What to watch out for when walking in Cairo
D and I have been spending more time at home, the burden of going outside doesn’t always feel worth it. I began to write down all the hazards which zoom through my mind while walking in Cairo, and after writing it all down, I now realize why it sometimes takes a lot of effort to leave the house.
Here is a short list, definitely not exhaustive, of the dangers you need to pay attention to when walking in Cairo if you want to make it to your destination safely, and unsoiled:
1. Donkey or horse poo
2. Taxis barreling down the street (listen for them to honk at you, or flash their lights at you, then move to the side)
3. Debris falling from balconies overhead (down the road from us a car was crushed when the concrete facing of a fourth floor balcony fell to the street)
4. Water on the roads which makes the street surface like ice for me in my rubber-soled shoes
5. Ripped up pavement
6. Piles of black sludge cleaned out of the sewers, but yet to be picked up by the cleaning crew
7. Neatly swept piles of trash, being ripped apart by cats
8. Cars driving in reverse down the street. Fast.
9. Bicyclists- especially the guy riding with one hand, the other hand holding on to the palette of fresh bread balanced on his head
10. Loitering young men
11. My tongue, which wants to lash out at the loitering young men who stare at me and say “Welcome to Egypt” in a way that doesn’t sound completely innocent
12. Kids running and playing, oblivious to the traffic and other pedestrians
13. Sideview mirrors (which, due to my clumsiness, have caused a semi-permenant bruise on my hip)
14. One foot high curbs (D thinks the curbs are built that high so people can’t drive their cars on the sidewalks)
15. Ferrets
16. Donkey carts
17. Mopeds/motorcycles
18. The occasional driver who yields to the pedestrian (drivers who follow pedestrian right-of-way will really throw you off and cause much confusion between you and the driver)
19. Water being tossed into the streets (trust me – not at all pleasant to be drenched with)
20. Snot (the farmer blow is quite popular by men)
21. Accidental inappropriate eye contact with men. Avoid looking around at eye level – try to fix your gaze either below or above eye level while walking
22. A walkable sidewalk (more than half a block of uninterrupted concrete), so I can get out of the street
Tags: Egypt, Travel, Tag Index
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December 27th, 2006 at 6:43 pm
How quaint. See you stateside.
December 28th, 2006 at 2:56 pm
Gosh, I guess that list does sound pretty disgusting, doesn’t it!
Really, I wasn’t complaining or trying to gross anyone out – just stating the facts, ma’am.
January 1st, 2007 at 7:37 pm
Well, I guess Cairo just moved down on my list of places “maybe” to see before I die.