On the way home, I managed to lose my luggage again. Third time this year! (thankfully it turned up)

A few more thoughts about Egypt. The poverty level is high. You walk into a UNESCO-protected area where everything looks neat and proper, but behind the fence there are unfinished but occupied ugly concrete boxes.

Even in Cairo, many people wear clothes that could use some mending, or better yet, replacing. Looking at public transport sometimes, you wonder how it's still running at all. There are some decent buses, but plenty of beat-up minibuses.

The average salary in the capital is around $300 a month. Prices overall are lower, but I can't imagine how people manage to live on that.

All this deeply influences how people think. Taxi drivers and even tour guides are among the most opportunistic people I've ever dealt with. Short-term gain trumps anything long-term for a lot of them. And that's sad.

Still, there's something captivating and appealing about this country, something genuine and alive. I'll definitely come back here once things settle down in the region.

Peace to all ❤️