Currently reporting from Cairo, Egypt:
I stopped in Rome yesterday, only for a few hours, but it brought back fond memories of my study abroad trip in 2008. When I got to Cairo, it was 4 p.m., and I had only slept 3 hours of the last 24+. I was running on zombie-mode, and got in a car with a driver. Now, getting to the hostel was a hell of a ride — there might be driving laws in Egypt, but I found it incredibly difficult to find complete evidence to support this. Once we arrived to the hostel, we took an ancient elevator to the 4th floor. One can simulate this experience by fastening a shopping cart to a steel-wired pully system and adding electricity. Presto, Egyptian Elevator!
My hostel: well, it wasn’t exactly my hostel. The driver dropped me off at a different one than the place I booked online. The hostel was basically empty, excluding the guy at the front desk and some traveling (sounded Australian) girl stationed on the couch nearby. She gave me some hope.
I really did not know what to expect. I booked a few tours for my short time here, including my visit to the pyramids (which occurred today). Tonight, I will be taking a night-train to Luxor.
How ’bout those Giza Pyramids. Hey, those are pretty cool. I’ll be writing a blog post about it a little later.
My hostel roommate just walked in — he lives in Brooklyn, and once I heard him speak, it was unmistakable, he’s from Trinidad!
Sweet as Tandy 
Fun reading. Wow what a connection..Brooklyn and Trinidad. Glad you are going to Luxor…if you have time Aswan. You going to ride a felucca on the Nile or camel in the dragon’s breath desert? Hitchhiking on a boat up Nile is cool or standing at a busstop with barrels of water to drink is an oasis. Loved the elevator story. You will see that Egypt is one of the most historical places ever. Now stay away from those bed bugs!
Smiles, Joan
No bed bugs yet. I think I’m going to make it through! I head back on a plane to JFK in about 5 hours!