After breakfast I waited for the Hotel Manager Adel in the reception at half 10. He had offered to come with me to the embassy an help things run smoothly. The embassy was just a 5 minute walk from the hotel but I had spoken to someone yesterday who m roomed it being a bit further out of town as the offices had moved about 3 months ago. I mentioned this to Adel as we began walking and he stopped dead in the middle of the road, "yeeeeeeeees! It's moved!" He said. His head turned to me as we stood with cars beeping their way around us, "do you know where it is?" I laughed! "No, you're meant to be the one that knows about this stuff" Adel is a funny guy and knows a lot of people, it didn't take long until we found out where it was but in doing so we also established that the boat leaves every Sunday. Therefore, whatever the situation with the visa, I was going to have o wait at least a week so I best get looking for a stall that sells slippers!
We got a cab to the new place and Adel chatted a bit and I filled out a form. The computer was broken so it was going to take at least three days to process my visa. Seeing as the ferry didn't leave for another week all this was not a real issue providing my visa takes no longer than a week. I told Adel I would stay longer in his hotel. He's been so good in helping me out its really the least I can do and I can't be bothered to chop and change hotels just to save £4 a night.
As I embrace the fact that I'm going to be around for a little longer I get to thinking what shall I do? I've saved the dam so will cycle there tomorrow as its only a couple of miles away. Other than that, there's not really much else I want to do so may wait for a brainwave or have a look on the Internet for some hidden treasures.
The rest of the day was another football day. Trying to keep the spending down with food is fairly easy as falafel here is about 50p and Koshary (the first dish i had with Ahmed in Cairo) ranges between 30-60p. My weakness is when the Colonel starts calling me and I spotted him situated just down the Nile from McDonalds.
I stayed in the hotel to watch the football. The reception area is like a lounge with TV and wifi and with absolutely nobody around, for 90 minutes or so I was at home doing what I normally do on a Sunday. I skyped my parents and it was then that I realised that times like these are the most relaxed I would feel for a long time.
The ride is so relentless there is literally no time to get away. I'm in a hotel and its quiet but still, all around me is the mayhem of Africa just waiting for me to walk through it again. It's almost as if I have to psych myself up before exiting the hotel as I know the inevitable wave of offers and greetings will follow. It hasn't taken long for people to recognise me and remember my name. A man shouted out Chris today and I haven't even sat in his restaurant before! Word obviously gets around fast.
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