4W1D Back "home" in Cairo

Getting train tickets in Aswan was the first time I’ve been pushed over the edge since the start of my trip. Let’s just say it took me two days, a non English speaking, a somewhat apathetic tourism officer, a Polish guy blocking the hoards of men behind me and me pushing my way through a crowd of at least 40 men and throwing myself up against the ticket window and yelling that I need a ticket back to Cairo to which he responded “Kalhass!” (finished).

Try two consisted of the same procedure, but this time the attendant ignored me, slowly took a puff of his cigarette and just sat there staring at the computer screen. He also ignored the other men, so I guess I don’t feel so bad. A few minutes later he finally acknowledged my screams of a mixture of English and Arabic - “Sir! Please I need a ticket to Cairo tonight!” and told me to come back an hour before the train leaves to buy the ticket.

Mr. Ticket man, didn’t you just say it was sold out? At this point I’m also kalhass! (hmmm Emily, the stories of you getting a ticket in Cairo are starting to come back to me.) and fed up, especially with the heat causing me to feel very faint.

So I give up and was about to leave, when I notice a ticket attendant in the window next to mine, with only 2 people in line. I run to this window and ask politely if there were any tickets back to Cairo… and viola! There are tickets! He scribbles on a blue piece of people with handwriting so bad it looks like a bunch of squiggles (though I could make out that it said Cairo in Arabic). Now I know there is a “tourist” cart and regular cart (which tourists are still allowed to ride) on the train – the “tourist” cart costing almost twice as much, but at this point I was just happy to get a ticket, which is why I didn’t mind so much paying for the “tourist” cart.

I find out later that it is a holiday, hence the trains being so crowded. Even the “tourist” cart was filled, and not with tourists, but with Egyptians as well. Next time I will make sure to travel during non peak times… but hey, I made it back “home” to Cairo.

On another topic, home is a relative and constantly changing term for me. People's hospitality has made me love Egypt even more. So in this sense I feel at “home”; comfortable, welcome and accepted here.

On the other hand, I also felt at “home” when I was living in Como, Italy and miss it quite a bit. I miss that view out of my studio window, walking along the lake to get to class, enjoying kebabs that seemed so out of place, exploring the piazzas and streets, the little hobbit bar where we had a jenga competition…One day, I will return.