Last night we caught the Night train back to Cairo, waving good bye to the Flats in Luxor that had been ‘home’ for the last few days.  We had no problems at the train station and this time the train was only about 10 minutes late.

I have a whole cabin to myself this time since we have an odd number and the conductor assures me that no one else would be coming into the cabin.  We refused the dinner since we’d had our last dinner on the banks of the Nile earlier that evening and we all remembered what the meal had been like anyway.

The night was both good and bad.  This time the air conditioning worked so at least the cabin was cool and not stuffy.  The constant jarring every time the train started and stopped tended to keep me awake of and on through the night.  One of the many joys of train travel.

This morning we were only about 2 hours late pulling into the train station in Cairo.  Once we got off the train we found the ticket counter and successfully brought the 5 of us tickets.

To make all of this easier we’ve kept up the ‘kitty’ money that we started for the group in Luxor.  It just makes it so much easier particularly with change and the whole backesh thing.  We all put in a certain amount of cash at the beginning of the day into one pool of cash which one person keeps control of.  Then all tickets etc get purchased for everyone out of that cash.

At the station we met an American couple, Sebastian and Kathleen that are backpacking around the world and stopped to talk with them for awhile.  It turns out they are on there way to Alexandria as well although on the train one hour earlier than ours.

The train ride once again was uneventful although the air conditioning worked a little too well.  It was freezing.

All of us stumbled out of the train station in Alexandria and then agreed on a price for the taxi to take us to the hotel.  The taxi ride was funny.  For starters there was four of us crammed into the back seat of the taxi with one in the front.  Then the driver pulled out a different tape, shoved it in the tape deck and turned up the volume.  A familiar if somewhat old song beat out from the speakers.  Laughing we started to sing along and do a little finger dance (being the only movement possible) to YMCA.  Who would have thought that we’d be in a taxi singing along to the tune of YMCA while being driven through the streets of Alexandria.

Ok you can forget I told you that now.

We got safely to the Hotel Crillon and saw Kathleen waiting by the lift with there bags.  We said hello once more then walked up the stairs to the hotel rather than wait for the run down lift that looks like its from another era.  Besides it was faster than waiting for the lift.

Thankfully the rooms at the Crillon are somewhat cleaner and well lit compared to the grotty and run down exterior and lower floor.  The view from our room is stunning, across the harbour with a view of the fort to one side.

We tracked down Sebastian and Kathleen inviting them to a drink later on to a place we’d picked out earlier with views across the harbour.  First call for us though was to find an ATM and bank to get some local currency.

That accomplished we walked around the Corniche to our chosen restaurant for the evening and settled in out on the balcony.  We started of with Stella and some hot and cold mezh to share since it was only about 5:30pm and chatted, watching the boats and the antics of young couples in little row boats with the men gallantly rowing the boats with varying degrees of success.

Sebastian and Kathleen showed up and we all chatted, ate and drank.  It made for a pleasant way to spend our first night in Alexandria.