Orange Bike Day

10:47

"Hey, you have to come with us. It's been so long since last we gathered together."

 Prior to joining them to the event that was hosted in Zamalek last Friday, I was quite busy with post-exam batch's events, birthdays, and even meetings. Lil approached me and told me that they wanted to go to an event hosted by Netherlands Embassy. It was the same cycling event that I went to coincidentally last spring.  

 Few days later, I said, "Let's go."

 Thursday evening, six of us headed out to Cairo by tremco (coaster-like, but smaller like a minivan). For the night, we were based out of a dormitory room at Cairo Malaysian Hall. The price per person for a night would be 3 Egyptian Pound.

 Before that, we went for dinner at Hana BBQ, a Korean restaurant in Zamalek, a district in Cairo. We took metro from Ramses (Al-Shohadaa metro) and go to Sadat Station. We met with Dinie, our fellow Malaysian in Tahrir Square before we took two taxis to Hana BBQ.


The next morning started with other members from Cairo University joining up for a full day of activities. Aisar, Hazimin and Agil has already been waiting for us in Sayyeda Zainab with the bicycles. We were grateful for some of their friends who gave us their bikes to borrow for free of charge. We ended up saving 30 pound each from having to rent at Netherlands Embassy.

The route is the same as last year, starting from the embassy all the way to Tahrir by crossing the bridge and ended up back in front of the embassy. When we first arrived, I was overwhelmed with the large number of participants. The numbers were really huge compared to the previous year, making it harder to do walk-in registration. Only some of us got to register officially and walked away with the bright orange T-shirt.


When I reached the end of the cycle-marathon, I breathed in the cool air; almost unconsciously. My lungs was perched, gasping for air. My heart was beating like crazy, I could be having tachycardia. Nearing the end, my back tyre blew by sudden and I had to slowed down in order to bring the cycle back to the Embassy. Luckily, Dinie caught up with me and we swapped cycles. Thank you Dinie.

We met with Aisar few hundred metres ahead and then we finished the marathon together. We waited for almost twenty minutes before the others arrived. The ones that got coupons can get free drinks and foods that was provided by the organizer. 


The day wrapped with us having meals over fried chickens and apple pies at KFC in Sayyeda Zaynab, talking for hours like there is no tomorrow. These were full hours devoted to planning the remainder of this year and looking ahead for the new year.
  
"So, we'll come again next year, yeah?"

"Maybe. Let's see."

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LadyA

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