When Plans Fall Apart… and Lead to New Adventures

All I wanted was to fly from Pokhara, Nepal to Cairo, Egypt. Simple enough, right?

Except it wasn’t.

After weeks of hiking through mountain villages, getting airlifted by a paraglider, and whitewater rafting through the Upper Seti River, I was ready to trade the serenity of Pokhara’s lakes for the magic of the Giza Plateau. I had my ticket, my bag was packed—and then came the chaos.

What was supposed to be a quick journey turned into a comedy of errors that spanned three countries, two continents, and multiple visa mishaps.

Grounded and Rerouted: The Unexpected Detour

The trouble started with a flight mix-up and a visa issue that caused me to miss my connection. Before I knew it, instead of boarding a plane to Cairo, I was rerouted to Thailand and China.

Yes, China.

Cairo at Last: A 2AM Arrival and a Pyramid Sunrise

After several days of rerouting, rescheduling, and mental gymnastics, I finally landed in Cairo at 2am. My lifelong friend Katie, who I’ve known for 23 years, was waiting. We’d been dreaming of this trip for over a year, and now it was finally happening.

A few hours later, we found ourselves sipping tea and nibbling on breakfast at our hotel’s rooftop café—with the pyramids of Giza rising in the distance, bathed in morning light.

We were joined by Miryam, another friend who brought warmth and local insight to our long-awaited reunion. I was running on adrenaline, jet lag, and awe. After breakfast, I collapsed into bed for a few more hours of sleep while Katie enjoyed a quiet day in the hotel.

Dancing on the Nile

That night, we celebrated our reunion in style—on a Nile River dinner cruise.

As the sun set over Cairo’s skyline, we boarded a boat for an evening filled with traditional Egyptian music, swirling tanoura dancers, and a buffet dinner that was somehow both delicious and surreal after days of travel woes. Floating along the Nile, with new memories already stacking up, I was reminded why travel is worth every unexpected twist and turn.

Lessons from a Travel Misadventure

• Always check your visa and layover rules—even if it’s a “transit.”
  
• Pack snacks and patience—they’ll both come in handy during rebooking marathons.
  
• Say yes to the reroute—sometimes the detour ends up being the real story.
  

What could’ve been a disaster turned into an unforgettable multi-country mini-adventure. And the best part? It ended with a front-row view of the pyramids and one of my favorite people in the world by my side.

Travel Tip: If you’re ever flying into Egypt, especially from South or Southeast Asia, double-check visa-on-arrival rules and consider using an eSIM like Saily to avoid the chaos of local SIM cards during layovers.

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