Reasons why I Love being back in Egypt

- Two things go without saying - Family and Friends

- THE SUNSHINE

- Our gorgeous beaches

- Being within an hour and a half's drive from the beach (Mediterranean or Red Sea)

- The Shatafa - I still dont understand why this concept hasnt caught on in the western world!

- Being able to get my nails done (hands and feet), hair done, eyebrows threaded and full body wax for under £20.

- Home Delivery for everything from fast food and pharmacy orders to your laundry and ironed clothes.

- The culturally exploding streets - you'll find something in every corner that screams out Egypt in some way and the history of course. 

- The Nile and the Faluccas 

- Every now and then Egyptian men prove that chivalry isn't dead something Liverpool lacked quite a bit (with a few exceptions of course)

- The food ahhh the food!

- The mango - deserves a spot on its own - Egyptian mangoes all different kinds of them can not be outdone. The ones in the UK are pale yellow, flavourless and smell like perfume =(

- El Sett, Listening to Om Kalthoum in Cairo takes it to a whole new level. Try driving from one area to another eg. Downtown to Heliopolis with Om Kalthoum keeping you company and you'll realise she's the perfect soundtrack to Cairo.

- Tea and Peppermint - I love the whole tradition of having black tea with fresh peppermint leaves after lunch/dinner whatever your main meal of the day is. Team it up with Om Kalthoum in the background and you'll be smiling =)

- My Grandpa - I live with my Grandpa, who is also one of my idols, its not just because he's my Grandfather that I look up to him, no. He's a man of principals and suffered 10 years in political prison for sticking to them. He is also the founder of the Arab Organisation for Human Rights and the Vice President of the Egyptian National Council for Human Rights. Our daily conversations almost always reveal interesting information about the past and the present. From stories when he took part in the 1952 revolution, his being the youngest Minister to be appointed during Abdel Nasser's rule, dealing with celebrities and their clashes when he was Minister of Information and to how he was sent to prison simply for resigning during El Sadat's rule. 

- Wearing Heels -This one is a bit shallow but I'm putting it anyway! Since we don't really walk much to places in Cairo, we're always driving or being driven, I get to wear my heels without worrying about being able to walk in them for so long and the pain that will come!

- All sorts of shops are open til atleast 10pm! Others 24 hours!

I will probably come up with a few more as I continue to settle in - will add them as they come!