Thursday, July 28, 2011
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Cairo: The Siren of the Middle East
I am once again in Cairo, Egypt. One may wonder at the intelligence of coming here given the recent happenings (I can hear a demonstration outside as I type), but come I did. Even I can not really figure out the reasoning for such a thing, though perhaps it could have something to do with a friend I have here that I really would like to see once again.
You see, Cairo is a busy city where one doesn't come to relax. Just crossing the street is like taking your life into your hands. Every time I leave the hostel, I have a number of people attempting to offer their "help". They try to convince you that it is just out of the kindness of their hearts, but they are almost always looking for money or some type of favor. Many are selling things at more than what would be the fair market value counting on the fact that the person is ignorant about the worth of such items and locations as to where they could get them more reasonably priced.
I knew when I came that I really did not like Cairo. I came with trepidation in my heart and suspicion in my mind. Of course this tends to make itself into reality in a number of different ways, and this time was no exception. I managed to not have anyone meet me at the airport as agreed, not have my baggage even reach Cairo, and in my moment of extreme anger of it all, I skipped the long line at the customer service counter and started walking toward downtown. Of course I only made it 3.5 hours before I decided that I couldn't do it anymore and I needed to hail a taxi, which I paid what I thought was a fair price, though it seemed like he was expecting more.
I ran into the family of nemeses I encountered on my last visit. The one did not recognize me, and attempted once again to help me. The others saw me and talked about what happened; at least it was amiable. I am soooo sick of having to deal with people, though. I think my next vacation is going to be somewhere I have friends that aren't so busy, or else I will go with someone I know. Maybe I will find someone who would like to go to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico and stay in a resort down there. If you are interested, let me know :) The more the merrier! (Up to about 8). Sometime from August 14 or 15 - September 10 (one or two weeks) would be ideal.....
You see, Cairo is a busy city where one doesn't come to relax. Just crossing the street is like taking your life into your hands. Every time I leave the hostel, I have a number of people attempting to offer their "help". They try to convince you that it is just out of the kindness of their hearts, but they are almost always looking for money or some type of favor. Many are selling things at more than what would be the fair market value counting on the fact that the person is ignorant about the worth of such items and locations as to where they could get them more reasonably priced.
I knew when I came that I really did not like Cairo. I came with trepidation in my heart and suspicion in my mind. Of course this tends to make itself into reality in a number of different ways, and this time was no exception. I managed to not have anyone meet me at the airport as agreed, not have my baggage even reach Cairo, and in my moment of extreme anger of it all, I skipped the long line at the customer service counter and started walking toward downtown. Of course I only made it 3.5 hours before I decided that I couldn't do it anymore and I needed to hail a taxi, which I paid what I thought was a fair price, though it seemed like he was expecting more.
I ran into the family of nemeses I encountered on my last visit. The one did not recognize me, and attempted once again to help me. The others saw me and talked about what happened; at least it was amiable. I am soooo sick of having to deal with people, though. I think my next vacation is going to be somewhere I have friends that aren't so busy, or else I will go with someone I know. Maybe I will find someone who would like to go to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico and stay in a resort down there. If you are interested, let me know :) The more the merrier! (Up to about 8). Sometime from August 14 or 15 - September 10 (one or two weeks) would be ideal.....
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Dinner on a boring day
Today was just another day in tent city where there is less to do than where I was previously. Basically, I walked around for some of the day, then I came into Green Beans and had a coffee and surfed the internet. Not the most entertaining thing in the world, but it did end up being productive. At around 6 or 6:30 I went to the local "Oriental Restaurant". The food was passable, and while a little more expensive than I would have liked, not exorbitantly so. I was a little disappointed that oriental meant Chinese and two or three Korean dishes in a restaurant staffed exclusively by Filipino/a workers.One would think I would be used to it by now, but I don't think that will ever be the case.
Tonight will probably be another early night so that I can get up super early in the morning and take a relatively private shower. Then I have to go to the office to get my LOA (Letter of Authorization) stamped by those pesky LNO people stating that I have obtained the proper visa to take the bus into the airport to catch my flight. I have to be ready with my things by 8:30am because my flight is at 2:20pm. I am not sure it is going to take that long, or even when the bus leaves from here. They only give show times, never departure or arrival times. It all makes sense, but it can be frustrating as well. I wonder what is going to happen when I finally make it into the real/normal world once again.
If you thought that a food article would have been good, then perhaps you would like The Road Forks by a couple of friends of mine. I am sure you will enjoy their writing and marvel at the opportunity they have had to eat their way across much of the world... If only I were as pushy!
