Egypt-land of sand, police check points, and true hospitality!

I bet some of you are wondering where I have disappeared to, right?
Since University is on “winter break” I decided to explore a little to see a different culture and get an idea of what Rotary is doing in the rest of Africa! So, I skipped off to Egypt!

My tour of Egypt started in Alexandria, a beautiful city on the Mediterranean coast. I received a very warm Egyptian welcome by two extremely kind Rotarians, Alex and Dalia, and their three-month-old baby, Joe!

When I first arrived they gave me a tour of their beautiful home and explained where the shower and washing machine were located and also informed me that there was wireless in my bedroom. I can’t imagine that anyone was ever so ecstatic as I was. All I could think about was HOT water! It was wonderful…

Dalia spoiled me with amazing food and warm hospitality and makes the thought of going back to Uganda, so much more difficult.

I attended a Rotary meeting and was taken to a wonderful clinic that the Egypt Rotary operates and has fully stocked with brand new, high quality medical equipment. A service that is provided to Egyptians living in the slum areas. The clinic can treat just about anything from small to larger operations, eye care clinic, dentistry, and beyond that has a computer room, children’s classrooms, sewing rooms, meeting rooms, and a pharmacy. It was easy to see that this project receives a lot of TLC from Rotary and is one that they are very proud of.

I was also taken care of by Rotarian Raggie, his wife, and daughter, Ingy. Ingy is a few years younger than me and is very active in Rotaract. She was so generous with her time and took me around to many sights in Alexandria (and to Starbucks…I know its not Egyptian, but oh how nice after months without it!)

A very special thanks to Dr. Raggaie, the very first Rotarian to respond to my e-mail and welcome me to Egypt/

After spending a week in Alex with my wonderful hosts, new friends and an exceptional Rotary I headed to Cairo to pick up my friend Amber and view some of the other sights that Egypt offers.

We started by taking the sleeping train to Luxor where we spent days exploring tombs and temples and walking along the Nile. Luxor is a historical importance to Egypt, but too overrun with tourists and pushy money hungry locals, for my liking. . The Nile River, creates the East and West bank, divides the city of Luxor. Locals say that the sun rises in the East and sets in the West, so life is on the East bank and death belongs on the West bank... and that is where we find all the tombs of the pharos. It was very interesting places, but the obnoxious and hassling touts made it just about unbearable.

Next we headed by bus to Hurghada through the Eastern desert and Red Sea Mountains to the Red Sea Coast. After over-nighting there we took a two-hour ferry across the sea to Dahab where Egyptian culture seems to be lost somehow, and money and partying come into the spotlight. It was nice to be on the Red Sea, but depressing at the same time. It is winter and too cold for me to dive (and many of the fish and coral life are more numerous in the summer).

Next we explored Sinai where we took a desert safari and climbed though, in, over, and around boulders! The Land Rover we were in got stuck in sand…that was pretty exciting!

The last stop was Cairo…now my advice for anyone who travels to Egypt…spend more time in Cairo and Alexandria then anywhere else. I was very lucky and two of my new friends from Alexandria came to visit me in Cairo. Amber had already gone back home so it was nice to have someone to chat with! Rotarian Mostafa, an extremely welcoming and friendly individual is a true give to Rotary. He showed me some wonderful sights in Cairo such as the pyramids: the ones at Memphis (which were the original pyramids…later replicated by the ones at Giza), dinner on the Nile, a huge market. I have forgotten the spelling! Islamic Cairo, among other things…

Egypt was a wonderful place, but the Egyptians are what made it! I was warmly welcomed, treated with care and kindness, and hospitality that is truly for the record books.

Thank you to all Rotarians, Rotaractors, and Interactors that made my Egyptian voyage a blast!