An early ish start for a 9 am airport transfer.
You’d think a 1 pm flight would give you plenty of time for a sleep in but nothing is fast with travel in Egypt. It’s a shame because our hotel is fabulous, with views out over the Nile and the Cairo zoo. The latter is in the midst of renovations, a phrase which apparently strikes fear into the hearts of Egyptians. Renovations usually mean complete destruction, let alone years of delay. Here is a pano of our view.
Because of last night’s delay to our hotel check in, we never got to enjoy the hotel pool or adjacent shopping mall either. Tragic.
This is where I confess that today I am taking my first ever first class flight. I’m sitting up the very top of our Emirates jet, a flight of stairs up from the peasants in economy (where I spent the first four decades of my life) as we taxi for take off. It’s fabulous so far although a complete waste of money of course. I’m pleased to see I’m not the only one taking photos, hopefully I’m not the only one snaffling all the freebies. I’ve already stashed half the inflight snacks and two eye masks in my bag, as well as the complimentary cosmetics. The movie selection leaves something to be desired. I’m finishing my glass of Dom Perignon watching the new kids movie “Mummies”, and munching on white chocolate coated dates. What a shame the flight is only three hours long. I could sit/lie here all day.
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OK, we’re starting our descent. A little pampered toddler just waddled down the aisle past me, followed by their doting mum. I heard a baby crying nearby as we were taking off, so there must be at least two children up here. Unexpected.
I am uncomfortably full after my lunch. I shouldn’t have eaten so much of the caviar or I might have had room for dessert.
The bathroom is incredible, there is even a shower you can use. I’ve taken a photo.
After lunch we went down to look at the lounge. There is a stand up bar which Simon has always hankered after. Hopefully this trip will scratch that itch. The lounge is pretty tiny, only about three square metres, and we had to actually walk back through business class to reach it, because it’s a shared lounge. Life is all about compromise I guess. I got a very nice glass of French wine but I couldn’t finish it after the champagne we had for take off. What a lightweight.
They’ve just come round to give me a small box of nuts to take home. I don’t think I’ll bother, the treats I’ve already snuck in my bag are better than those.
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We got a complimentary transfer to our hotel (thanks Rita) in a Mercedes van, driving through the gloriously lit up city of huge skyscrapers.
The hotel is also fabulous(ly expensive). A quick bite at the in house Michelin starred restaurant and then bed.