So, I get back to the hotel, and in the lobby, I meet a cool couple from Portugal, and the owner is there too.
And first off, I find that I’ve been WAY overcharged for riding the camel – like way so. They’re all saying it should’ve only been like $30[US]. So, I feel super stupid because I’ve paid like 3x as much.
And then everyone’s cracking jokes and having fun, and the owner of the hotel is telling us crazy stories of past guests. So, overall, it’s a good time.
But THEN, we end up getting into this discussion of like America and American media and whatever.
And then he starts arguing that our media is government run.
And I’m like “dude, there are so many things you could say is wrong with America. We need a better healthcare system. We’re bad with gun laws. Etc. etc. Like, I’m not someone who’s big on American exceptionalism and I’m fine to talk about the places we falter, but our media is not run by the government.”
And he just keeps arguing that yes it is. And he’s talking about how we can’t talk poorly about the President. And it’s like… yes? We absolutely can? I’ve worked on late night comedy shows where we HAVE. There are shows that straight up win Emmys that make fun of the President.
And THEN he starts saying I must have no idea what I’m talking about, or I’m just not high up enough in the industry to know, or blah blah blah all these things about how I’m stupid about THE INDUSTRY I LITERALLY WORK IN.
And we kinda get into it. And I’m already on edge from everything else that’s been happening. And it’s super annoying.
And anyway, eventually I get back to my room, and I start WhatsApping with the driver, and was asking why he’d overcharge me so deeply for the camel ride, instead of just telling me he wanted to pay money for the day he offered for “free” (which I did tip him on, by the way!), and he was like “this was the price you agreed to!”
And I was like “you presented it to me as a set price, and you knew it was super high, and you knew I was kind of trusting you. Yes, I should’ve looked more into this, but you shouldn’t be trying to gouge me.”
So THEN he does this whole thing about how he’s absolutely not gonna admit any fault, nor blame, but since he ‘feels bad’ for me that I can’t get a new debit card ’til I get back to the states, so I’m on a specific amount of cash, he’ll bring me a partial refund in the morning. He’s going to do it ‘out of the goodness of your heart’.
And then I was all annoyed because it’s like – I’m not actually mad about the money itself? I’m a liiiiittle mad about the money itself. But I’m MORE upset about just like the principle of it, and feeling like a mark.
In general, one thing I wish guides in Egypt would understand is I would SO much rather someone just charge a higher price for the day and let us have a good relaxed time than be always trying to find more things for me to buy to get commission off of.
Like, just say how much you want to make for the day, and then let’s have fun, than all this secretive overcharging, or getting me to go in perfume stores, or whatever.
But I agree to take some money back in the morning, because I guess why not. And he tells me he’s going to Cairo, so he’ll even drop me off in Cairo, so like, fine. I will make this my last interaction with this man, as I know obviously I don’t like the way he does business, and don’t find him very trustworthy. But I might as well get a free trip to Cairo, and get some money back, out of it.
And this is where I’ll pick up tomorrow.