Traffic, Cairo

Favorite thing: In a city like Cairo you are much better off hiring a guide and a car (with AC!) than shooting around via taxis. One major advantage is traffic - A guide will make sure your getting around the mess, Most Taxis do NOT have AC, A good guide will keep you well informed of what your looking at where as most Taxi drivers aren't going to tell you much.

Favorite thing: The traffic in Cairo is a nightmare.

There are traffic jams day and night.

There doesn't appear to be any road-rules.

Lane markings are ignored.

Pedestrians risk life and limb crossing in amongst the lines of traffic.

Taxis weave in and out of the queues of cars, buses, trucks and horse-drawn carts.

People hang off the back...and side...and top of trucks and buses.

It is complete mayhem and it is fabulous!!

Favorite thing: The shortest way we took from Khan El Khalili to the Citadel took half an hour.
This route was rather crowded with a lot of local pedestrians. We didn't see any tourists.
There was not many other traffic in the street, only a few donkey carts, small cars and pick ups, so it didn't bother the pedestrians.

Favorite thing: The Midan Ramses is at the northern side of central Cairo. Huges amounts of traffic, cars, buses, taxis, minibuses and so many roads. It was not easy to get an overview. When we stepped out our hotel at the square early morning, we realized to be in a city of millions. We just had to undergo all with the exhaust gases, smog and at that time a lot of yellow dust, in the air, on the cars, just everywhere. This was our first meeting with Cairo by daylight. Wow, what an overwhelming experience, I will never forget.
And in the middle of that all we saw the statue of Ramses II (this statue is discovered near Giza and erected at Midan Ramses in 1955). See at the left side of the picture.

Favorite thing: not be afraid of driving a car in Cairo. It's just - the rules are completely different from anywhere else. You may be should not rent a car when you arrive at the airport.

Fondest memory: Parking in Cairo is a bigger problem than anywhere else on earth. Best is to pay some few Piasters and take a guardian. But: take care there are sooooo many became a guardian just a minute ago. Not that they want to steal your car - they will even watch your car - nothing will happen to your car - but if an official guardian recognizes that he will blame it on you!
With a guardian you can leave your car open or close it without gear so they can move cars around. Or do you think the red Peugoet would fligh out?!?!