Taxi nightmare in Cairo

Came back to Cairo after 9 years. Things have got significantly better. But taxis are a real nightmare.

I thought using Uber and Careem would help and I paid by card. Nope, Egyptian drivers would not come. They saw it’s a foreign name. They accepted the ride, stayed at the same place, asked for cash on the app. If you said no, they simply wouldn’t come and wasted your time. You cancelled, you paid a fee.

I’ve had 10+ unsuccessful taxi rides in 3 days.

It got to a point I was so tired of trying to use taxi and I just stayed in my hotel area. I didn’t want to explore any further.

Writing this as I’m on my way to the airport. Hotel staff helped me talk to Careem driver and made him come. This bastard pressured me for cash as soon as I left the hotel staff’s eye sight.

I gave Cairo a second chance. Yes no more sexual harassment, but the constant struggle with taxi (oh let’s not talk about local transport) is mentally draining.