We have arrived into Cairo! The crazy, hectic, hellishly hot city that as one philosopher expressed is consumed by its very fertility. We arrived very late last night after a long journey from Manchester via Sharm el Sheikh, minus Mike's prescription sunglasses and medication. We cheered ourselves with the image of a baggage handler trying to wear them whilst tripping out on his anti-diarrohea tablets!

Our hostel, Arabian Nights, is ridiculously suave for the low price and we enjoyed our breakfast with one of the boys who works there, before heading out in the Cairo's biggest bazaar. Swathes of material and piles of jewellery litter the streets, which as we penetrated into the bazaar became increasingly narrow, festering and crowded. The energy of the people of Cairo exuded from a batallion of berkha clad women carrying back-breaking bundles of bread upon their heads, whilst the men surveyed our pale skin and eyes.

Lunch was not our finest; we became victims of Cairo's tourist scam as we were offered pitta and falafel by a kind and friendly Arab. Sadly the cafe he led us too was actually an aromatherapy shop where he tried to offer us his home brews of coco chanel and chloe in multicoloured vials, at cut prices of course. We fled, smelling like aloe vera and frankincense, and after a lot of walking and a couple of dodgy taxis we finally found a felucca, for around 5 pounds each, for two hours. These graceful sailboats brought the stones for the pyramids all the way from Luxor and Aswan, but today had the slightly more humble task of transporting us up and down a narrow stretch of the nile. Our skipper was delighted to learn I could sail and let me take the ropes, before persuading us to climb the mast, stand at the front of the boat Titanic style, and dip our feet in the water for luck. Photos to follow!

Our luck held for dinner as we stumbled into a kosheria stuffed with locals for a macaroni, spaghetti and lentil mixture with spicey tomato sauce!

Off to smoke some apple shisha on the rooftop now!