We went on a trip to Cairo in 2004. We stayed at the Windsor Hotel and when, many years later I found out that my favourite author William Dalrymple had also stayed there (in a totally different decade!) I felt so much unexplainable joy!

It was a short but enjoyable trip. The pyramids took our breathe away. The sheer size made us feel like midgets and we were in awe of the symmetry that was achieved all those years ago without the aid of modern gadgets that we all fall back on, all the time and still tend to make horrible mistakes!

Despite not being shopping maniacs, mum and I we went to Khan el Khalili which is one big bazaar. Like most know already, the shopkeepers get very excited when they see Indians and shout out ‘Amitabh Bachchan’! ‘Shah Rukh Khan’ that brings a smile on your face and hope in their hearts that you might step into their shop and buy something from them. When that didnt work, they offered mum 20 camels for her beautiful daughter’s hand (mine!!). Then it would almost reach a pitch typically seen in an auction at the fish market where another chap would offer 30 camels and someone else 25 and 35 and so on. So i shouted back that someone had already offered 100 camels and that i was taken. Their amused looks has stayed with me even after all these years!!