Featured image via Sherif Salah

Maadi, one of Cairo’s elite neighbourhoods, is famed for its green spaces, its cosmopolitan nature and expat communities, and countless eateries and hangout spots. However, one thing that goes without saying about Maadi that it’s incredibly challenging to navigate. We mean, if you’re not from here, the struggle is real whenever you decide to pay our beloved neighbourhood a visit. 

For starters, the streets of Maadi look almost identical to outsiders. The narrow roads with trees on both sides, all connected with squares, each having a kiosk and a florist. It’s virtually impossible to tell the difference if you’re not familiar with the area. For instance, understanding the difference between El Horreya and El Nahda bridges is a nightmare on its own; you’d swear you just got off the bridge to find yourself driving on it again a few minutes later. Let alone the fact that most streets here are named after numbers. How confusing can this get?

Because we know the pain, we decided to offer non-Maadians a few insider tips on how to get around without getting lost. Just in case you go to Maadi a lot for work or to visit family and friends, these tips should help you out.

Don’t rely on GPS

GPS isn’t that reliable in the streets of Cairo, in general, but in Maadi, in particular. Relying on it can quickly get you lost. There’s no running away from using it, of course, but just don’t completely rely on it. If you miss a turn, you’ll keep going around in circles.

Mark the streets

Start using your memory to mark the streets. There’s always something different in every nook and cranny. Be it a store, an odd-looking building, a street sign; it could even be as insignificant as a bump in the street (and we have a lot of these)!

Go on walks more often

Randomly wandering around streets, rather than commuting via cars, will help you better memorise the roads. Just try to do it in daylight in the beginning, and don’t be afraid to get lost; this is actually how you learn. You get lost once, and you never forget again.

Carpool with Maadians

Instead of driving around yourself, have a Maadi resident join your ride. No one knows the ins and outs of their small city within a city better than they do. You’ll even learn the shortcuts; isn’t that considered a plus?

Can you relate to the struggle? Drop a comment and tell us about your funny “getting lost in Maadi” incidents.