Tour Guide, Cairo, Egypt
| 5 mins read
An over-day tour from Hurghada to Cairo was a very loved trip for travellers to the Red Sea area, especially Hurghada cause they are in Egypt and a few hours away from the pyramids and cain't miss it. Friends will never forgive if a Hurghada visitor didn’t pay a visit to the Sphinx. It was a time when all travellers had to move in a convoy, and that took more time to gather. We had to take another road for a bit longer cause the old one was being renovated. After 6 hours, from 3 am to 9 am, shortly before Cairo and suddenly the road was blocked. I went and asked what the case was. A high police officer stands there and gives no exact answer. More than 100 coaches with thousands of travellers are eager to glimpse the miracle. After 2 hours of pushing officer told us that Mr president MUBARAK was inaugurating a new national project here around. "Oh my god!" I said, "this is crazy; we cannot do the tour. What to do?" All my fellow guides were around in a mess, trying to calm down quarrelling tourists while I never said a word. Mr President is there pointing with an index to a big new city in construction.
I looked calm, but inside me, I was really tearing up. Around midday, for the first time, I got the mike and said it is our pleasure to meet the pharaoh today, and where he comes, life has to stay breathless. I can only promise that if we move by 1:30 pm, you will see the full program, the pyramids, the Sphinx, lunch and the Egyptian Museum with the fantastic treasure of the young Pharaoh, Tutanchamun. But a minute after I will be sorry for that. This is from my side. I don’t know how it happened, but the road opened at 1:25 pm, challenging me to fulfil my promise. My dear God, the pyramid closes at 4 pm and the museum at 6:30 pm ?!
I need 1 hour to reach the pyramids in Cairo's catastrophic traffic. I needed 8 hours to finish the tour properly but only had 5 hours. I got the feeling I am Tom cruise, and the mission can’t be possible. A 40 travellers group full of anxious feelings gaze at the poor me and asks wordlessly, can you?!
I started my mission by talking earnestly: "Hi, all guys. I promised you to do and I will, but I am the leader, and you are my team. I got the soul and manner of a pharaoh on his chariot right now. 1 hour more to reach the pyramids. I will come now to you collect your order for lunch; you are all starving, but after the pyramids, we eat our hot lunch, chicken & meat, mix-grill or separate. Decide now. I took the order. I said now, "This very valuable hour, I will tell you the story of Cairo, the great metropolis and its full history". After half an hour of talking about it all, past and present, was it the only capital of Egypt?! Actually, the last one, back to 3100 BC, pharaoh Menes, began in Memphis, the capital and palace, tombs and mastabas, then pyramids in Saqqara. Giza is the peak of the pyramids. I talked about the pyramids. All details while my soldiers, in full attention, dived deep into ancient history. Oh, look all left, there stand the pyramids. We go first there, then eat our hot lunch. Ok, we all do. We are your team, your majesty. 2:30 pm, we are there. I will buy the ticket, and we will go there. Hey guys! 40 minutes around the great pyramid, if you go inside or go around, ride a horse or try a camel after 40 minutes sharp everybody must be in coach according to his own watch. They all laugh and go. I gave all my tips on dealing with peddlers and camel people around, which was a challenge to stay on time cause of them. I called the restaurant; I want how many meals there were and what this must look like; all must be oven hot at 4 pm in foil plates with wet tissues, a bottle of mineral water and juice. My team was great. All were on the bus on time. We went to the panorama and took fantastic pictures, then to the sphinx, we finished our miracle minutes before 4 pm to be in the restaurant in time. "Guys, we take 45 minutes from the pyramids to Cairo city centre, to the Egyptian museum . I think it is enough to eat your hot meal." I distributed all their water and juice. We all ate. After 15 minutes, I began talking slowly and smoothly about Cairo and its surroundings. Subway and bridges, tap water and drainage, oh while they do it, they often face ancient buildings also treasures. Excavations also took place for two and half centuries; museums were built, and the Egyptian museum history and collection were told. 5 pm we are there. Pictures were not allowed at the time. Leave it here in coach or later in the safe, and we go. A guided round for 50 minutes and then free time in front of the golden young pharaoh's golden mask. We began meeting a pharaoh and ended with a pharaoh.
The mission is done. The battalion was courageous; I sat in my seat back to Hurghada in full content but totally exhausted.
This was an experience of tour guiding hard times.