Luxor was just like a poison for me. There is a sickness there that I thought might ruin my entire trip. Teramis -- I don't know anything about Ley lines or the like, but whatever is in Luxor was no good for me.

I'm back in Cairo and am more inclined to wish I'd gone on to Dahab and extended my stay a bit longer. My entire mood seemed to change the further I got from Luxor and now I'm re-enchanted with Egypt once again.

I told Sayid that I needed some time alone, thanked him for his hospitality, and kept on smiling. We hung out yesterday and I paid him for that, but had him deposit me at a hotel in the evening.

We went to Birqash Camel Market yesterday, which I knew would be hard for me. The road to the market is littered with dead animals, mostly camels (complete with stray dogs feasting on deceased camel.) I wanted to take a picture, but Sayid didn't want me to.

Most of the camels looked like they'd been severely beaten. Watching them get the camels on to the trucks had me nearly in tears.Camels make the saddest noises when they are scared and in pain. Sayid was distressed by my upset, but I'd told him I wasn't expecting a happy experience at Birqash, but that I wanted to see it anyway. I asked him if he ever felt sorry for the camels and he said that he thought my heart was too soft.

He tried to cheer me up by taking me along some beautiful and picturesque backroads. On the way back to his home to collect my things, we saw a little girl get hit by a car. He immediately pulled his car in front of the car that hit her (a Mercedes) because he said that some people try to run away. The girl was screaming and at a quick glance looked like she'd merely suffered a broken leg. The car that hit her took her into their car -- Sayid said they would take her to the hospital.

Later in the evening, we went to a cultural center for a show. Some people that showed up looking fancy and important in a military van were there too. The show was mostly very old, traditional Islamic music but most of the instruments were western. It was beautiful and I could feel the Luxor ickiness all going away.

Sayid told me that he thought he was falling in love with me while we were at the concert. I made some joke about money, commissions, etc and he indicated that my joke had hurt his feelings. He says he is my friend, but there hasn't been anything but business between us so I guess I don't understand that kind of "love." I think before I leave, I will let him know this. I like the guy, I do think he's reasonably honest, but in general, I don't know what to make of him.

Sayid seemed to know just what I wanted when I told him I needed some time alone and took me to a hotel that is about $18US/night. It has 24-hour hot water, TWO sheets, toilet paper, AND even a bath towel. I know it might be hard to believe, but there is a substantial difference between a $2/night and an $18/night hotel. ;->

Interestingly, breakfast is just as disgusting in the $18 hotel as it is in the $2 hotel. I'm off to Old Cairo which tends to be the center of Coptic Cairo today.

I hope to run around the souq some more this evening, but Sayid wants to have dinner and when I mentioned Khan-el-Khalili he sort of sighed and said I make him tired. I have to leave for the airport around 3am. This may be my last email from Egypt though I may sneak in one last one before I leave. I expect the list to go dead within a few days of my return.

I will miss the daily rhythm of Islam that is here. One of the things that has touched me most is the daily calls to prayer. No matter how far from a city I've been (except in the desert), it is something you hear 5 times a day and I find it soothes me. I'm bringing back some Koran tapes, but I don't think I will become Muslim any time soon. ;->

Thanks for listening, writing, and keeping me from getting homesick. This has been the one of the most amazing things I've ever done in my life and I'm happy to have had an opportunity to share some of my experiences with you.

ma-salaam,
Kayla