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Want to start conversation here, just say ‘Mo Salah’
Egypt and Liverpool star Mohamed Salah is easily the most famous man this part of the world. Everyone on the street will mention the name “Salah” any time you start a conversation and mention football. In fact, the best way to start exchanging banter with residents here, male or female is to mention the name Salah. “You know Salah?” “He is the best player in the world?”. “He is one of Africa’s best player”. And the conversation goes on. Seemingly, if the Liverpool striker stood for president now he would win by a landslide based on his popularity.
No public viewing on large screens
Major world sporting events bring together people of different nationalities and are also supposed to be celebratory occasions. It is normal for such events as the Olympics, Commonwealth Games, Fifa World Cup and, well, the Africa Cup of Nations to make arrangements for public parks to have big screens showing the sporting action live for those who cannot make it to the stadium or lack tickets. But, alas, here in Egypt there seems to be no such provision. The only themed park this writer has seen is inside the 30 June Stadium where only fans with tickets can access, presumably because of the security situation in the country.
Cost of fuel very friendly
At last check the cost of petrol in Kenya was well into triple figures. Here in Cairo a litre of petrol goes for 7.75 Egyptian Pounds (EGP) (about Sh48). Small wonder, on average, taxi rates here are quite low compared to what you would find in Kenya. A trip from say Nairobi’s CBD to Westlands would cost Sh100, and from CBD to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport about 55 EGP (Sh343). But, as mentioned earlier in this section, woe unto you if you climb a cab that you have just hailed from the street and look like a foreigner. That trip will be charged three times more. Nothing personal, just business, I suppose.
Supplementary Access Devise vital for journalists here
To cover the Africa Cup of Nation as is the case with other major sporting events, a journalist must have accreditation which is applied months before the tournament. But even with that document here at the Afcon, a journalist must also apply for access to the venue for each and every match. The document given is called a Supplementary Access Devise (SAD). For print journalists, one needs a SAD to access the media stand that will allow them to watch the match, a SAD to attend the press conference and another one to access the mixed zone for interviews with players. Without them a journalist is better off staying in his or her hotel room.
