Ma'salama

Airborne once more. This evening I will depart the dormitories at 11:15pm in a black E-series Benz provided by the school for 60LE, quite reasonable, for Cairo International Airport. Layover in Milan. "Ticket" touchdown at Logan 1:15pm. Let's calculate for a second--if I leave the dorms at 11:15pm, and there is a seven hour time difference between Boston and Cairo, I'll be leaving at 4:15pm Boston time. 4:15pm to 1:15pm. That's a glorious 21 hours in-transit. But these are 21 hours I anticipate enjoying immensely. Even the grueling and frightful facets of travel I find to be enthralling and amusing. Sure, when I stopped-over at Roma Fiucimino (I think I just murdered the spelling on that) airport in June, I exited the aircraft, the only one apparent with a connecting flight, and dashed through the maze of terminals, obligatory railway trams to other terminals, security and a range of employees conspicuously devoid of English skills. When I arrived at the appropriate gate, that was when I stood there feeling like five year-old with their backpack, clearly not "lost" but feeling misplaced a giant airport awaiting a plane for a mysterious land. To make matters worse, the extended delaying and re-delaying of the flight along with a terminal so crowded I was huddled with my backpack sipping diet Coke leaning between a check-in counter and glass wall was a tad nerve wracking. A flight bound for the Middle East is not the flight you want to have extensive delays upon for no clear reason. But I am calm and collected.

My flight technically departs at 4:15am from Cairo. As do nearly all flights bound for Europe, in order to connect with midday flights to North America. However, under the insistence of the AUC travel office and what appears government policy, I actually need my engines moving to the airport about four hours before hand. Security, judging by what it's like in the city, must be ridiculous at the airport. I am not complaining, surely no. I hope I won't have to pay customs duties on this laptop either. Apparently sporadic enforcement of electronic customs occurs, and since nobody "declares" such items any more, the Egyptians are at an advantage to drain you of your remaining money. Actually, they request it in US dollars. Really, when was the last time you honestly filled out one of those landing cards when you were probably in excess of given allotments of goods? Nobody wants the hassle.

This seems a hollow post considering it may be my last in Egypt. Hopefully internet access will be available in Milan, and certainly when I get home closing words will prevail.

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Now 6:15 local time. I've compiled a playlist on iTunes for my journey to the airport. Roughly one hour in duration as I will be swept through the city one last time. The airport is 20 km outside the city in "New Cairo." Music and travel, hand-in-hand. A soundtrack for the last hurrah. Just the sentimental inclination Apple pines for. It goes from sad to happy.

Run-Snow Patrol
A Smile that Explodes-Joseph Arthur
All These Things That I've Done-The Killers
Babylon-David Gray
Roads-Portishead
Y Control—Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Ocean Breathes Salty—Modest Mouse
Malibu—Hole
City of Blinding Light—U2
Hunter—Dido
Somewhere over the Rainbow—Israel Kamakawiwo’ole
Mother Whale Eyeless—Brian Eno
The Great Beyond—REM
Cosmic Dancer—T. Rex
Games without Frontiers—Peter Gabriel
Heroes—David Bowie
So Here We Are—Bloc Party
Where You End—Moby
I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)—The Proclaimers
Worn Me Down—Rachael Yamagata
Baba O'Reilly-The Who
Talk-Coldplay
Lift Me Up-Moby