A traveler recounts a brief stopover in Cairo, highlighting the experience of waking up to the pyramids of Giza and the challenges of squeezing in as much sightseeing as possible in a limited time.
Name the most spectacular sights to wake up to from your hotel window. Sydney Harbour, for sure. The Eiffel Tower. A game reserve in Kenya. The Swiss Alps around Lauterbrunnen. And now let’s add the pyramids of Giza. You can stay in a hotel so close to these magnificent, 4500-year-old structures that they loom just over the edge of your balcony, close enough to touch (on a day without too much dust or smog).
I’ve just spent the night at Le Meridien Pyramids, one of many hotels in outer Cairo that boast views of those unmistakable peaks. Wake in the morning, slightly drowsy and jet-lagged, throw open the curtains and there they are, a wonder of the world. And what’s the first thing I’m going to do on this beautiful morning, my first in Egypt? Check out. And then head to the airport. See, I’m only staying 24 hours. This is a stopover, an enforced stay on a journey between India and Ethiopia. It’s an annoying break in some ways, given the hassles of getting around Cairo, though it’s also a prime opportunity to pack as much Egyptian goodness as possible into a very short stay. I’ve already visited the Egyptian Museum, a chaotic wonder of treasures so numerous that priceless artefacts sit there unmarked. I’ve eaten koshari, the classic Egyptian stomach-filler. I’ve strolled the dense alleyways of Khan el Khalili.And this morning I will explore the pyramids of Giza, I will see the Sphinx, I will say no to about 100 offers of camel rides, and then I will take a taxi to the airport and depart. Have I even been to Egypt? There’s some argument among travellers about what it requires to have “been” somewhere.People care about this. There’s a Travelers’ Century Club whose membership, despite what you might think from the photos of its members, is not age-based, but rather open to those who have visited 100 countries and territorie
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A whirlwind 24 Hours in EgyptThe author recounts a brief stopover in Cairo during a longer journey, highlighting the experience of waking up to the pyramids of Giza and attempting to pack in as much of Egypt's cultural richness as possible in a short amount of time.
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A whirlwind 24 hours in EgyptAn author recounts their brief stopover in Egypt, highlighting the experience of waking up to the pyramids of Giza and the challenge of packing in as much as possible during a short visit.
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