The softer side of Egypt

We are done. Well, at least with the big part. Our things are packed up and moved out. We are left with an empty, echoing apartment. This always happens when you move, you look around after all the boxes and STUFF is taken away and say,

"Wow, this place is big. I could do so much with this."

I don't think I could have any other kind of life than a nomadic one. I need a clean slate after a few years. Maybe someday we'll settle down, but this suits me just fine right now, thanks. I've been reminiscing about our time here in Egypt. There have been good times, believe it or not. To tell you the truth, Cairo was not at the top of my preferred places to live. I know, shocking. A lot of people have said that just once in their life, they've got to see the Great Pyramids of Egypt, or float the Nile. Yeah, me, not so much. And it's not because I've spent the last 4 years of my life here. It's just not at the top of my list. My list includes a walkabout in Australia, climbing the steps to the Big Buddha in Hong Kong, or exploring an ancient cathedral in the mists of Ireland. And somehow Florida fits in there too. Don't ask me why, I just want to go someday. I find it intriguing. Oranges, sunshine, and Disneyworld. But to get back to my point, Egypt does have it's good side. When I'm overlooking frustrating Egyptian logic (that is an oxymoron), the driving, and general apathy, I find the gems.

#1 Otlob.com
This is the greatest thing ever. Everyone delivers here; the pharmacy, grocery store and even McDonalds. You just call them up and your good arrive on the doorstep. Otlobmakes it easier. (I know, how could that get any easier) With Otlob, you don't have to talk to anyone; it has a list of participating restaurants and their menus. You just fill out the online menu, click 'Order' and your Chili's, Fuddruckers, Hardees, Papa Johns, or Chinese Lan Yuan (to name a few) arrives within the hour. Usually. Sometimes the food is a bit late, squished or cold, but usually it's a great experience. (see, I'm really trying to be positive)

#2 Cheap, fresh fruit
I will miss mango season. I will miss date season. And strawberry season and, well, you get the picture. Fruit here is a pretty reasonable price anyway, but during a certain fruit's season, it is especially cheap. I just bought 1 kilo (2.2 lbs) of strawberries for .52 cents. I will miss this so much. Or driving out to the date farms and just asking a guy to shimmy up a tree and cut off a whole branch of dates. You pay him about 15 LE (about $2.60) and you're on your way. I take that wonderful bunch of plump dates home, wash them and then lay them out in the sun to dry. In about a week or so, I have my own yummy dates.

#3 Cheap "exotic" vacations
Are you noticing a trend yet? Cheap is the theme. But so what, I'm all about a good deal. What other people consider exotic, we call a three day weekend. For example, in February, we took off on President's day weekend and spent 3 days on the north coast. White sand, blue water, and relaxing waves; what more could I ask for? Or maybe I will take off with my husband and go to Luxor. Just kick around the temple at Karnak and peek into the Valley of the Kings, see a tomb or two. And for all of this, we're NOT paying an arm and a leg or promising our firstborn to Rumplestiltskin.


Well, that's just a few that I've thought up right now. I'm sure I'll come up with more once we're actually gone and I'm bawling my eyes out for some unexplained reason. I am truly torn.