Let It Go

As we were leaving Amita's place, 14 hours after arriving in Cairo, she called out the hall after us, "Remember, just let it go".  I surmised that they were words of wisdom, but at the time I didn't know just how that advice would take on meaning.

I've been in Egypt 4 days now and I've discovered her words rang true on many levels.

"Just Let it Go"......
Let go of the fact that we are constantly harrassed to purchase things.
Let go of the fact that either there is no toilet paper or you have to pay for it.
Let go of the fact that there rarely is soap.
Let go of the fact that everything is filthy.  seriously filthy.  And I'm not a clean freak or an anti-germ girl.  but to be honest, hand sanitizer is my new best friend.  But some people I know would likely want to curl up in the fetal position and die if they sat where I sit right now.  Except that you'd never curl up because you'd have to touch some serious filth to do that.
Let go of the fact that we're on african time.
Let go of the endless dust and rubble and brownness of everything.  Now that we're out of Cairo, I've actually seen grass and greenery along the Nile.  What a treat!  I look out one side of the train car and see river and green.  I look out the other side of the train and I see the dusty rubble of the desert.  We passed by a camel farm, that was pretty cool.  We pass by makeshift shacks.  then by actual buildings with garbage on the roofs, as well as satellite dishes.
Let go of the fact that, as Balazs says, that our over night train car looks and feels like a prison.  And I'm told this is the best train in Egypt.  And after seeing the other trains passing through the station as we waited for our train, I believe this to be true.
Let go of the fact that there is garbage everywhere and no garbage cans.
Let go of the fact that I can not wear shorts in this culture.
Let go of the fact that the rivers are filled with garbage and this is where people get their drinking water from.  We were told to only purchase drinking water, that our water purification system that we brought along will not be sufficient to make the Egyptian water safe to drink.

So I am busy letting go, and truly having a great time doing it!

Our night train car is like a dorm and as a group we are bonding, it's a great way to start our adventure.  Soon enough michelle and I will be on our own to fend for ourselves and that will be a new discovery.

I love this trip and eveything that I am experiencing.