CAIRO HELLSCAPE (I'm okie, so far) Did I get lost and take a detour into the desert which almost took me out of Cairo? Yes Did I get into one of the most intense traffic jams on my way back in which I could literally reach into the other cars if I wanted and a begging child threw herself on the hood of my car? Almost immediately Did I chant don't you dare fucking cry right now while shakily making my way to the piercing studio? Yes and I also did breathing exercises Is the doctor even at the studio? No. I'm waiting with the receptionist baby named Asser who probably has essays due for college. She's coming in an hour (Egyptian time: 2 hours) Am I saving money? Begging child plus had to pay at a toll and parking isn't free so it evens out to the other place in Heliopolis I feel like my insides are on fire but I'm doing breathing exercises and smiling for the baby receptionist I might cancel on Sunrise Potate But in for a penny, in for a pound? Maadi can't be that much harder than driving on half constructed desert roads around creepy new cities (and the Egyptian Space Agency? That was fucking weird) I miss her I MISS HER I MISS QUEER SMART WELL TRAVELED EGYPTIAN FRIENDS WHO UNDERSTAND THIS SHIT oh god don't cry dont cry DONT YOU DARE FUCKING CRY There are two beautiful and elegant baby girls here now buying jewellery from baby Asser who's playing very good Egyptian pop music I've never heard before Gen Z in Egypt are also obsessed with the 90s aesthetic It sounds like stuff from my childhood but with a modern twist in how it's mixed, I like it My heart is slowing down Maybe I'll go look for an ATM so baby Asser can fart It was a lot Even if everything goes to hell and my nose falls off and my car explodes and Baba cackles over my corpse -- Im proud of me That was so hard Nothing looks the same Road 90 is CROWDED, I don't recognize any shops or any landmarks It's frightening but underneath that, exciting And people are nice Really nice Okie I go find an ATM and maybe chamomile 😬 |