In this video, I was in a taxi on the streets of Cairo.
Notice the ancient meter on the center dash board. Most of the taxis I took in Cairo had those but none of them were working.
For those of you looking to find your own way in Cairo, here are a few tips on taking taxis:
1. Don't bother waiting for a nicer looking one. (The beat up junk in the video is what you get.)
2. Always bargain before you get in the taxi. (Foreigners are always quoted a few times the local rate)
3. If possible, share the taxi with other travellers. (Remember: there's safety in numbers. Not to mention you get to split the bill.)
4. Always wear the safety belt. (You'll understand once you take a ride on the streets of Cairo.)
5. Getting the bell boy or door man at your hotel to call you a cab might actually save you some taxi fare. (Hotel Flamenco's door man really impressed me. Not only did he help bargain the fare but also he didn't expect to be tipped. It was always cheaper when I got him to hail the cab for me.)
6. Test tip number 5 on the first day out of your hotel to see if you can depend on it.
