Day 1

I left the Chi yesterday morning feeling pretty stoked. So stoked in fact that I wore myself out and slept all the way to NYC. NOT COOL. Oh, and New Yorkers, I'm sorry, but JFK International is a SHIT HOLE. Hate that airport. Do NOT hate the Delta Sky Club which I was lucky enough to be able to use due to my international firstclass status. So after 4 hours of free Sam Adams Summer Ale and a purse full of stolen cheese sticks, biscotti and individually packaged Nutella servings I made my way to my gate. First Class on this plane was INSANE. The seats are so huge and far apart thatyou have to get up to get anything from the seat back in front of you. See that picture there?!

My leg doesn't even come close to the seat in front of me when I stretch it out! Each seat goes back almost flat and has its own pull up monitor to watch anyof like 7 billion movies and HBO shows as well as inflight trivia. All of which I was really excited about but the Summer Ales and complimetary first class champagne mixed with few xanax had other plans. Sleepy plans. So after the best in flight dinner I've ever had I PASSED THE F OUT and woke up over Egypt! Hallelujah! Customs was a breeze and luckily Dina found me among the hoardes of people waiting outside the airport. So we hopped in a cab and came back to the apartment she shares with her sister and roommate. I cracked open a Sakara (Egyptian beer) and Dina heated me up some FLAME meat ball things and stuffed peppers. I love Egypt. After a much needed shower we headed to a great little place called Abou el Sid which is on an island in the middle of THE NILE RIVER (what?!) for apps, turkish coffee and sheesha. The food was amazing. We maxed on some bessva (fava & corrianderdip), stuffed vine leaves and artichoke and veal tagine. Soooooo good! Post dinner we dipped into the Sheesha and turkish coffee. Apparently the Sheesha master could tell I was an amateur so he took over for a sec to give me some pointers. Now I got that shit on lock. Apparently we made quite the impression as the owner, Hassam, was sure to corner me by the bathroom to give me his cell phone # "in case I need anything." Hey thanks buddy. We walked off the food and are now back in the apt. ready to go to bed! Dinassister is outof town soI am lucky enough to have a whole air conditionedroom to myself. Yahtzee! Tomorrow we are off to go to markets and shopping. Stay tuned!