Boarded the aircraft (a British Airways 747-400) on time. Cabin staff very hospitable. For some reason, we were over half an hour late taking off. The journey to Cairo was less than 5 hours - short compared with some of my trips - so I didn't find it tedious. They served quite a reasonable dinner and I watched the 'Casino Royale' remake which I'd not previously seen. Cairo is currently two hours ahead of the UK so it was a quarter to midnight when we got off. I was surprised to find the travel company 'meeters and greeters' were 'Airside'. I easily found the man from Somak (who've provided this part of the trip) and he directed me to his colleague, Hossam, who walked me to Immigration, saying he'd meet me the other side. This time, I'd got the Visa in the U.K. (although you can buy them on arrival) so I was quickly into the baggage hall. My one checked bag was on 'Priority' and it soon appeared. Then it was outside to find the driver and car (an XJS). Although the airport road can get jammed, since it was just after midnight we sailed through on this occasion.
Security in Cairo is quite tight. The entrance to the Conrad Hotel was barred by an electric gate until the security man had checked the boot and examined the underside of the car with a 'mirror-on-a-stick'. On entering the hotel, my bags were X-rayed and I had to pass through a metal detector. Hossam checked me in and then said goodbye, saying I'd be picked up from reception in the morning at 8.30. I made my way (slightly wearily) to room 2333. The lift didn't move until another guest got in and activated it with his credit-card sized electronic room key. I realised that, as another security measure, you can't get far without your room key.
In common with a lot of city centre hotels catering for business travellers, the Conrad has a number of dedicated 'Executive Floors'. At Cairo, it's floors 20, 21, 22, 23, 24. The middle floor, 22, contains a private Lounge for use by guests on the executive floors. This is to stop business guests feeling hard done to when coach loads of tourists check in having paid highly-discounted room rates. I let the Bell Boy show me how the various things worked. He also showed me the views over the city and the Nile from the private balcony. By the time I was sorted out and in bed, it was 2.00 a.m. The bed was very comfortable and I was soon asleep. I felt fairly refreshed when I got up on Monday. I found the complimentary breakfast in the Executive Lounge very adequate and was in Reception just before 8.30. It was a little while before I found my young guide, Marko, because he'd been ringing my room from somewhere and, of course, I wasn't there. We met up with the driver and XJS from the previous night and set off on a trip to see the Canal Zone.