Tonight will probably be another early night so that I can get up super early in the morning and take a relatively private shower. Then I have to go to the office to get my LOA (Letter of Authorization) stamped by those pesky LNO people stating that I have obtained the proper visa to take the bus into the airport to catch my flight. I have to be ready with my things by 8:30am because my flight is at 2:20pm. I am not sure it is going to take that long, or even when the bus leaves from here. They only give show times, never departure or arrival times. It all makes sense, but it can be frustrating as well. I wonder what is going to happen when I finally make it into the real/normal world once again.
If you thought that a food article would have been good, then perhaps you would like The Road Forks by a couple of friends of mine. I am sure you will enjoy their writing and marvel at the opportunity they have had to eat their way across much of the world... If only I were as pushy!
What's next?
I am now at another crossroads in life. I am doing online classes for which I must spend some time in residence, but for the most part I have a huge decision to make. I am soon to be officially unemployed. I have the opportunity to go back to school and live in the wonderful Upper Peninsula (UP) of Michigan, or I could do a little more traveling first.
I am looking at a number of possibilities. I am looking at Israel, North Korea, and Cairo for a slightly extended stay. They all have pluses and minuses, and it is difficult to decide what is worth it and what is not. As the time makes its way closer, I will let you know how the decisions finally come out. Either way, I am sure it will be an adventure worthy of of blogging. Perhaps someone out there will actually enjoy it.
My vacation has almost begun; you will surely read about it as it unfolds. Good luck to all, and happy reading.
I am looking at a number of possibilities. I am looking at Israel, North Korea, and Cairo for a slightly extended stay. They all have pluses and minuses, and it is difficult to decide what is worth it and what is not. As the time makes its way closer, I will let you know how the decisions finally come out. Either way, I am sure it will be an adventure worthy of of blogging. Perhaps someone out there will actually enjoy it.
My vacation has almost begun; you will surely read about it as it unfolds. Good luck to all, and happy reading.
My Exit from Iraq
While I mentioned how I left Iraq, I didn't tell about the most interesting conversation I had while waiting at the air terminal. While I was passing the time working on my computer, a nice 1st Lieutenant addressed me in one of the most common ways people have addressed me in Iraq, "you must be hot in that!" As I was inside, and the air conditioning is set at a level that would make a penguin feel at home, I could truthfully answer that I was not. Of course I couldn't make it that simple, so I replied, "only outside. I wear the jacket for when I am inside."
I assumed that this satisfied him, as he turned away. Suddenly he turned back, as if he had forgotten something extremely important. "What do you do?" Not a very uncommon question either, so I told him I was an English teacher. "Oh. You should know that the rumor around base, because of you hair and your style, is that you are CIA. But now I know, so it is alright."
Now this could explain why it seemed like so many of the soldiers always seemed to be talking about me, looking in my direction and whispering. I wasn't being paranoid, they actually were! I can't help but wonder what other strange things they may have been saying about me. I also wonder if this has anything to do with the change in the way I was treated by the air force before I left. Perhaps this actually explains a lot!
I actually sort of wish that I did work for the CIA, at least then I would have the satisfaction of doing something good while being treated this way for a reason. I suppose that will have to go down on the list of things I never got the chance to do, however. Very sad.
I assumed that this satisfied him, as he turned away. Suddenly he turned back, as if he had forgotten something extremely important. "What do you do?" Not a very uncommon question either, so I told him I was an English teacher. "Oh. You should know that the rumor around base, because of you hair and your style, is that you are CIA. But now I know, so it is alright."
Now this could explain why it seemed like so many of the soldiers always seemed to be talking about me, looking in my direction and whispering. I wasn't being paranoid, they actually were! I can't help but wonder what other strange things they may have been saying about me. I also wonder if this has anything to do with the change in the way I was treated by the air force before I left. Perhaps this actually explains a lot!
I actually sort of wish that I did work for the CIA, at least then I would have the satisfaction of doing something good while being treated this way for a reason. I suppose that will have to go down on the list of things I never got the chance to do, however. Very sad.
Monday, July 11, 2011
The Whirlwind of My Mind
Yesterday was a swarm of activity! I went to breakfast and to the office as any usual day, but after saying good-bye to everyone, I was driven to the pax terminal where I awaited my fixed-wing flight to the wondrous land of Kuwait.
I waited at the air terminal for around 3 hours, and then loaded a cargo plane with as many others as they could pack in. Most of them were getting off at the first stop, but many more were to get on. This trip was the closest I have ever come to knowing what a sardine in the desert feels like. I was packed into a flying tin can while wearing body armor and carrying a heavy backpack. All the others were about the same. The plane was sitting on the airstrip with the sun beating down on it with all of its might with no shade is sight. Finally we were underway, but comfort and sleep were the imaginings of a mad man who one thought his sanity all that was left.
