Back in Cairo again (third time) for a few days. Spent a large part of today wandering around trying to find a pocket notebook, to replace my torn, tattered and full old one. I concede that I am in downtown, and that I probably didn't cover an area much bigger than 20 blocks by 20 blocks, but I did not see one newsagent or stationary shop. It got me wondering about how despite having a Nobel Prize winning authors Egyptians aren't particularly literate. According to UNICEF the literacy rate amongst adults is 72% (I think the test is whether you can read and write a full sentence about yourself, describing what you do) I have seen a few bookshops in Cairo, but elsewhere I haven't spotted one. I haven't seen anyone reading a book - other than the Quaran, and when you do bust out a book in public people look at you like you are committing a crime.
Browsing the stats I found some other interesting numbers - the average income in Egypt is $1580 or $130 a month. The government spends 9 percent on defence, 3 on health and 15 on education- and despite this the average life expectancy is 72 years !!!
A travel blog for the thinking clown who has drunk a little too much of the local tap water
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