Egypt: Days 1-3, CAIRO!

Left Italy around 10ish, I think (don't honestly remember) and got into Cairo around 1. Two of my friends from Istanbul were meeting me at the airport, their flight came in around 12. So I told them my terminal (it was different from theirs) and they said they'd come wait for me. I waited and hour and still no sign of them! Turns out, there were 3 halls to terminal 1. All different buildings. So i set off to the others to find them. We met up around 2.30 i think? Got a cab (was ripped off bc we were obv tourists) and set off to find our Host's house. We used couchsurfing for the majority of the trip, it was my first time "surfing", and i couldn't have been more pleased with how it all turned out.

Anyway, we got the the apartment, had a rest for an hour or so and headed out to Al-Azhar Park. WOW. What a view! It's such a gorgeous park, and we had an amazing meal at one of the restaurants. Took a walk after and watched the sunset :)

Day 2: Giza/Cairo
We woke up pretty early and headed off Giza to see the pyramids! While getting off the metro, some random man was like "no, the metro is that way" while we were exiting. We said we didn't need it, as we were going to the pyramids. He and his son were also going. We ended up sharing a cab.

The only word I can think of to describe being there is: Surreal. The whole time i just kept repeating  "Were at the pyramids. holy crap" we ended up going to a horse/camel tour place with the guy shared a cab with, and the "tour group" ended up just being us three and his son. So, pretty awesome! It was so nice. We came in from the back (I think?) and almost the whole way there was no one else. It was amazing to just be out in the middle of the desert just a small group of us.  

we climbed up one of the smaller pyramids, what a view!

This is Rambo. He was super friendly. He kept licking/trying to bit my pants. 

We went from there to Khan-Al-Kalili to do some touristy gift buying and have lunch, I don't have any pics on my computer of that at the moment, sooo just use your imagination? 

And we capped off the day with a boat ride on the Nile. Also Surreal. As we were leaving the market getting into a taxi to get to the river.... i ripped my pants. In the worst possible place. Good thing I had a scarf to cover it up with, but still.... it was awkward. 

Day three was spent wandering around Cairo  the Egyptian museum (holy overwhelming batman!) and looking for some more amazing food. Which we found. 

trips, trips, trips!

I've been busy planning some trips lately. March 14-17th I'll be going to Cappadocia with an erasmus group from here. I'm so excited! I remember seeing pictures of it before I left home and thinking "yep, need to go there" can't wait!!

Hopefully i'll get to do the hot air balloon ride :D :D
 something to check off my bucket list ;)


and then in April....

EGYPT!

One of my au pair friends and I are going to go to Egypt for our birthdays! They are only a few day apart, hers the 28th, mine the 30th. We were talking on Saturday about how we both wanted to go on a trip this year to celebrate and on Tuesday we bought the tickets :) I remember learning about the pyramids in 4th grade, we were making pop up books about them, the memory i have is crystal clear. I  told my friend who sat next to me I would go one day. Welp. Looks like that day's almost here :)