Squirrels

Boston Time: 6:03 PM 13 May
Cairo Time: 1:03 AM 14 May

Currently, Nick and I are sitting on the sidewalk of GOAL restaurant behind our hotel. Had a very busy day and burnt out from my first 24 hours of reporting: last night at the Flamenco Festival, talking with an Al-Ahram journalist this morning, this afternoon shadowing the Arabic Dialogue students who tutor English at St. Andrew’s to refugees and then taking a mystic womb dancing lesson. As I sit here attempting to condense my day into the blog, my computer charger sitting in a plant as it dangles through the restaurant window, I am more interested in getting some video of the cat underneath a neighboring table. Cats here litter the streets like squirrels back home. Acquiring some good street-cat footage has proven more difficult than it should considering the plethora of felines roaming the city streets.

On the Midnight Train…

Boston Time: 6:17 PM 7 May
Egypt Time: 1:17 AM 8 May

The Cairo-Luxor sleeper train is currently hurtling down the tracks as we make our way up the Nile to the Luxor this Thursday evening. As I lie here awake on the top bunk, thoughts bustle through my mind with every bump of the train.

The bed bugs and spiders of which we have been forewarned that live in the train’s bed sheets. I haven’t seen any yet myself but the bottom of my feet do feel a bit warm, though I believe it to be from the grippers on the metal ladder’s steps.

The cats that inhabit the filthy sidewalks and streets of Cairo which act in some strange way as a replacement for the squirrels of Boston.

All the people to whom I need to send a post card. The cards at the Flamenco gift shop were disappointing and over priced—hopefully I will find a better selection in Luxor this weekend.

What color will I paint Nick’s toes while he examines my computer?

Weighing the pros and cons of spending a free day on another camel excursion or trying to find a place to snorkel. For some reason I find the camel’s mushy feet strangely fascinating. During our ride to the Pyramids of Giza I was constantly having to remind myself to look at the pyramids and not the camels we were riding.

I should send a thank you post card to my middle school keyboarding teacher. Its hard typing in the dark on the train but its working pretty well so far.

Composing in my head what would be an interesting article on attending a women’s lingerie party, with all the women wearing hijabs. It would be a compelling mix of feminine modesty and sensuality. Perhaps even learning how to fashion and wear all the different styles of headscarves.

The bottom of my feet are getting warmer…