Jennifer Karchmer || Independent. Journalist.
  • About
    • ESL
    • Public Speaking
    • C.V. / Resume
    • Reporters Without Borders
    • Links I recommend
    • Master's Thesis
  • Live BIG! Session
  • Over the Shoulder Editorial
    • Clients
    • Proofreading
    • Writers Retreat
    • Writer Resources
  • Journalism
    • Essays >
      • Profiles
    • The Transparency Report >
      • freedom of Assembly: #womensmarch
      • freedom of the press: Frontline Heroines >
        • Photo Gallery: Frontline Heroines
      • freedom of the press: AP style
      • freedom of the press: libel
      • freedom of the press: Iceland >
        • Iceland: Press Freedom
        • Iceland in pictures
      • freedom of speech: coal train transport & the environment
      • freedom of speech: 2010 Winter Olympics
    • Print reporting
    • Broadcast News
    • Editorials & Whatcom Watch >
      • freedom of assembly: The Bellingham Twelve >
        • Q & A: Conversation with an activist
    • Financial reporting >
      • ignore this page
    • Service
    • Support indy journalism
  • Contact
  • Newsletter
  • The Off Season Traveler
    • Iceland
    • Montpellier, France
    • Cairo, Egypt
    • South Africa >
      • Kruger National Park, S.A.
  • Podcasts

DATELINE: Cairo, Egypt 

On May 22, 2015, EgytpAir cancelled my flight from Cairo to Johannesberg at the last minute, just as I was leaving Paris for Cairo. While at first it seemed inconvenient, the snafu turned out to afford me a full day in Cairo. The airline put me up in the Radisson Blu Hotel with three meals. The following day I took a private tour to the pyramids., the sphinx, an authentic papyrus (paper) store and an Egyptian perfume shop. 

The day began at 10 am as Khalid, my hired driver, pictured here in white shirt and tie, pointed out the sights as he drove us toward the pyramids. We crossed over the Nile and passed open air markets. We met Ahmed Halemoo, my English-speaking tour guide, who explained the history of the pyramids and was a wealth of knowledge. I rode a camel and got access to the inside of one of the pyramids. We ate an Egyptian lunch, drank hibiscus tea and drank (strong) turkish coffee. The final stop, you will see below, included smoking shisha, a flavoured tobacco from a glass-bottomed water pipe. By 6 pm, Khalid returned me to my hotel, where I had a final dinner and packed up for my evening flight to Johannesburg. 
Khalid, the driver for the day.
View of the Nile River.
The Nile River
The largest of the nine pyramids in Cairo, Egypt
Halemoo, the most awesome tour guide in Cairo.
Halemoo told me to climb the pyramid so he could take pictures of an American on tour.
Going below, inside one of the smaller pyramids.
Check out the hieroglyphics
In these photos, Halemoo had me climb around so I could view the resting place of one of the occupants.
Climbing back up from inside the pyramid.
Second largest of the pyramids.
Sayed demonstrates the properties of authentic papyrus paper.
The criss cross pattern of the paper shows it's authentic papyrus.
Adm applies lotus flower perfume at his shop in Cairo.
I tried a dozen different types of authentic Egyptian perfumes. My favorite was the lotus flower.
I was treated to turkish tea with milk.
... and a smoke of the shisha, peach flavoured.
Ending the day with Halemoo.
Back safe and sound at the hotel after an 8-hour tour with Khalid.
'Don't wait to be deprived of news to stand up and fight for it.' - Reporters Without Borders