Crazy, But Lovable, Cairo

Don’t get me wrong, Cairo is awesome, and it’s sites are superb, but it’s also a bit crazy.

As I came to see the Pyramids and Great Sphinx at a time when risk of terrorism was high, I wasn’t sure what to expect or how long to stay in Egypt. After arriving, the relative normalcy of everyday life and the warm welcome I received from locals made me feel fairly safe, so I decided to stay.

In the end, I spent over three weeks in Egypt, between Cairo, Luxor, Aswan, and Abu Simbel. I loved it! But every day seemed to have some crazy, unexpected adventure added in.

It just seems to be part of the culture, and if you don’t experience some crazy in Cairo, you haven’t seen it at all.

Riding camels in crazy Cairo

Nice People…Crazy Place

Being a travel geek, I scan the faces as I walk around a city. As I walked Cairo, I could really tell that Egypt’s been a major cultural crossroad for centuries. There are so many interesting faces. I could see Greek, Arabic, African, Indian, and Turkish influences, as well as a mix of all of the above.

But one thing all those different faces had in common, was how nice they were (excluding taxi drivers and tour salesmen of course). Not what I was expecting at all! Maybe it was because tourism was down and they were really happy to see a tourist, or maybe they’re just nice because life can be pretty chaotic in Cairo.

As I walked by, many people would shout out, ‘welcome’ and I received countless warm smiles. In fact, several times people on the street would stop, ask me where I was going, and help me find what I was looking for. Something that would never happen in Rome or Paris, where they’re inundated with tourists.

Paparazzi-Like

Another thing that completely surprised me was how many locals wanted to have their picture taken with me. I expected this in countries in Asia, but not here. It felt like the paparazzi were after me at times!

It started at the pyramids. There was a group of kids in their late teens/early 20’s that called to me so I would look at their camera while they snapped a photo. Then several came up and asked for a photo. Once one person asked, a crowd would form. This happened just about everywhere I visited. Even just walking on the street and inside the museum!

And it wasn’t just in Cairo. In Luxor, shortly after I sat in a restaurant, a group of about 40 schoolgirls and their teachers came in for dinner. Only one took my picture there, but then after dinner I ran into the same group at the Temple of Luxor. Suddenly, I was swarmed with them all wanting to take a photo with me. They even pushed each other to get them, as most wanted one solo. Even the security guard was smirking at the scene.

Another day, after I finished touring the Citadel, where several had already taken my picture inside, I walked over to sit off to the side by the exit gate, trying to find some peace and quiet. Several of them must have followed me out, as the next thing I knew, there was a group right beside me. I let them take a few photos and left, completely frazzled, running right into the clutches of a crooked taxi driver. It can be such an exhausting city!

Taxis

I hate haggling with taxi drivers, but as there are a lot of old taxis with no meters here, you have to play the game. And as in most tourist places with no meters, they flat out overcharge tourists. And those with meters, may take the longer route, also gouging you.

I found that the English speaking taxi drivers would inflate prices 5 to 10 times over what they should be. When they do this, you just have to walk away, then suddenly the price starts dropping.

The most honest taxi drivers (if there is such a thing) were the ones that didn’t speak English. They even had change for you when you paid. Unfortunately, they usually required finding an interpreter or coming prepared with the name written in Arabic.

One of my taxi drivers resorted to calling his English speaking brother and handing me his phone so I could tell him where I wanted to go. Another time a random lady talked to the driver before I got in.

Traffic Is Crazy In Cairo

And of course you need to use taxis as the traffic is insane here!

Don’t Even Think of Driving!

It’s like the motorbikes in Vietnam, but with cars. Horns are constantly honking and cars don’t stay in their lanes. When traffic is heavy, which is most of the time, two lane roads become three and three lanes roads become four. But they also disregard those lines when traffic is light, driving wherever they want on the road.

It’s completely helter skelter, inching forward any way possible when slow and racing like maniacs when it’s not. Their cars show it too, as almost all are full of dents and scratches.

Taxi driver in crazy Cairo
My Taxi Driver

After visiting the pyramids, our taxi was stuck in a 2 hour traffic jam. This may not seem unusual until you realize that it’s only 9 miles (15 km) between Central Cairo and the pyramids!

When we finally inched our way to the problem intersection, our driver gunned it and literally flew across. I don’t think I’ve ever crossed an intersection that fast. It was just a blur, but I did notice about 6 locals standing in the road trying to help direct the gridlock. No police, mind you, but locals trying to pitch in and help.

Making the situation even crazier, were were all starving in the taxi as we hadn’t eaten for hours before getting stuck in the taxi for an additional two. Our driver had several small packets of sugar next to him, probably for just such a situation. He offered some, but even though I was starving, I’m not into downing sugar. He, however, opened several and poured them down his throat.