The first stop went off without a hitch, though I had to stay on the heat riddled plane for the half an hour it took to unload and load it. After was seemed an eternity, we finally landed in Kuwait and were taken to the wonderful tent city where I would find my home for the next 2 - 3 days. The bus which had dutifully picked us up at the airplane dropped us off in front of the building in which we could get directions as to where to go next. They sent me to the LNO (no idea what it actually stands for, but they help with logistical type matters). I went in and they gave me a visa application and a sheet with directions. I would have to go in the morning to get processed.
Then I took the arduous journey back to where I had just come from to find out where I could turn in my body armor. The extra weight was not something I wanted in the extreme heat of Kuwait. Fortunately that didn't take long and I could get my tent assignment and then get down to the real business of the day: going to the Green Beans and having a nice cup of coffee while surfing the internet!
I spent a few hours doing that and then went to chapel. It was a small traditional service which I quite enjoyed. It was good to finally be able to go to a service again! When I finally got back to the tent, I lay down and tried to get some sleep. I tossed and turned, but sleep eluded me. I transformed my jacket into blanket mode, but this resulted only in a more comfortable still awake me. Around 2:30am I took a shower and trudged back down to the Green Beans and chatted with those who were online. It was finally time to catch the bus for the visa trip.
They loaded us up and took us into the secure area of the airport. The liaison took our passports, photocopy of the info page of the passport, the visa application, and the money and gave all of it to the agents to process. The whole reason we were required to go this way was due to the implementation of rules in which we need to have fingerprints and retinal scans done. Unfortunately (or fortunately depending on how you look at it) the biometrical equipment was not functioning today; therefore, we were able to get away with not having to do it. I guess this information is not all that crucial to the Kuwaitis after all!
We managed to make it back in record time! We were only gone for 4 hours instead of the whole day as we were supposed to be. Now I get to relax, enjoy another coffee (and some cliff bars), and write about how relatively boring my life is.
I waited at the air terminal for around 3 hours, and then loaded a cargo plane with as many others as they could pack in. Most of them were getting off at the first stop, but many more were to get on. This trip was the closest I have ever come to knowing what a sardine in the desert feels like. I was packed into a flying tin can while wearing body armor and carrying a heavy backpack. All the others were about the same. The plane was sitting on the airstrip with the sun beating down on it with all of its might with no shade is sight. Finally we were underway, but comfort and sleep were the imaginings of a mad man who one thought his sanity all that was left.
The first stop went off without a hitch, though I had to stay on the heat riddled plane for the half an hour it took to unload and load it. After was seemed an eternity, we finally landed in Kuwait and were taken to the wonderful tent city where I would find my home for the next 2 - 3 days. The bus which had dutifully picked us up at the airplane dropped us off in front of the building in which we could get directions as to where to go next. They sent me to the LNO (no idea what it actually stands for, but they help with logistical type matters). I went in and they gave me a visa application and a sheet with directions. I would have to go in the morning to get processed.
Then I took the arduous journey back to where I had just come from to find out where I could turn in my body armor. The extra weight was not something I wanted in the extreme heat of Kuwait. Fortunately that didn't take long and I could get my tent assignment and then get down to the real business of the day: going to the Green Beans and having a nice cup of coffee while surfing the internet!
I spent a few hours doing that and then went to chapel. It was a small traditional service which I quite enjoyed. It was good to finally be able to go to a service again! When I finally got back to the tent, I lay down and tried to get some sleep. I tossed and turned, but sleep eluded me. I transformed my jacket into blanket mode, but this resulted only in a more comfortable still awake me. Around 2:30am I took a shower and trudged back down to the Green Beans and chatted with those who were online. It was finally time to catch the bus for the visa trip.
They loaded us up and took us into the secure area of the airport. The liaison took our passports, photocopy of the info page of the passport, the visa application, and the money and gave all of it to the agents to process. The whole reason we were required to go this way was due to the implementation of rules in which we need to have fingerprints and retinal scans done. Unfortunately (or fortunately depending on how you look at it) the biometrical equipment was not functioning today; therefore, we were able to get away with not having to do it. I guess this information is not all that crucial to the Kuwaitis after all!
We managed to make it back in record time! We were only gone for 4 hours instead of the whole day as we were supposed to be. Now I get to relax, enjoy another coffee (and some cliff bars), and write about how relatively boring my life is.
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