All news from Africa seems so diammetrically different than those in Asia. It made me want to go there, not for the difficulties one gets from the news but rather I wanted the pleasure of experiencing new lands and new cultures - complete with a touch of the expected chaos. The latter counts for bragging rights at future dinner conversations :-)
I also want to disconnect for a bit, especially during this sabbatical. I guess you could say I am "out of touch in Africa". Travel in Africa is perhaps the only valid excuse nowadays in our nowhere to hide satellite world. Here, the only web I hope to see is that spun in an untouched bush rather than the world wide web.
My first time flying Egyptair lived up to my expectations. The flight from Cairo to Luxor was the perfect manifestation of the ends justifying whatever means.
The next Egyptian experience also overturns conventional mental models. Hospitality here is egregious yet seemingly insincere. Every act of kindness is never random and in fact is to be reciprocated with a tip, baksheesh, and when it is not proferred, the erstwhile polite service staff can become pestering, even rude.
It's no exaggeration. I knows that every traveller feels it's his right to do so. After all, "I saw it, you didnt; therefore". And when one experiences something for the first time, there is so much scope to be inventive. Hence, another reason for Africa.
I was going for Africa for the best reasons.
No comments:
Post a Comment