After suffering through 6 hours of agony on a plane, enduring a bad back,
then crouching next to the only free AC outlet in Heathrow airport in order
to recharge my PDA, I boarded an uneventful flight to Cairo…

…That is, until we flew over the pyramids. The only words that issued
from my lips were, "Wow. Wow. Wow." If the plane had turned around then,
I would have been content, having seen the last standing wonder of the
ancient world with my own eyes.

But it did not turn around. I am in the Meridien hotel in Cairo, literally
across the street from the Great Pyramids of Giza. They fill the bedroom
window.

The pyramids are history's greatest and most profound architectural
achievement. The big one stood as the highest manmade structure for
millennia, finally overtaken by the Eiffel Tower in only the 19th century.
To sleep in their shadow is literally a dream come true.

And so now I shall dream… Of pharaohs, belly dancers and kebabs. The
ancient wealth of Egypt awaits in the waking morn.

Droogies, I am minutes from boarding a flight to Egypt. My back has been spasming all week. It was almost at the point where I’d be forced to cancel my trip, as I was almost in tears a couple of days ago, lugging a light backpack on the subway in downtown Toronto; downtown Cairo would have killed me! But the miracle of chiropractic “science” has stepped in to win me some pain-free reprieve, and I am sufficienly recovered to chance this voyage to one of the finest destinations on the planet. A crap-load of cheap booze helps, too.

I’ve travelled many places in the world, but, like many, I’ve always held a secret fascination for Egypt. Not only for its storied pharaohnic history, but for its rich Islamic traditions and modern geopolitical intrigues. Yes, the pyramids capture my fancy, but I’m also excited to possibly view the tomb of Saladin, and maybe (though unlikely) climb Mt Sinai itself, and view the land of Moses stretch out to the horizon.

More likely, Andrew and I will spend every evening drunk and tempted by the local entertainment:

Well, boarding time is nearing, and the free port that I’m sucking back in the executive lounge is starting to sour. So I will end with some wry political commentary: