Well sometimes plan changes, and this was one of those times.  I had great intentions of updating my blog every couple of days while I was in Egypt, but the universe had other plans.  First was the lack of wifi, then there was a flu virus, and finally my computer went on the fritz and the track pad stopped working.  So blogging had to take a backseat to travelling and just enjoying the experience.  Three days after I arrived home, I started a new school year so now, a couple of weeks in, I am finally finding the time to sit down and put some of my memories into words.  Although I didn't write a blog, I did keep notes on my phone, and of course I have a ton of pictures that help to remind me of my adventures.  Over the next couple of weeks I'll post about some of the adventures that I went on, like visiting the pyramids, diving in the red sea, and cruising the Nile River.  

So today…. the pyramids!  

I would use the term "culture shock" to sum up the first couple of days in Egypt.  Not so much for me, but for my mom.  I think it was so fortunate that I was there, because each day I would push her to expand our circle a little more and explore a little farther.  And I'm happy to say that at one point she even said "I think I'm going to like it here".  It's amazing what a little sleep, good food and a few creature comforts for the apartment will do.  She has even learned a few Arabic words and to count from 1 to 10.  

In my mind, the real turning point came with the visit to the pyramids..  To realize that you are living just a short drive away from them, really makes you realize how fortunate you are to have this opportunity.  It makes all the heat and dust fade a way a little bit.  

Speaking of heat, as we (dad had the day off so it was the three of us) drove to Giza, our guide Ashraf told us that we had arrived in the middle of a heat wave (a little reassuring that it’s not always that hot) and that we were experiencing the hottest temperatures in 11 years.  Apparently Luxor (up river) has only received 3 minutes of rain in the last 5 years!  With stats like that it’s no wonder that 90% of Egypt’s 90million people live only a short distance from the Nile… and my parents house is no different, within minutes of driving we got our first view of the infamous Nile River.  I will write a lot more about the Nile at another time, but for now, it was exactly as I had pictured it with rushes and vegetation lining its banks. It wasn't much longer after that before we got our first views of the pyramids.  

​According to Ashraf, the Giza pyramids were built by three generations of a family; the Great pyramid (largest of the three) also known as the Pyramid of Khufu or the Pyramid of Cheopes after the name of the King who built it, was built about 4500 years ago and was then followed by the other two built by his son and grandson.  As is the case with so many of these ancient monuments, there is an astrological connection, with the three large pyramids aligning with the stars in Orion’s Belt.   There are also a number of smaller pyramids built for the wives so we actually saw 6 in total at this site.  At one point in history the Nile River actually flowed quite close to these pyramids and you can still see the arches and causeways that people would have walked from the rivers edge to they Great Pyramid.  

​We spent some time at the Great Pyramid, climbing up the first couple of levels so that we could peer in the opening (we chose not to pay to go inside because everyone warns about how hot and claustrophobic it is…and in a heat wave… there will be other times).  The base of each side measures 230m and is made up of 30-ton blocks, so we felt absolutely dwarfed standing next to it.  After a while of wandering and pictures we drove past the other two and up to a “viewing platform” to get a view of the whole complex.  One benefit of travelling around Egypt in a heat wave… we were one of only a handful of people brave/crazy enough to be out in the heat.  So we were able to get pictures of the pyramids without hoards of people in them. 

​Our final thing to see at the Giza Complex was the Sphynx and what better way to travel over to it than by camel.  All three of us… even mom, got up on camels for the 45 minute walk over to the other side of the complex.  As we lopped along, the pyramids were on our left and the dessert was on our right (rather than the buildings of Cairo had we travelled along the front side), which, along with the 46C, gave the feeling that you really were on a camel caravan in the middle of the dessert.  To say that it was surreal is definitely an understatement. 

When we finally rounded one last sand dune and saw the head of the Sphinx poking out, I was a little surprised at the size.  I had always assumed that it was on par with the pyramids, but in actuality it’s quite small.   This is the point where mom hit her sun/heat quota for the day, so she sat in the shade while we took our requisite goofy pictures and then it was off to the air-conditioned van. 

​We had two more stops before lunch at a cotton factory and a papyrus factory and then it was our final stop of the day, and yet another highlight visit for me; Tahrir Square and the Cairo Museum.  Tahrir Square has been the site of so much history, including much of the activity of the 2011 revolution.  Although the square is much quieter today, it’s remarkable to be somewhere that you have read so much about and humbling to think of what some people sacrificed in order to stand up for what they thought was best for their country. 
 
On the far side of the square is the Cairo Museum, and from the moment you step inside, it’s like going back 100 years.  It is very unlike any modern museum that I have ever been in, and it’s a shame that they’re in the process of building a new one because it will loose some of its charm.  To start, there is no air conditioning aside from the rooms that hold some of King Tut’s jewelry, and the room that holds the mummies, so it is almost as hot inside as it is outside.  Secondly it is CRAMMED full of artifacts, very few of which are behind glass.  If you want to touch that 4700 year old sarcophagi, you go ahead and reach out and touch that 4700 year old sarcophagi.  Of course, things like Tutankhamen’s mask and the mummy of Ramses II were behind glass, but I was amazed at the number of things that weren’t.  Ashraf did an excellent job of guiding us to the highlight pieces through the old, middle and new Kingdoms, and while I feel like I could easily go back and spend another couple of days just wandering around, we did get a really good overview of the collections they have.  It was definitely a day to remember! 

Well the first 36 hours in Maadi have been action packed… but not quite in the way that I expected them to be.  It’s actually been quite reminiscent of my first few days living in Monteverde, the only difference is that I’m watching my parents go through the same culture shock that I went through 5 years ago! 

