Flight into Egypt ~ Chapter 6

Aboard Egypt Air, I wasn't surprised that all announcements were in Arabic. Once we we were airborne the pilot came on the address system and spoke. His soft tone seemed to be just above a whisper with 'sushes' here and there. I was reminded of how we read bed-time stories to children.

Whatever he said sounded like a big secret.

The Attendant came around asking dinner preferences.
"Inglis?" I asked.

She then attempted and I selected what sounded like "chicken."

When the meal came, at a glance, it wasn't chicken.

My husband taught me when traveling just try the food.

If you like it, eat it..BUT NEVER ask what it is.

Whatever, it was wonderful and served with spiced rice.

I guessed it to be crushed chickpeas with something I didn't know, gently mixed with eastern spices, rolled in a ball and deep fried.

It was totally delicious.

The seven hour flight had gone into the night. I slept.

Was awaken to the "hush-hush" announcements which were useless to me. I put my head back for another nap.

Suddenly I woke with a bounce~ the plane was banking and descending.

We were actually landing and I'm still sleeping with seat back down and no seat belt. No one came to tap me on the shoulder and say anything in any language.

"What the hell?" I thought.

Through Customs I went to the arrival ramp to discover it was about 3:30 AM.

Everyone was scrambling around and leaving the airport. I didn't see my Egyptian friends. Concern came over me. No one here to met me? Concern deepened into a little fear.

My mind was spinning. I didn't know what a phone looked like and didn't have Egyptian coins. My mind went blank.

Within ten minutes, all the people were gone except one group wearing western clothes and as I approached, they were speaking English with the British accent. Thank goodness, they were a tour out of London. They must have been in the back of the plane and happy was I to see them.

I went to their tour director and explained that for some reason, my Egyptian friends were not there and I didn't know how to phone them.

I went on to ask if I could go with them to the hotel and not be left alone here at the airport.

The sternness of that guy is still in my mind. He looked at me and replied, "Madam, THESE people have paid."

"Oh my," I told him, "I most certainly expect to pay." Then he explained it was company policy.

"I understand," I said...but thought it wouldn't have been to big of a deal to let one little woman tag along with them.

They left and I looked around and I was the only person to be seen there on the darkened waiting ramp.

A few Egyptian guys came walking through...they looked like street people to me. I stood there wondering what had happened and couldn't come up with anything to do at this point.

Soon a man in a white uniform came over to me. He introduced himself as the airport security...and I was very happy to think he was. I felt I could trust a man in uniform and asked him if he could make a phone call for me as I had arrived a day late and my friends apparently didn't understand when I would arrive.

He summoned a guard to watch over my bags and asked me to go to his office with him.

He sat behing a big desk, looking very official.

I supplied the phone number for him, but he wanted to have all the details of my travels...he started questions. I recognized the stall... he wanted money.

I told him I had no money to pay him, but would bring money to him when I left Egypt for his efforts.

That seemed to please him and he wrote down the date of my departure and said he would be there.

I sat there wondering if my luggage would really be there went I got back.

The uniformed security man dialed the phone for me. I felt so relieved. The General himself answered the call. He was horrified that I had arrived and was at the airport alone.

Twenty minutes later, he was there. I had never been so happy to see anyone in my entire life. I ran towards him and he put up his hand and said "Stop!"

He knew I would give a grateful hug so he continued as he came closer, "We don't touch another person in public here in my country."

They lived in a flat on the third floor of an apartment building downtown Cairo.

As we drove, the streets had no traffic as was before the city was awake. He explained they had met my first flight as the Telex sent didn't arrive. When I didn't get off that plane, he said they assumed I had changed my mind about coming.

At their flat, he showed me to my bedroom and advised me to rest as they would be gone until about noon but home to lunch with me.

A hot bath, and a deep sleep were much needed.

When I woke, a tray of food had been placed on the dresser.

There were dried figs, cheese, flat bread, tea and a pitcher of water.

Sounds of dinner being prepared came from the kitchen.

I had slept through lunch.

Opening the drapes was to discover a balcony and beyond,

was Cario, Egypt at mid-day.

I was there ~

I was in another world.

To be cont...

iJune