Thursday 3 March 2011

egypt....an experience that was pale in comparison

Hey guys,
Right so i wen't to egypt with my family when i was 14, i was really excited as it was a christmas present from my mom. We wen't over the christmas break so it wouldn't be too hot, because i burn even whilst in the shade, seriously before i was lying down on one of those sun beds under an umbrella so i was completely in the shade, i had my factor 50 plus on so was feeling safe enough so wen't for a nap... woke up an hour or so later and felt my legs were burning... turns out i burnt the backs of my legs, back and the back of my arms, so when i stood to the side i was two toned, half my body was white and the other half was lobster red... that was a great 1st day.. spent the rest of my holiday looking like a weirdo and walking like a penguin... i'm convinced there was a hole in my umbrella or someone switched my sun screen for oil... hmm... anyway long story short I BURN EASILY!
So anyway ..back to Egypt.. we were staying in this hotel which seemed really nice, but the first thing i noticed was that there were no female workers in the hotel... not at reception, or the restaurant and even the people who cleaned the room were males.. so i thought that was a bit odd..later learnt that the women stay at home while the men go out and provide for the family, also men can have more than 1 wife, lucky them.
On the first day people were looking at me a bit strange, i just ignored it.. then when my sister and i wen't to buy some ice cream, the guy gave it to me for free, i was just like wow... i'm never this lucky.. then later that day i wen't to play crazy golf and all of a sudden all the workers there were coming over to me with drinks and offering to help me with my swing! straaaange i know.. it was crazy golf not the grand open!! so then i started to think maybe they are mistaking me for some kind of a celebrity, but i didn't want to sound full of myself so i just thanked them and went to my room... only to be greeted by roses on my bed. At this stage i started to get a bit freaked out as i'm not one who likes all that attention, i just wanted to have a relaxing holiday with my family, see the pyramids and stuff. So the next day i decided i must just be paranoid and we all wen't to the market, thats when it really hit me... one man in a jewellers took out an engagement ring  and proposed to me, then a few seconds later another man asked for me to marry him! then men were full on fighting around me... i was only 14 so was completely taken aback... i asked them if they had lost their mind? thats when it got explained to me.. apparently people with fair skin and dark hair are seen as complete royalty over there... they thought i was some kind of a princess... which was really cool... but the egyptian men can be quite forward and aggressive speakers... so yea by the end of the holiday i got proposed to 6 times,  got offered the penthouse suite, had free ice cream every day and in the airport got offered anything i wanted for free in the duty free.. i didn't take anything though because i didn't think it was right... but yea you'd probably all think oh yea she must of had a great time, what is she complaining about, people would kill to have been in her shoes.... but no it was actually one of the worst holidays of my life, i couldn't leave the house without being followed, the cleaners would come in to my room while i was sleeping and stand over my bed singing to me, i basically had to spend the rest of my holiday locked up in my moms room.... when i was younger i wanted to be a princess.... then when i got older i wanted to be a celebrity... well i can tell you i certainly NEVER want to be either... but by all means if you're pale and have dark hair and are looking for a really cheap holiday, or to find a husband in a day... i recommend Egypt.
A lot of other funny/strange things happened on that holiday... but i'm sure you got the jist of it.. it's something i can now look back at and laugh about , but at the age of 14 i didn't seem to see the funny side... needless to say if i could have gone back in time i'd have hit the tanning booth first! :) xx

2 comments:

  1. HAHA, sounds like you had a great holiday. You are so lucky, it's my dream to go to Egypt (I studied it all through high school and even at uni last year and also studied Archaeology; but all my family only go to Europe and Asia.

    Your story reminds me of when Dad was in India. All the people would bow down to him and when he would go swimming, they would all empty themselves from the pool for him, since they thought he was more "superior".
    (I'm naturally as pale as my dad. If you held up a white piece of paper, the paper is more tanned than us.)

    jaciwalker.blogspot.com

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  2. hahahaa...thats brilliant... i know exactly how you feel, i just don't tan! ha

    if you're considering going to egypt it is beautiful and you'll probably enjoy it way more at this stage, its just i was a lot younger and didn't know what was going on. hope you get to visit there sometime!... but be warned you will be idolized there... :P x

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