Page 46 of The Billionaire Offer
By the time we arrived, there was another car and driver, as well as a guide waiting for us. Our original driver assured us that they would take our luggage to our room and have it waiting when we got back. As we switched cars, both Serenity and I took a moment just to breathe it all in.
There was a street market across from the hotel, and the sidewalk was bustling with activity. As a New Yorker, I was used to busy sidewalks, but this really was something else. The city was an explosion of sound and color, the faint scent of spice, exhaust, and sewage in the air.
Serenity was wide eyed as we climbed into the car that was going to take us around, but the smile on her face couldn’t have been wider. Sitting side by side on the backseat, we settled in for the ride and listened attentively when our guide turned in the front seat and started giving us information as we pulled away from the hotel.
For a while, we simply drove around the city as he pointed out landmarks and explained their names and meaning. When we got to the Khan El Khalili Bazaar, my jaw nearly hit the ground. By the looks of things, Serenity was as amazed as I was.
The bazaar was packed with tourists, locals, and vendors. There were so many things on offer that it made my head spin. From luxury fabrics and clothes, to antiques made to order, brassware, paintings, and food, there was so much to look at that it was impossible to take it all in at once.
The scent of spice and brewing coffee hung in the air, mingling with the faint smell of sweet tobacco from the glass pipes on the tables around us being smoked by locals and tourists alike.
“Khan El Khalili is the oldest open-air market in the Middle East,” our guide explained as he led us farther inside. “Haggling is expected and encouraged here, but don’t be intimidated. I can help if you aren’t comfortable doing it yourselves.”
“We’ll give it a try,” I said, glancing at Serenity. “It could be fun and it’s customary, so apparently, it’s an experience we can’t miss while we’re here.”
She smiled, but it was a nervous one. Fidgeting with her fingers, she nodded and inclined her head to a stall nearby. “Okay, let’s do it. Just tell us if we’re being taken for a ride. I really want to get some souvenirs, but not at crazy prices.”
The guide chuckled. “I will help.”
We strolled from stall to stall, inspecting everything from a distance if we weren’t interested in buying it. We only approached the stalls with things we actually wanted so as not to get anyone’s hopes up. Haggling was an experience all of its own, and although it was tiring, we got the hang of it pretty fast.
Eventually, the jetlag seemed to be getting to Serenity, but she suddenly perked up again and pointed at a stall nearby. “I’d like to go look at that one. It looks like they sell handmade instruments, which is really cool.”
As I took a closer look at the stall she was talking about, I realized she was right. The guide took us to it, and I saw the moment Serenity fell in love with a small, handmade guitar. She picked it up, lovingly cradling it as she closed her eyes and hummed a few bars. Then she checked the price, winced, and put it back down.
“Did you bring yours with you this time?” I asked. “I don’t remember seeing the case, but I suppose that doesn’t mean it’s not here.”
“No, I didn’t bring it. I thought about it, and I wish I had, but I decided against it at the last moment. I didn’t want too many things to have to carry around from stop to stop.”
I eyed the guitar, knowing we’d get it for cheaper than the price on it, but probably not by much. Even so, I signaled the guide that I wanted to buy it, and before she could stop us, we were arguing with the shopkeeper about the price.
I finally handed it over to her. There were tears in her eyes as she took it gently and held it to her chest. “Thank you. This is amazing. I honestly didn’t expect you to get it for me.”
“I know, but I wanted to. It’ll always be a special reminder of our first day in Cairo, and besides, we got it for a bargain price.”
She arched a brow at me. “I’m not so sure about that, but still, thank you.”
“You’re very welcome,” I said, wrapping my arms around her when she came in for a hug. Once I let go of her, we kept strolling down the crowded, narrow aisles until it was my turn to fall in love instantly. “Is that a fake hieroglyphic carving of a computer and a game controller? Because if so, my life has just been made.”
She laughed, making a beeline for the stall and getting our guide to help her out this time. I tried to stop her when she pulled out some cash and handed it over, but she wouldn’t hear it. “I want to get it for you, and besides, it’ll always be a special reminder of our first day in Cairo.”
I laughed. “Touché. Thank you.”
We exchanged another hug before taking off again, and although it was still early, I was really starting to feel the jetlag now, too. Feeling more like a zombie with every passing minute, I was relieved when the guide seemed to notice and suggested that we go back to the car.
“We can’t go to sleep yet, though,” Serenity said once we got to it. “If we do, we’ll just take longer to get used to the time difference.”
“No one said anything about going to sleep,” I assured her. “I was just on overload in there. It’s pretty overwhelming, but especially when you’re this tired.”
I turned to the guide. “Is there anything else we can still fit in today that doesn’t involve pushing our way through a crowd and haggling?”
The man nodded, laughing as he consulted his phone. “There is a lot more, but how about a camel tour? The hotel emailed me the bookings you’ve made for your time here and I see you’re visiting the pyramids tomorrow, but you’ll see them from a distance at this tour and you’ll get to see the desert.”
“That sounds great,” I said, looking at Serenity to see her nodding along with me. “You’re sure you’re not too tired? We can always just go back to the hotel and watch a movie. There’s no sense in pushing ourselves to do anything if we’re going to be too exhausted to enjoy it.”
“No, I’m good with this plan,” she said, seemingly getting excited again. “The bazaar was getting to be a bit much for my current state, and I’m assuming you felt the same way, but a camel ride sounds awesome.”
Once we’d agreed, we got back into the car and the guide put in another phone call on our way to whatever the camel-ride place was called. It was a bit of a drive, but Serenity and I both managed to stay awake even if we did take some time in the car just to recharge.