I arrived in Cairo Saturday night around 7:30 and was fortunate to have Shawn, the principal of the school, pick me up at the airport.  It’s always nice to have a familiar face greet you when you’re arriving in a country for the first time… well as familiar as seeing his picture once on the website can be.  We drove the hour to what is now my parent’s apartment in Maadi only to find that the person who was supposed to clean and set up the apartment obviously hadn’t.  Not only was it incredibly dirty, but there were no towels/sheets/dishes to be had.  So at 9:00pm we made our way to the Carrefour to buy a few supplies to see me/us through the first 24 hours. I was amazed at the number of people (including babies) that were also doing their shopping between 10 and 11pm on a Saturday night (Saturday here is equivalent to our Sunday, their weekend is Fri/Sat).  It makes sense that a lot of people nap so that they can go out later when it’s cooler. 

Now those of you that know my mom, know she’s a bit of a clean freak.  When Shawn dropped me off again armed with towels, sheets, a couple of cloths and a big bottle of cleaner, I knew I had my work cut out for me.  I knew that if my mom walked into the place after travelling for 48 hours, having very little sleep, and already feeling culture shock, that it might be just a little too much.  So I threw on workout clothes, cranked up the Mumford and Sons and got busy.  I got rid of garbage, scrubbed bathrooms, cupboards, kitchen counters and every other surface I could until I ran out of cleaner at 2am, at which point I crashed hard (this after 36 hours of travelling with no sleep, so I was ready).  It wasn’t perfect, but it was as good as it was going to get.  And when they walked in at 7:30 the next morning I was definitely glad I had stayed up to clean. 

I remember when I first moved to Monteverde and I had the romantic notion of what it was going to be like to live in the jungle mountaintop in Costa Rica.  You have all these expectations of what it’s going to be like, but it’s based on a North American ideals.  You’re not thinking about what it’s going to be like living in a foreign country where you don’t speak the language or know the culture, and where the living “norms” are different than your own.   So it’s no wonder culture shock hits us when we finally arrive in the country, exhausted after tens of hours of travel and months of anticipation.  I think it’s those first few days that either make-or-break the experience you’re going to have.  You can either A) embrace it and look at is as part of the adventure, or B) be overwhelmed by the different-ness of it all and let it prevent you from enjoying the experience.  I wasn’t quite sure which one my mom would choose… but I’m happy to say that after 24 hours, she’s gone with choice A. 

Yesterday was a much-needed rest followed by more scrubbing and tidying of the apartment and unpacking.  Shawn and Sherena came by in the evening to take us on a tour of Maadi… I can already tell I’m going to need more time exploring Road 9 (Lisa we even found Carlitos).  We wandered around in the 42-degree heat (which isn’t as bad as I thought) for a while before retreating to air conditioning and a wonderful Lebanese meal.  By the end of the day, while still exhausted, they were starting to feel more settled and ready to take on this adventure. 

Today was my dad’s first day of work, so mom and I had a quick breakfast of yogurt and honey before setting out to explore her neighborhood. We are already starting to learn the streets (none of which are identified with signs so you just have to figure out a plan in advance and keep track of the number of streets that you’ve passed).  We stopped for coffee and poked into a couple of stores before making our longer trek over to the Grand Mall where we hoped to find stuff for their house.  A 25-minute walk wouldn’t usually intimidate me, but 25 minutes in direct sun with 41 degree heat is definitely daunting and I appreciated when we hit the air-conditioned mall.  While there wasn’t a whole lot in the way of household stores, it was really interesting to see all the different clothing stores (all 6 floors of them) and what the styles are like in this area of the world.  

A few hours later and it was back into the sun to walk over to the ACE club; an expat “club” that is known for their cheap alcohol (harder to come by in a Muslim country) and good food.  It lived up to its reputation on both fronts and I was especially impressed with my $2 glass of wine that was filled literally to the rim.  For a second I had to debate whether it was polite to sip it before lifting it up to carry to my table.  

And then it was back into the sun again as we wandered our way back to Road 233.  We managed to re-find a little pita bakery that we’d seen the first day, and then grabbed some creamy feta, olive oil and veggies for Greek salad from the store across the street, so dinner was a very fresh and delicious one at the apartment.  

Tonight was more cleaning and organizing and I’m excited to say that my mom actually uttered the words “I’m so happy with this” as she looked in at the freshly washed cupboards lined with the new glasses bought today.  I think this whole Egypt thing is going to be a-okay for them, and I think I’m going to have a hard time leaving… I already feel very at home here! 

Tomorrow I talk to the school’s travel agent and book my couple of excursions, so hopefully my next post will have more cultural info and pictures included!  

I can't believe the time has finally come for this trip.  While the actual flights have only been booked for a few months, I feel like I've been waiting a lifetime for this day.  When I was five years old, my papa sent up a book from the MET on the King Tut exhibit.  I remember, as a child, pouring through that book and imagining myself with all of those ancient artifacts.  This was beginning of my fascination with Egypt.  It continued from there with Sokar and the Crocodile, Aida, and my all time favourite book The River God by Wilbur Smith (one of the few books I've read multiple times cover to cover).  I always knew I'd eventually get to Egypt, but timing/circumstances just hadn't been right. That changed seven months ago, and the opportunity to spend three weeks in Cairo presented itself.  Connections with the BCCIS (BC offshore school) and an apartment to stay at,.. how could I pass up this opportunity! The invitation to do a presentation on my experiences as a Grosvenor Fellow in Antarctica has only increased my excitement and anticipation for this trip.     

So I find myself sitting at Gate 65 at YVR, waiting for my flight to Cairo, still pinching myself.  Two "trips of a lifetime" in one year is leaving me feeling incredibly fortunate. I won't be posting as frequently as I did in Antarctica, but I will upload info and pictures as often as I can.  Hope you enjoy following along.