"Ah, CIVILIZATION!"

Spoken as we saw the lights of London, these are the exact words whispered by my smelly airplane companion.  "Ah, CIVILIZATION!" sums up every thought I had on descent :)

I am reminded of the novel, "The Lord of the Flies", as I write this post.  Living in Cairo is like living in a place with no grown-ups.  It is fun at first...but eventually, you pray that someone will restore order.  You wish for rules and consequences...something "for sure".  

I have only been in London for 14 hours, yet I know I will be saying "I LOVED IT!" when talking about my trip ten days from now.  Here are some examples of my civilized experience thus far: 

1.  Blonde hair and a Canadian passport get you into Cairo.  Blonde hair and a Canadian passport DO NOT get you into the UK.  For one hour, I was denied entrance to the country due to an unspecific place of stay.  (Getting off a flight from Cairo didn't help my plea either...).   

2.  There are "lines" in the UK.  You know, for waiting your turn.  For some bizarre reason, everyone in the line understands its purpose.  "AH HA! A line! For waiting my turn...".  Take a lesson Egypt, take a lesson...

 

3.  Driving on the other side of the road in London is STILL less scary than driving on the right side of the road in Cairo.  They have REAL lanes here (that cars stay between)! Traffic lights are placed with intention!  Speeding is enforced and law-breakers are penalized (I saw TWO cars pulled over on the way home from the airport!).  

4.  The UK has a postal service.  Valid and efficient.  Worthy of such a title.  The mailman just slid two pieces of glorious mail through the slot in the door!  I imagine they were sent to this address prior to the year 1999.  

5.  It is quiet.  I hear nothing.  No Cairo music.....no car horns, no yelling, no firecrackers, no (sorry Daddy) gun shots.....just silence.  I could sit and drink tea in this very place forever...  

And so I shall!  Cup number two, here I come!