Whether we like to admit it or not, we all love to do some shopping every now and then. And we all know that retail therapy can go a long way, but maybe not in Egyptian malls, simply because of…
- The Annoying Kid
There will always be that annoying unattended child that follows you through the store and might even walk in on your dressing room! You feel like screaming at them, only to remember that the mother is probably somewhere close. If you’re lucky enough to have never experienced that, then you must have at least experienced the screaming kid. Their parents may have yelled at them earlier or refused them a request and now they decided to let their parents – and everyone else in the mall – know that they are angry, and that their mommy and daddy have failed at parenting.
- A trip to the North Pole
Or the South Pole, as long as it’s freezing. It doesn’t matter whether it is summer or winter; we all have to take an extra jacket when we go shopping. They have their AC blasting all year long to the point where you just can’t feel your finger anymore. Have you tried buttoning up a shirt in a fitting room at the mall? It’s nearly impossible!
- You can’t hear your Own Thoughts
Shops in Egypt feel more like clubs with their ear-drum-piercing music blasting just as high as that AC! Each store has their own corny playlist playing at maximum volume and you just can’t think anymore. Can’t I contemplate my own purchases?
- Chaos
It seems like stores here have a vow to never be organized! You’re going through some dresses and suddenly you find a pair of boxers from the men’s section, or you find baby clothes lying around and hangers all over the floor. You’re caught in a dilemma of whether you should clean up or continue shopping. And if there is sale then that is just double the trouble!
- The Never Ending Queues
You end up spending more time standing in line than actually shopping. In order to try something, to pay for something, or even to go to the bathroom, you will stand in line for quite some time. And to make it worse most definitely someone will try to casually cut in line.
- Your Very Own Stalker
You walk into a store and you get your very own stalker, some random employee will literally stalk you from the minute you enter! They will ask if you need help, regardless of your answer, they will continue to follow you until you leave the store. When has this ever helped anyone sell anything?
- The One with Issues
Just when you think it’s almost your turn at the cashier, the one with issues will appear right in front of you. She will either want to exchange something, her credit card won’t be working, or she wants the guy to tell her the price of each item she bought and explain why the total is so much.
- Perverts Everywhere
Try to avoid going to malls on Thursdays especially; there will be groups of guys – most probably holding hands, which is weird – and they will follow you, show up at every store you want to enter, and of course try to grab your attention by calling you names as they follow you. Not fun!
- Can you smell That?
The absolutely worst thing is if you have to walk through the food court at a mall. The mix of strange smells and the fact that it’s always packed with people are dreadful! So if you have to get to the other side, you go up the escalator, walk until you’re sure you’ve passed the food court area then go back down.
