Egypt How To #1: The Wadi Degla Run

There are very few places in Cairo to run, particularly long distances. There are no suitable parks or trails for running. I have been known to run early in the morning on the streets of my neighborhood. This is a less than ideal running venue due to the numerous craters in the sidewalks, poor lighting, ravenous dogs, and throngs of nasty men out to pray prowl. Thus, I was delighted when a friend introduced me to the Wadi Degla protectorate during my first year in Egypt. I soon became a regular at the preserve on the outskirts of Cairo. However, a run at the wadi is not without "challenges". My purpose for this post is to prepare you adequately so you, too, may enjoy a successful run at the Wadi Degla protectorate! ;)

1) Gather necessary items, preferably the night before. 5am on a Friday after a hard week sucks. At this point, you might be wondering why you are rising so early? Well, boys and girls, it's 100 degrees in Cairo by 8am. Time is of the essence! Back to the supplies you'll need: water bottle, round-trip cab fare and bagel $$, keys, and TP. Drop it all in a generic plastic bag or a beige cloth bag that will blend in well with rocks. (We'll come back to this important point later!) Don't forget to bring your money in the desirable denominations- 1s, 5s, 10s, 20s and maybe a 50 if you must. Can't break a 200. Don't even try.

2) Catch cab #1 across Cairo (30 min.) at 5am. If you catch a black cab, be prepared for it to break down on the side of the highway and you to be stranded. If you catch a white cab, be prepared for the driver to take the most "scenic" route possible in order to rip you off. Or, he might have rigged his meter. If it (the meter) advances more than 25 piasters each time, then he's cheating you. You could scream at him...totally warranted. Or you could just get out, drop appropriate payment at him through the window, and run off...totally advisable.

3) Arrive in Maadi, pay the driver 30-35 LE. Meanwhile, hail the next cab you see. Cabs are not plentiful at 5:30am on a Friday.

4) Catch cab #2 (10 min) to the wadi while coaxing/directing the driver down a sketchy turn-off behind the sport club and on two dirt roads to the edge of the protectorate. Trust me, he won't want to go that way and he'll think you are crazy anyway if you are a woman. He's the man so he's got it all under control! If he's nice, he'll just ask you every 30 seconds if you're sure the dirt road is the correct way. If he's a jerk, he'll try to convince you that you are wrong. Whatever.

5) Emerge from the cab; pay driver 10-15 LE. Try to convince him to return in an hour or so to pick you up.

6) At this point, the Wadi Degla is closed because it's too early. You'll have to find your own way into the park: shimmy around a ledge and carefully hike down the steep-ish embankment. This is the only way to get in now that barbed-wire has been installed to prevent visitors (like you) outside of official visiting hours.

7)Find an inconspicuous rock behind which to hide your keys and money.

8) Run. The Wadi Degla is a rocky, dried up river bed. Watch your step! The uneven terrain is downright treacherous and rolled ankles are easy to come by. The wadi is a 30 km-long canyon and home to numerous wildlife species. Humans enjoy hiking, biking, and picnicking on the weekends...just not at 6am on a Friday. If you have an accident out there, you are all on your own. No one will find you for days, hours if you are lucky. If you have over-active bowels, you will want your own paper while you are out in the wilderness.

9) Grab your keys from under/behind the aforementioned rock(s) and pay the guy at the desk the 5 LE entrance fee on your way out.

10) Hope that the cab you asked to come back actually did. He probably didn't though.

11) Start walking down the dirt road until you find a cab. Try to avoid eye contact with the throngs of vicious wild dogs that are barking ferociously and sizing up your tasty little calves. They will close in on you, but stay strong! Again, avoid all eye contact with the dogs but keep moving at a steady pace. However, do not make any sudden movements.

12) The dogs will start nipping at your heels. At this point, pray and hope for the best- that the random Egyptian man that is just standing there ogling you will feel sympathetic and begin screaming at the dogs or throw a rock at them.

13) Continue to pray for a cab to show up. If you see a decent looking Westerner drive by, you might want to flag them down and attempt to hitch a ride to Maadi. Better than getting attacked by a rabid animal, I guess.

14) If no cabs or hitchhiking opportunities materialize, keep walking. You might have to walk 10 feet or it may be another 2 miles before you see a way out. However, once you get far enough down the road, the dogs will probably leave you alone. You might be out of the danger zone, but additional wild dogs could always emerge from behind rocks at any time. Remain vigilant.

15) Pick up a cab to Road 9.

16) Have him stop at Jared's Bagels.

17) Indulge in a delightful Honey Wheat bagel, or perhaps a Cinnamon Raisin, or Onion treat. Admire your shiny, caramel-colored morsel of perfection. Wow, it's only 8am and think of all you've accomplished on this fine Friday morning. You've really earned this bagel.

18) Okay, time for the last leg. Catch a cab to Heliopolis. Korba is an easy destination. Expect to pay 30-35 LE. Again, don't forget the above warnings about potential highway breakdowns and cab driver dishonesty. By the way, the rest of Cairo is now wide awake so the drive could take anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours. Gaze out the window, ignore the dust and all the trash, and go to your happy place! Imagine yourself in Santorini, Phuket, Dahab, whatever...happier time, happier place.

19) By the time you endure traffic jams, highway breakdowns, potential screaming matches with jerks and any other unforeseen circumstances and hobble up the four or five flights of stairs to your apartment- and all of this BEFORE 11AM- you'll wonder why you are such a glutton for punishment that you willingly endure this rigmarole each weekend.