Dented cars in crazy Cairo

No Headlights

And for some perplexing reason, drivers rarely their car lights on at night. In one taxi, our driver only turned on the lights when he hit the brakes. When asked why, he matter of factly said it was so the car behind him knew he was stopping?!?!?!

Pedestrians

Pedestrians weave in and out of traffic while cars dodge them. Although some cars slow down when you cross the street, I swear that others speed up, sending you sprinting towards the curb.

Traffic is so crazy in Cairo, that apparently drivers will do anything once the roads are clear, including mowing over pedestrians.

‘Hasslers’

Two of my hostels sat me down first thing, warning me to stay away from the ‘slick-English-speaking-guys’ stationed around the hostels and hotels. They suggested that I didn’t want to be the ‘catch of the day’. This warning was not just for women, men were given the same speech.

I ran into at least one, but usually several of them every day in Central Cairo. They ALL have a friend, uncle, or someone that lives in the states, they ALL claim they’re great guys and just want to talk. If you keep walking, they walk with you, whatever your pace. It’s as if they all read the same manual.

And they’re not easy to shake off, sometimes, getting angry with you for not talking to them. I tried to be as polite as possible, as I didn’t want any enemies on the street. Eventually I became really good at ducking into shops or saying I had to go to the bathroom and dashing off to get rid of them.

They all wanted me to see their shop, sell me perfume, have tea with them, or see their great deals on tours, whatever. Some were nicer than others and all were pleasant to talk to, but they, frustratingly, take up A LOT of your time.

Some would outright lie to get me to divert my agenda. When I went to the souk at Khan el-Khalili, a vendor kept trying to distract me from crossing the street, insisting that the market wasn’t there. Unfortunately for him, I knew it was. He just wanted me to visit his shop.

As crazy as it sounds, you need to walk in Cairo with a plan on how to politely duck out of conversations. Especially if you plan to be there for a few days.

Giving In

One, tired, of the battle, I just gave in. He insisted his shop was close by. He just wanted me to stop in for a minute to look. OK, I thought. I followed him for several blocks, with his shop being ‘just around the corner’. I kept thinking it really must be close by this time, so kept going, wishing I had given an excuse earlier.

When we finally arrived, I stopped in briefly, trying to feign interest and be polite. I didn’t want to owe him anything so refused the tea.

This is a typical scam here. They call themselves ‘papyrus museums’, insisting quality is high and overpricing items. I honesty wasn’t interested, just going to be polite.

When I left, I ran into another guy working at the same shop, but from the other direction! Thankfully, I had a business card from the first guy to prove I had already been there.

Not All Bad

Not all service people/sales people are bad though. The people working at my hostels were amazing. They went out of their way to help me, providing amazing service even though my rooms were only $4 or 5/night! Giving me tips on where to go, how to deal with taxi drivers and people on the street, etc.

In fact, in Luxor, the guy from my hostel called the cruise staff twice on my 3 night cruise from Luxor to Aswan to make sure everything was OK. He even followed up after a later trip he had arranged for me to Abu Simbel from Aswan. I’ve visited 60 countries and never had this kind of service!

Male Cairenes

Something that’s unique here is that often you see men walking with their arms linked at the elbow. This doesn’t mean they’re gay, in fact, sadly, that’s criminal here and can attract the wrong kind of attention. The men also hug each other warmly and kiss each other on the cheek when they meet. This is a sign of platonic friendship, one of the few things I found endearing about the men here.

On the flip side, some men could be very frustrating and ‘old school’. Particularly older men. They seemed to be annoyed when I asked questions. I swear they sometimes made things up just to have an answer and get rid of me. Other times they would just change the subject and not answer at all.

Queuing In Cairo

Nope. Very rarely do they queue. Cash registers, ticket booths, restaurants, and more are just become a glob of people. They will cut in front of you if you’re not pressed directly up to the person in front of you.

And to survive in Cairo, this is just another crazy game you have to play. Be polite, but assertive.

Getting Around

Often, getting to and from places was a big part of the adventure. This story is from my craziest day in Cairo.

To get to a site on my own one day, I received walking directions from one of the guys working at my hostel. I often like to take the slow route while traveling to soak up more of the culture, and I hadn’t yet discovered maps.me, so wasn’t sure how to get there.

He said part of the walk was ‘on a narrow bridge’, but I later learned it was a freeway bridge with about 1 foot between the car lane and the wall. Not the best with the all the crazy drivers in Cairo. I was already committed though, so decided to keep going.

About half way across, an official standing next to a policeman came over and asked where I was going. He muttered something about ‘tourists’, flagged down a motorist, and sat me inside a strangers car!

The driver spoke no English, but the guy had given him my destination. We sped crazily around several freeway loop-de-loops, while he kept chattering in Arabic, repeating himself, hoping I may finally understand. It felt super, super crazy, but oddly safe at the same time.

