Day 7: A Slow Start...

So there are some benefits to being in Cairo and having a violent strain of bacteria ravaging your system. In the States, I would have had to track down my doctor, scheduled a visit, gone through an exam, gotten a prescription, gone to CVS, ordered medicine, waited for it to be prepared, and then picked it up. In my experience it's a process that takes anywhere from 2 to 30 days.

In Cairo, you simply pick up the phone and ask the front desk for Cipro, which is delivered to your door 15 minutes later for a grand total of $10. And so ended my fight with Pharaoh's Revenge, knocked out with a single pill, but it did cost me the morning of Day 7, which included a couple of meetings and a tour of the new Nile University facility currently under construction. A few follow-up conversations with my fellow travelers conveyed that the University was extremely impressive, and that a meeting with the General Authority for Investment and Free Zones reiterated a number of positive aspects of the current economic climate in Egypt.

That evening we managed to find an Irish Pub in a nearby hotel to watch the Manchester United/Barcelona UEFA Championship match, along with celebrating Jane's birthday. We had to vacate our hotel because they were having a Heineken party and it was invite only - we tried to pull what few strings we had but to no avail.

After Barcelona pulled off the upset we headed back to our hotel and decided to try to sneak into the party. We got a few funny looks from the bouncers but just strolled on in to a ridiculous setup, complete with gigantic projection televisions, a DJ, 4 bars, and all the Heineken you could drink for free on the rooftop deck of the hotel.

I'm very fortunate not to have any pictures on my camera from that night.... Instead, I'll post a random picture of Jane showing off some bug spray, which nobody else needed if they were sitting anywhere near her...