On the train

October 1st - 11:15 pm
I'm on the train to Luxor. I left downtown Cairo arond 8pm and hopped on the subway to Mubarak station. The train was packed and we litterally were pushed off in a mass group. There was an older couple in front of me and once off the train we started talking, they had there back to me for the short trip. It turned out they were going to the train station to get the same ticket I picked up earlier in the day, Cario to Luxor. We talked on the way and they told me they were from Chicago; it's the second time I've run into someone from Chicago. They weren't sure where to go so I helped them get there tickets. It took them less than a half hour whereas, I spent the better part of an hour. I got a little lost on the platforms, and then it was much busier during the day. I was supposed to take a tunel to cross over to the other platform and I missed it. Anyway, it's strange meeting people that are familiar but strangers at the same time. They came to Egypt on a pilgramige and are working their way through to Jerusalem.

It's 11:45pm now and the train is bummpy as hell. I don't think I'll get much sleep tonight. I've been thinking over a lot of things this evening and seeing people live their daily life in this country has had a pretty profound effect me. It's certainly given me a new appreciation for the things I have and my health. Before heading to the train station I was sitting on a bench in Sadat square watching traffic and people go by. There was a mother of a little girl selling tissue at the subway entrance. Her little 2 year duaghter was playing on the busy side walk, picking up cigaret butts and playing with them, picking up junk and playing with it. She was so cute and so dirty and it was so sad to see people, cars just going by her, and her mother trying to make something to survive. I mean really sad. There's so much poverty.

Apart from all that, I was almost crushed by a bus today in Sadat square. I was moving to get around it and there was a concrete wall right next to me. The driver cut in to close the gap, between the bus and the wall,... aparently because of another vehicle. I had to roll out quickly or I would have been a smear. Things you don't want to do in Cairo, put yourself between a bus and wall. Also, be careful walking between parked cars. Some people leave the car out of gear when they park. This means that when someone else is parking their car and hits the other car that's out of gear it rolls back (or forward) and bumps into the next. You don't want your legs there.

2:30am
I haven't been able to sleep. I'm so tired. Just can't sleep.