A simple walk back to my hotel changed everything

Hey, Johannes from GearUpYourLife here.

By the time you’re reading this, I’ve just landed back home a couple of hours ago. Right now, it’s Friday night and I just made one of my childhood dreams come true.

I’m in Cairo, Egypt. And even though I’ve been to Egypt three years ago, this is my very first time in Cairo – my first time seeing the Pyramids. This trip was different from the last one here: no all-inclusive hotel, no packaged day trip. Just a small room in downtown Cairo, with the thermometer hitting 43°C (that’s 110°F for you guys 😂).

Cairo is one of the biggest, busiest cities in the world – though during the day it feels almost empty. That’s because it’s also one of the hottest. The city is world-famous for its bazaars, palaces, and of course – let’s be honest – the Pyramids. And today, I finally stood right there.

What I loved most about this trip were the little moments with people. Sitting down for tea in the late afternoon, chatting with locals who were curious where I was from, and laughing together even when our languages didn’t fully line up. The hospitality here is unreal – every Uber driver I met was beyond kind, offering tips, stories, and often treating me like an old friend. Those are the moments that made me feel connected to Cairo in a way I never expected.

Of course, like every place, there’s another side too – the constant asking for money at tourist attractions, the visible poverty, and a city that sometimes feels like it’s bursting at the seams.

One moment in particular hit me harder than I expected. After lunch, walking back to my hotel in the extreme heat, I suddenly noticed a terrible smell hanging in the air. Just a few blocks away, I saw a boy – maybe 12 or 13 years old – standing in the middle of a side street, his hands covered in ash. Around him, the entire street was piled high with trash, and he was burning it, trying to make it disappear. Thick smoke everywhere. He kept coughing, struggling to breathe, until at one point he started spitting blood.

it was one of the saddest images I’ve seen on my travels. And it instantly brought me back to what I shared in Wednesday’s email about traveling more consciously. Moments like this remind me that while we can’t solve everything, the way we travel – the choices we make, even small ones – really do matter.

And yet, just a few streets away, people were laughing over tea, kids were chasing footballs in the dust, and life carried on — a reminder that even in the hardest places, joy and resilience are never far away.

Thank you for being one of the people who takes the time to read these simple Sunday stories. It honestly means a lot to me, and I’m really grateful for this little community we’re building together.

Next Sunday, you’ll actually hear from Renée – she’ll be sharing her own travel story right here. I can’t wait for you to read it.

Safe travels,
Johannes ✈️🌍

PS: All my Egypt pictures are now online on Instagram 👉 [Click here]