I had to go to Alexandria today with work, on the train. I booked my tickets yesterday through work. It never fails to amaze me how cheap it is. Given that Cairo is the capital of Egypt and Alexandria is the second city, and it takes two and a half hours, the ticket price of 72 Egyptian Pounds (about £5.60) for first class seems unbelievable. Admittedly it's not quite like Virgin Trains from Manchester to London, but then it doesn't cost £332 either (I just looked at the price online). Unfortunately I discovered this morning on the train that I'd booked tickets for the wrong day. Tomorrow, in fact. Luckily the train inspector took pity on me and let me off with it and tore my wrong ticket up. I think it was my horrified face. He said (I think) that I'd have to buy a new ticket for the return journey.
I also discovered that I'd forgotten to charge up my work phone which ran out of battery about 6 minutes into the journey. Oh well. I was trying to finish Grapes of Wrath for Reading Club tomorrow anyway. So engrossed was I in GoW that I didn't notice that we were trundling through Alexandria. Last time I came here by train I got off at the wrong station and had to get a taxi to the right station because my driver was there. This time, as we pulling out of the right station, I suddenly realised that I should be on the platform that was now whizzing by. I'd missed my station AGAIN. So I didn't get to the office in time to start the meeting I'd arranged, but at least I amused everybody.
I moved the meeting to 1pm then discovered I'd forgotten my notebook with all notes for the meeting. Had to filch one from a colleague, who'd just been laughing about the station. "What is wrong with you!" He said. Honestly - I wish I knew. Sent out some pre meeting information "for the meeting at 3". Confused meeting attendees. Isn't meeting at 1? Oh yes. Sorry about that. Seriously, what IS wrong with me? Due to lack of notes I had to blag in the meeting.
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| Free ride on the train |
Left for station ridiculously early in case I went to the wrong station. Bought another ticket. Train late. Watched two lads race for a train that was already moving...on the other platform. They jumped on to the rails and crossed over. Someone inside the train grabbed one of them. Then he grabbed the other. Both hanging off the rapidly speeding up train. My hair was standing on end. Watched another train coming in with a load of people standing on the engine, see photo. Sorry it's blurry but the train was actually moving quite fast and they weren't even holding on. Health and safety Egyptian style.
Walked to the wrong end of the train (which is VERY LONG). Because it was about to leave I had to walk all the way back to the front through the train and I could see the ground rushing by in the gaps between the carriages. Small gaps but still! It was the ground and the metal thingies were moving about! A kind train man asked me where I was trying to go (at least I think that's probably what he asked), and I managed to say two in Arabic. Then he said something along the lines of you're in coach five. Coach two is that way. And I broadly understood!
I'm still on the train. I now have a cup of tea and a piece of English Cake. Given I lived in England for 29 years, it's surprising to note that I haven't got the first idea what English cake is. Turns out to be a bit like madeira cake with bits in. I'm hoping my adventures are over for the day but really, the way this day is going, it seems unlikely. I'll keep you posted.
Post blog update: Well, I made it home without further incident. The positives from today are that I now know what English cake is and I managed to have a sort-of conversation in Arabic.
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