As we neared my destination, I wanted to give him some money for the ride, after all, he was as stuck with me as I was with him. Unfortunately, all I had was a big bill.

Realizing what I wanted to do, he started yelling at motorists driving beside us to see if they could make change. We finally found someone that gave me change, literally through the window, while we were driving side by side!

I gave the driver 20 pounds (about $1) and got a huge toothless grin back. I hope I didn’t make him late for work. And I wonder if he smiles thinking about that day the same way I do…

Taxi Drivers Refused Me

Getting back to my hostel that afternoon was just as crazy. As my ride here involved many turns, I now had no idea how to get back. My plan was to take a taxi, but none would take me. I flagged down several and they all shook their heads and drove off. Confused, I later learned it was because it was rush hour and they thought it would cost too much. Little did they know I would have gladly paid.

Anyway, several people at a street corner started asking me what I needed. Soon, I had several locals discussing the best way for me to get home. They directed me to the metro. It wasn’t a straight shot, so I had to ask a couple people along the way to finally find it.

The Crazy Metro

Luckily, on the way, I ran into a guy going to my same stop. He offered to help. Although for some reason, he didn’t want others to know he was helping me, so had me walk a distance in front of him, calling out left or right so I knew where to turn. Things were beyond bizarre at this point, and I was thankful for the help, so just went with it.

As I never could find any maps in the subway, and my ride required a connection, he even helped me through the line transfer. I was super thankful as it was crowded during rush hour and the change was complicated.

He also pointed out that there was a women’s only car and which one it was. This was really helpful during rush hour as the cars are packed super tight!

Unfortunately, right as I was trying to get off at my stop, I learned that the ladies push to get into the car, so instead of getting off, I found myself pushed further into the car.

Somehow, I managed to stick my arm out the door. I think I was trying to use my arms to swim through the crowd. Maybe I was just flailing, I’m not sure. Thankfully, someone grabbed my hand and pulled me out. I lost a shoe in the process, but spotted it on the ground and grabbed it.

The woman that pulled me out, as well as several other female bystanders seemed completely shocked that they had pulled out a tourist. We all stared at each other for a few moments while I tried to gain my composure and smile. The lady that pulled me out shook my hand. I thanked her, put on my shoe and tried to nonchalantly walk away, dodging hasslers as I finished my walk home.

The metro here is only for the adventurous. If you do go, be sure to have an image of the map, and have a plan in advance. Maybe just avoid it in rush hour.

Crazy, But Lovable, Cairo

Of course there’s much more. This doesn’t even include other stories of crazy Cairo, like when we found a tack, point-side-up, under the blanket on my saddle at the Pyramids of Giza. I had wondered why it was so uncomfortable!

Or the guy at the bottom of one of the ancient pyramids personally searching for energy sources there with bent hotel hangers. With so few tourists, there were only three of us down there, listening to his theories and watching him ‘work’ his hangers. We didn’t even realize how long we’d been down there until the guard became concerned and came down looking for us!

It also doesn’t include my solo overnight train ride from Cairo to Luxor. Not in one of the first class sleeper cars, but in a standard seat with all the other locals. I worried for a little bit how I would fare as a solo female traveler with a train full of men, but all was fine. The long journey made even nicer by all the people who helped me find the right train in the station (as everything is in Arabic, numbers included).

Or the fact that I had to walk with headphones on and the music turned way up in Luxor. The only way to get any peace from the street hasslers there (which are the world’s worst by the way).

I don’t mean to portray Cairo (or Luxor) as a bad place, it’s just completely different than orderly western life. In fact that’s why I travel in the first place, not to just see the sites and take pictures, but to really experience life in a different country. Cairo is just a crazy adventure.

And as crazy as it felt here at times, I felt safe, and welcomed by its people. And I also had fun. As crazy as Cairo is, I would definitely go back in a heartbeat!

For more information on Egypt, see my posts on Luxor, Aswan, and Abu Simbel, and to help you plan your trip, see my Egypt Travel Guide.

Note: Egypt has had known issues of terrorism for years, so always check government websites for warnings before planning a trip.If you’re a US citizen, sign up for the STEP program to be alerted if issues arise. If you’re not a US citizen, see if your country offers something similar.

Hello! I resigned from a corporate career in product development to explore the world. Although my goal was to travel for a year, 8 years later, I’ve been honored to have explored more than 60 gorgeous countries and met some unbelievably amazing people. Our world truly is a beautiful place! Follow me into the gorgeous unknown by subscribing below. You’ll receive details on fabulous destinations, comprehensive travel guides, travel tips and tidbits, and information on travel trends, like experiential, sustainable, and transformational travel. Where is your next gorgeous unknown? Julie

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