After an eight hour flight from London, I realized how much I missed this country truly. I looked out the small window on the airplane and witness the cultural capital of the cultural capital of the entire world; Cairo, Middle East. I realized that the combined time of the summers of the previous three years will never amount to the minimal time that I will soon spend in this beautiful country. From my window I could see the Giza Pyramids, Gezira Island (which houses some of the most affluent districts of Cairo), and the booming towers along the Nile. And suddenly, the pilot spun the plan around so he could show the passengers within an ominous birds-eye view of the rest of the city. There we went to Nasr City (where I was initially born), and the other richer areas of that portion of the city. Luckily for the tourists on the plane the pilot didn't go to the slums, for I know they would have been shocked and possibly thought twice about the rest of their stay.
After a good five minutes of circling the city, the pilot finally landed the plane. My brother and I quickly got our bags from the container above and rushed to beat the pushing, shoving, and other unnecessary roughness that the other passengers inflict upon each other. And after the adventure of finally getting pushed and shoved, my brother and I walk down the tunnel leading in to the airport and there we see one of my aunts (who happens to work at the airport) standing there. My feelings were mixed of happiness, gladness, and others. I hadn't seen her in over three years and it just felt so good to see some one else outside of the family. After a series of hugs and kisses and this and that we start walking to the baggage claim section and retrieve our bags so we could leave. There we met more family members and hugs and kisses from them, and we found out that there were some still waiting outside. And due to the tight security from the revolution they weren't able to enter. Either way it didn't really matter because we got out bags quick and were on our way out sooner than later.
As I take the first step outside, I'm greeted by a powerful slap on the face. Not by a hand, however, but from the wonderful heatwaves of Cairo. As I recover from the powerful attack, I realize that I am truly home!
After a good five minutes of circling the city, the pilot finally landed the plane. My brother and I quickly got our bags from the container above and rushed to beat the pushing, shoving, and other unnecessary roughness that the other passengers inflict upon each other. And after the adventure of finally getting pushed and shoved, my brother and I walk down the tunnel leading in to the airport and there we see one of my aunts (who happens to work at the airport) standing there. My feelings were mixed of happiness, gladness, and others. I hadn't seen her in over three years and it just felt so good to see some one else outside of the family. After a series of hugs and kisses and this and that we start walking to the baggage claim section and retrieve our bags so we could leave. There we met more family members and hugs and kisses from them, and we found out that there were some still waiting outside. And due to the tight security from the revolution they weren't able to enter. Either way it didn't really matter because we got out bags quick and were on our way out sooner than later.
As I take the first step outside, I'm greeted by a powerful slap on the face. Not by a hand, however, but from the wonderful heatwaves of Cairo. As I recover from the powerful attack, I realize that I am truly home!
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