a gazebo and watched it, as the Egyptian half of our group sang all the common Egyptian songs they knew and danced the crazy awesome Egyptian man dance.

Back in the resort cabana apartment, with Arabic music videos alternating with John McCain's running mate's introduction speech on the TV, I watched the clouds and stars and people go by from the balcony.

Next day, we woke up made our way to the beach, deconstructing the tent from Dubai and taking it with us. I swam in the Mediterranean sea probably a couple hours, it was ridiculously warm, perfect clear green and blue, this was pure joy. We had our water, coke, mars bars, paddle ball, a couple chairs, my trashy romance novel, our own stretch of empty beach, taught my coworker about drizzle castles and buried him in sand which we sculpted to make him look like a woman. This is the end of summer, I thought to myself, this is exactly how its always been. Weird.

So we go to Marina and walk kinda through the middle of nowhere where there are random yachts for sale until we ask this guy named Michael for directions, evidently we went to the wrong gate. He says he'll take us, so four of us pile in his car and he drives us, later the guys out of good will decide they should ride around in his car smoking for awhile, sharing the love.

So we are now in Marina (actually quite reminiscent of Myrtle Beach, SC), where the guys had insisted we go, the big event is eating at McDonalds (which here is quite the gourmet treat), and then we head back home. We get our stuff from the apartment, say goodbye and thanks to our host, catch another minibus (always the back seat). Then get out, catch another, get out, catch a minibus to Cairo from the crowded depot around 3 AM. All the luggage is secured on top, but unfortunately about half way through, something falls. All the men in the minibus jump out and start running back down the road while the minibus follows them driving backwards. Someone finds it! A now broken hookah and a backgammon box. They resecure the luggage and drive on. The American guy we're with, who only speaks classical arabic, is striking up a friendship with all the other guys in the minibus. People find it really amusing to hear him talking, as my coworker says, no one speaks Fusha, maybe Salah al Din only (who's been dead hundred of years). So I can feel and see and smell the smog coming on as we enter Cairo, the stars are gone, its hotter, I can't breath so well, but we arrive in a bustling Midan Ramses to a beautiful sunrise, this city, this country, really really never sleeps.

And now I'm home, Ramadan starts tomorrow, the decorations are all out, and today is like Fat Tuesday, get it all out of your system before you are fasting from food, water, lust, gossip, anger, and all forms of sin for the next month.

So what I have learned from this weekend:

1. Its all about who you know here, even more so than the U.S. Everything runs on connections and friends, and everyone loves to help and be helped. Its a great system, at least if you have good connections. Good for me, I have a new Egyptian BFF with excellent connections.

2. People here just accept things. You pay five pounds for your mini bus ride, this might include a flat tire, chasing luggage down the highway, having three men semi-sitting on your lap, blaring music, intense heat, or a perfect quite ride with tons of space. You might die, but then its God's will right?

3. I do not want to live the lifestyle of the rich and famous. Somehow I always get stuck sort of in it, which is strange because most people want it and can never attain it.

4. I love the sea and the stars and breathable air and being outside more than almost anything

5. I'm more of an independent person than I even like to admit. My new BFF asked multiple times, "why do you like being alone all the time?" (referring to the fact that I swam and sat on the balcony by myself). This is very strange to Egyptian culture, but I was like, hey I'm not gonna not do something just cause other people aren't. And its weird because I really haven't been that independent for quite a while, its like I'm going back to my roots that I'd lost.

6. sometimes you just need a break from this city, as much as Cairo is my habibi (beloved). Your jaw starts to clench from the yells and the horns and the stares and the heat and the daily grind.