Commentary on hookahs, smoke rings, and The Dream

Great news! We were just awarded trademarks for our logo and HOBO-named products!

Our little Dream is moving up in the world.

…an update from the Land of Shisha.

A lot of memories flooded back to me when I landed at Terminal 1 at Cairo International Airport.  Had it really been 6 years since my last pilgrimage to the place that later inspired the original HoboHookah?  Would I even recognize this dynamic and crazy city and this country that had opened my mind to so many things?

Well, Cairo is still Cairo, that’s for sure.  While this trip lacked the frequent trips to the ubiquitous Shisha Cafes, which had been a main touchstone for me, my astute eyes did glean what has changed in hookah etiquette in the place that popularized the pipe in the Middle East and abroad.

But first, what’s new in Egypt?

1) Cairo International’s International Arrivals terminal is now really nice and surprisingly efficient and friendly.  Back in 2004, it was an intimidating arrival to an otherwise kind, albeit hectic, city.

2) The visa is brand new.  While its still $15 or 15Euros (make sure you have a $20 spot of hard currency with your passport when you arrive), the two postal stamps have been replaced with a full page, hologramed sticker, that looks official. PRO-TIP: When you arrive, go straight to the Bank of Misr stand and purchase your visa, then go stand in the customs line.  You’ll need a passport, the visa, and the customs form in order to gain entry.

3) More good news at CAI is that if you fly in using Egypt Air, you’ll land at Terminal 3, which is brand new and beautiful.

4) The cell phone network seems as good as anywhere in the world, which is a huge change.  If you have a smart phone, call up your provider and get an international data plan for the time you are there.  They’ll still charge you an arm and a leg for phone calls, but unlimited data is about $30 extra.  Definitely worth it.  Egypt has several providers with great 3G coverage and you’ll see most of the Cairene elite holding new model BlackBerries and iPhones.

5) Cairo now has flashing road signs and some stop lights.  Traffic is still crazy though.

6) Metered cabs: Gone are the days of hopping into 70’s model black and white Peugeot fire traps where you have to negotiate fiercely for sensible cab fares.  The new all white cabs have air conditioning and meters that make getting around in Cairo much more comfortable and friendly.

Those are the big things.  Overall they are great pluses for the traveler.  Now is a great time to see the pyramids.

Now on to shisha. Shisha is still served nearly everywhere, from Italian Restaurants to haute Nile side cafes.  One big thing I noticed off the bat were the hoses.  When you order a shisha in Egypt, the pipe comes out with a disposable hose that’s fresh and clean.  This is a great move to keep shisha smoking sanitary and flavors crisp.  Other new and old notes for smoking hookah in Egypt:

1)  It’s customary in Egypt to have your own shisha.  In the west, mostly due to cost and taxes levied on shisha cafes, hookah pipes are usually shared at cafes.  In Egypt, expect to order your own.  Shisha is still inexpensive, and when in Cairo, be Cairene.

2) Tip the coal man.  When your smoke is getting light, signal the coal man and ask for “Wilah (or fire in Arabic)”.  At the end of session, tip the coal man at least 1EGP.  If its a group, its nice to tip 3-5EGP if the coal man has been giving you good service.  This is in addition to any other service charges or tips you leave for drinks or food (generous tipping in Cairo is an additional 10%, but service charge is included on most bills, so additional tips aren’t necessary especially if the service was poor).

3) Tea is still the main drink of choice while smoking shisha.  Its still mostly Lipton yellow tag served with a bowl of sugar.  Try the “Chai Na’na”, which is lipton with mint.  Its awesome.

4) Word from my Cairo friends is that Tornado’s in Medan Aswan is now sketchy and the shisha there is no longer top of class.  If you are looking for a good place, try Sequoia on the Nile.  Its pricey, but it has great reviews for both shisha and food (there is even great, safe Sushi which has the rep of being the best in Egypt).  Expect a 100EGP (about $20) minimum there, so make sure you come looking for food as well.

5) There is now an Airport Mall at CAI, which has two cafe’s that both serve shisha attached.  If your plane gets delayed or you get to the airport early, just walk across the street of Terminals 1 and 2 and pass the time away.

6) If you are feeling spry, have packed your HoboHookah, and don’t want to leave your gate, all terminals at CAI have smoking sections.  We’d love to see a pic of a HoboHero in there smoking a HoboHookah out of a water bottle (no liquor bottles, respect the culture!) to pass the time away and enjoy a few longing stares.

7) The trendy cafes now serve Al Fakher instead of Nakhla.  Not sure if this is a plus, but if you can ask if the flavor is “Shisha Fakher” as the brand is known in Egypt.

That’s it.  Ill post a cheeky follow up next week on how to play the Middle East’s favorite card game, Tarneeb, but till then, keep living the dream.

PS Dahab is still awesome as ever. Its worth going to Egypt just to soak that place in.

We’ve been having a lot of fun over at the Facebook page. Are you in yet? We’re having a blast with it.

Here’s how to successfully couch surf using couchsurfing.org…

AK, bless his HoboHero soul, sent in this advice if you’re looking to get the most out of your couch surfing “service” while cruising the globe:

So Ive been doing this awhile and i know you’re lookin’ for a place in China… so my recommendation for finding a host would be to… Join the couchsurfing group of the city you’re trying to stay in. Look at who posts in there regularly and email them. They are usually the most active members and will have a higher probability of hosting you.

There are tons of people who use this site to find a free place to stay and thats it… Their profiles just sit there and they never check them unless they want to find a place. But there are still a lot of good people out there who love meeting new people.

You could also post on the group message board and ask for a place to stay there. Its a bit on the impersonal side but it at least gets you exposed to more people without having to email every single one. I highly recommend filling out your profile as much as possible… it helps people feel more comfortable about letting a complete stranger stay with them.

alright, with that said. good luck man. ive met some dope ass people through here.

…hookah accessories are on their way.

So we got the HoboNargile hoses and stems in, but they shipped them to the East Coast and not the West Coast, so its going to be another a week until they are on the site.

With that said, we have gotten a sneak preview of the merchandise, and it is awesome.  Well at least the stems are.  The hoses are sweet because they allow you to have a two hose hookah, which is awesome.  But they are the same exact hose that came with the HoboNargile: Useful, but no surprises.

The surprises all come from the new Super Stem.  So its a little different to have a hookah where you can remove the entire stem and replace it with a brand new one, but thats the advantage of getting a HoboNargile.

So why should you buy a Super Stem for your HoboNargile:

• Its stainless steal: Just like the original HoboHookah, this new stem will be Stainless.  We like stainless for its durability and easy cleaning.  The Super Stem will give you all that and work perfectly with the HoboNargile.
• Its Longer: At 13inches, the Super Stem is 3 inches longer than the HoboNargile stem and just about an inch longer than the original HoboHookah.  Great for those large or slender bottles.  A longer stem cools the smoke better, and also help prevent liquid from getting into the hose.
• Thicker Bore: Because the stem is longer and because we were able to use stainless steel, the interior bore is bigger, allowing more air through the pipe, making for an easy pull.
• Built in Diffuser: This is the big feature we’ve added.  Beneath the rubber grommet on a Super Stem lies holes for a built in diffuser.  Just pull back the rubber grommet, and smoke: Smaller bubbles means better purification and cooler smoke.

We have always wanted to bring new stems out to you HoboHeroes and now its a reality.  It was one of the original things we always wanted to do with the Hobo Pipes.  What other pipe allows you to completely remove and replace the gummiest part of the hookah? 

We have another video on tap over at the Hookah Happy Hour.  This time its Tangiers Pineapple: All I have to say is that it was awesome.