Day 10 - Walk 8 000 steps

Check out the full challenge here:
Day 10
Luckily for me today is Saturday and I am actually able to achieve this challenge. The weather in Cairo this morning was terrible - overcast and dusty and damp - so walking around Heliopolis or Korba wasn't an option. I knew I'd have to get myself to a mall - the question was though - which one? I really like Festival City, but just didn't feel up to the trek across town to get there and back. So I decided to go to City Stars. Now I have only been to City Stars a few times, and I don't really know my way around there, so I thought that today would be a good opportunity to have a browse around at shops I'd never visited before, and even some I had!

I hadn't had breakfast because I'd slept late and then I was trying to arrange for a lock smith through Ibrahim (which never materialized). So the first thing I did when I got to City Stars was have something to eat. I chose The Garden Cafe because it is close to the entrance, wasn't busy, and had a nice menu.

I ordered a salmon sandwich and strawberry juice. Fruit juice is one thing that Egyptians do really well - strawberry juice is just mushed up strawberries, and it's usually unsweetened as well. So, so delicious and refreshing! The salmon sandwich was delicious too, and I chewed slowly and mindfully, taking my time despite the fact that I was hungry.

Then, I started to walk. I walked all around the ground floor, stopping off at Samir and Aly (the stationers) and Imtenen (health food shop). I also popped in to Abou Auf (nut shop) to buy a bottle of water because despite the fact that City Stars is pleasantly air conditioned I was thirsty. Then I went up to the next level and walked all around that one. I went into the Virgin store and a couple of clothing shops. Then up to the next level, and so on.

I walked for 2 hours, and then I was feeling tired and thirsty, so I went back to the ground floor and had a waffle and a bottle of water to give me the energy to carry on. I had only recorded 4000 steps at this time, which was disappointing. I made up my mind to leave the mall at 16:00 because I had things to do at home, so I walked purposefully for an hour, clocking up another 2000 steps.

When I left the mall, I even managed to find an honest taxi driver to bring me home - no overinflation of the fare, and the meter on. My journey cost less than 10 LE, which is unusual from City Stars. I got the driver to drop me at the Oasis Hotel, so had a bit of a walk home, and then had a drink and a bit of a snooze.

When I woke up, I went to the No Limit shop to get yoghurt for breakfast and some bananas for the week, and then walked home - and I'd nailed it!

So, all's well that ends well - and my target of 8 000 steps achieved - PLUS I ate slowly and mindfully, both times, and I drank my 2 litres of water - and more. So a successful day all round.