Chapter 6: Chapter 5

Three days after Millie's visit, Poppy and Joe landed in Cairo. Living in Hurst Green, Lancashire, Poppy was used to a calm environment. Although she had travelled extensively and prepared herself for the most crowded Egyptian city, she couldn't help being shocked the Cairo's obstreperous.

After catching a cab, they quickly arrive at their hotel. Off the main road on a small street the hotel looked small but cosy.

A doorman opened the main door, guiding them in before running back to pick up their suitcases.

Small but clean and charming, Uncle Joe chose well.

It had ancient Egyptian traditional décor with tent fabrics hanging on the walls, latticework carved into the windowsills, framed ethnic tapestry and canopic jars everywhere.

The doorman approached with their luggage, gave them a big smile, and Poppy noticed his name tag, ALI.

She smiled back, "Thank you Ali".

He nodded "You're welcome little lady. After you have checked in, I will be taking your bags to your bedroom."

As soon as Ali had gone to help other guests, Poppy turned to her uncle and joked, "The brochure looked better, don't you think?"

Joe smiled "yes, I know, but we cannot afford better, sweetheart. Just imagine that you are at the Four Seasons!" and he winked at her.

She let out a chuckle "come on uncle, let's go and check in, I am really tired."

She suddenly felt a chill and look to her left; a man in a brown suit was staring right at her.

She shuddered and got closer to her uncle, why is he staring at us?

She took her uncle's hand then looked back but saw no one; where did he go?

Her uncle gently squeezed her hand and smiled at her.

She let out a sigh of relief and smiled back; oh well, I must have imagined it.

"Hmmm, what is that amazing smell?" asked Poppy while standing in the reception queue.

"I am glad you like it," responded a woman in a gentle voice.

They turned around to be greeted by a smiling lady, "hello, I am Hanane. Welcome to the Cleopatra Hotel! I am your host. You don't need to queue, the agency you used to book your room has already checked you in."

She handed them two keys.

She added "I can confirm that you have chosen our silver package, which is the most popular by the way."

"Brilliant" said Joe

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"We like to offer our guests some welcoming drinks and sandwiches so that they can meet and get to know each other before the guided tours start. To break the ice as you say in the UK."

Hanane pointed at the back of the hotel, "The dining room has a terrace overlooking our beautiful garden. It is the best part of the hotel. Feel free to sit there if you prefer to eat outside. All the other guests should be here shortly. Please come down to the lobby in an hour; our guides will have a few introductions for you. Now please, follow me!"

She then guided them to the first floor where their room was located. It was mid-sized with two twin beds with a bedside table on each side, a shower room, a built-in wardrobe, a set of drawers and a table.

"Oh, thank God" said Poppy after spotting an air conditioner unit on the top corner of the room.

August was a scorching time in Cairo, and the average temperature could reach 34 degrees Celsius.

Poppy dropped her crossbody bag on the bed and started looking around while her uncle talked to their host.

Wow, she wasn't lying about the garden, it's beautiful. I was worried when uncle Joe said that our room might not be overlooking the streets of Cairo, but that view is so much better.

She turned around and realised that her uncle had not moved; he was staring at Hanane.

And Tristan met his Iseult. With her big brown eyes, her olive skin and her long wavy black hair, Hanane looked like an Egyptian princess.

The hotel host finally took her leave with Joe still staring at the door after she left.

Poppy let out a fake cough, he jumped, turned around and found Poppy observing him with half a smile and her arms crossed.

"I don't know what is worse, watching you stare you at her like a hungry cow during dry season or watching her pretending that she has not noticed."

"Poppy, my beloved niece, shut up" he said pretending to be upset.

She burst out laughing and tossed him the air conditioning remote control and they turned it on.

Poppy stood in front of the unit, arms open, "God bless whoever invented you," she said to the unit.

Joe stood next to her, enjoying the blast of cool air that gently grazed his skin.

He said with a smile, "I agree."

Poppy walked to her bed and lay down.

"Do we have time for a nap?" she asked her uncle.

He smiled, went to his bed, lay down and said "Who cares, let just have our nap. If we wake up on time, we woke up. If we don't, then we don't."

Poppy let out a sigh of relief "In that case have a nice nap uncle."

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