Travel Missteps: Creepy Taxi Ride

I was glad when one of my other group members said they had scheduled a taxi to the airport for 150 EGP, because I too only had 150 EGP left! And I didn’t want to have to pull out more EGP on my last afternoon. But to my dismay no one at the hotel would schedule me a taxi for that price. They wanted around 350-400 EGP. I tried to plead my case, that my “friend” just got a taxi for 150 EGP! They just pointed outside and said, “Try your luck outside then if you don’t have the money!”

Defeated, I figured that was my best bet. I had seen so many taxis on the street outside of the hotel, and figured it wouldn’t be too hard to get one. But in case I put some small USD bills around my purse in case I had to negotiate more money. And then I went back to my room to eat my to-go dinner and rest before I needed to head out to the airport.

At midnight I emerged from my hotel room and checked out. I then headed out of the hotel. After passing security and past the gates…I found myself on a desolate street. Gone were the busy line of taxi drivers, hollering for fares. But I didn’t want to go back to the hotel…so I continued down the road, hoping I could hail a passing taxi. I walked quite a bit, and realized I needed to get around a barricade. I had 2 really full suitcases, and was struggling. An Egyptian man about my age, saw me, and rushed to help. He didn’t speak English very well, but tried to ask where I was going. I said taxi and airport, and he was confused, so I made my hands like an airplane. “Ah! Taxi!” he said and grabbed one of my bags, and helped me cross a busy intersection, leading me to where he knew taxis waited for fares.

But there weren’t any. Again it was desolate. He tried to flag down some taxis, but they drove right on past. He finally walked up to a man cleaning his car. He talked a bit and the man asked me how much I had. He brushed off the 150 EGP saying it was too little. “What about 5 USD more?” No he said. I pulled out a Ten, “15 then, its all I have!” I hoped beyond hope he wouldn’t insist I go into a hotel to use an ATM. He looked at me and said “15/50 would do.” Not sure if he understood how much I had, I just nodded. He then asked if I had 5 minutes while he finished getting his car clean. I said sure, I had 4 hours until my flight left, and specifically had left early in case anything went wrong.

So my hero walked away, and I ran back to try to pay him. But he refused. I was shocked, so many in Egypt had asked for tips when they hadn’t provided any service, and this man had helped me so much and he wouldn’t take anything. He just said “Tell your friends in America to come visit Egypt!” as he smiled and walked away.

My taxi driver took his time getting the car ready. But I didn’t mind. Then we got in and headed off. As we drove I saw numerous dance clubs, and wistfully wished I had a chance to visit one to see a more modern Egypt. My taxi driver then put on loud techno music. “You like?” “Yes, but could you turn it down a little” “You like?” “Sure…” and he turned it up higher. My desire to visit an Egyptian dance club fully diminished as the music in the taxi pumped louder and louder.

Then the taxi driver quickly pulled off the road to a tire dealership. “5 minutes?” He asked? Again I sad sure. He then talked quickly to the sellers while they filled up the air in his tires. He then jumped back in, and drove like a maniac, which is not unusual for Egypt. Then after about 10 minutes he turned back to me “5 minutes?” he asked again, uneasily I said yes. We ended up pulling into a service station at a gas station. He hopped out and had them look at his engine. Figures I’d get a taxi with problems!

After a little bit we were off again. “Can I smoke?” he asked. Normally I hate smoke…but Egypt’s pollution is so bad you cannot tell the difference, so I said yes once again. He then pulled over to a roadside stand, hopped out and bought some cigarettes and took a little smoke break. I was laughing. So much for asking for “5 minutes!” anymore. I thanked myself for being extra pre-pared and leaving so early.

When he returned he had his second wind, and drove faster and faster. The nile but a familiar blur as we moved past. And I didn’t bat an eye when my driver rolled down his window to yell and throw his fist out at a motorcycle driver who had cut him off and almost hit his car. I watched as at nearly 45 miles per hour he screamed and shouted out the window for a full 10 minutes at the motorcycle driver.

As we got closer to the airport, he asked to see the money. I showed him the 150 EGP and 15 USD. “50 USD” He asked hopefully (which would have been WAY overpaying). No I said, “I only have 15 USD”. He asked to see my wallet, which thankfully…was empty. A bit frustrated he asked if I had any smaller EGP “to pay the entrance fee to the airport” he lied. Nope. He then asked if I had enjoyed my time in Egypt, and if I’d ever come back. “Oh yes, someday.” I said hopefully. He then asked me to put his cell number in my phone. I could tell there was no choice so did it. He then inspected my phone to make sure it was right, and then asked me to call him. “I don’t have any international minutes.” He was sad at that.

When we arrived, before he would open the trunk to my luggage he insisted in having a selfie with him. It was such a weird and bizarre taxi ride, that I just took the photo, grabbed my bags and got out of there as quick as I could.