In the back of my head, I’m already writing drafts of the Cairo chapter introduction. One cliche I cannot bear in travel writing is that “fascinating clash of ancient and modern, limousines next to donkey carts, etc.” routine. Yes, it’s true, but it’s true of pretty much everywhere in the world aside from the US, Canada and Australia. If you have more than a couple hundred years of history, you automatically inspire lazy writers to tote up all the thrilling contrasts.

So there I was in the mobile phone shop at 11.30pm (take that, “city that never sleeps”!) and in walks an Upper Egyptian straight out of central casting. Which is to say, a super-rural guy whose look, in Egypt, epitomizes “not in step with the modern world,” right down to the poofy blue turban thing and the big ol’ mustache and the rubber flip-flops.

And then of course he whips out the blinkiest flashiest cell phone ever. Even the shop worker was laughing. And then the Upper Egyptian guy says to the shop guy in Arabic, “Tell her, ‘Welcome to Egypt.'”

Hmm. This is going to be tricky.