Fixing Stuff

It seems like there is always something that needs repair at the Cairo Condo.  The telephone service usually needs some work when we arrive.   That is important because we get our Internet service through a DSL connection on our local landline.

As has been the case in the past couple of years, we had no dial tone on the phone when we arrived even though we paid throughout the year to keep our line alive.

Somewhere between our condo and the Central Office, the line was out.

If you follow this blog regularly, you are familiar with what we know back home as the POP (Point-of-Presence) for our building.  You probably call it the "telephone box" on or near your home.


Now it is hard to believe that problems could arise in those wires - but it does happen.  Fortunately, we know someone who knows someone and were able to get a repair technician on the job in just a few days.  The connection is working fine now.

The Internet connection allows us some access to U.S. television via our Amazon Firestick.  For example, Linda can monitor the lives of Gracie and Frank and tonight we watched a back episode of Fargo.  We can also get the Channel 5 weather report  from Minneapolis and keep up to date on all winter storm warnings.  Assorted fires, mayhem and other disasters from the Twin Cities also come via Channel 5.  But, not all TV makes it this far.  The networks are pretty stingy with their licensing and most Internet television services just present us with this type of a message:


 There are some interesting ways around this but you don't want to hear them described and I don't find them worth the bother.  We just accept the fact that I will miss the NFL playoffs and Superbowl and life goes on.

This year's other major maintenance project has been the doorbell.  It had ceased working near the end of last year's stay.  I had looked briefly for the doorbell transformer and hadn't found it.  Surprise!  Doorbells here run on 220 volts, run out to the switch and back to the bell.  If you ever need a hot circuit in Cairo, you can probably just go to your neighbor's doorbell and get some juice.

When I took the bell down, and dismembered it, I found that the plunger was stuck inside the solenoid coil.  Perhaps I could sand it down a bit and fix things?  I had it moving smoothly but broke off one of the coil wires trying to reassemble the unit.  We need a replacement - so we are off to the electrical store.


The trip to the store (I had the help of friend Roshdy) took us part way by taxi and then the remainder of the trip by Tuk-Tuk.

Of course, the taxi had to stop for gasoline - not having enough to make it around the corner and a half mile up the street.  This time we put in 80 octane - not the 92 octane that I showed you on a previous post.  It's only 6.50 EGP per liter versus the 7.75 we discussed in a previous post.  The driver took the opportunity to discuss the inferiority of his Chinese taxi versus his previous Peugeot or any other car he has ever owned.  Back in 2010, the government "encouraged" upgrades to the Cairo taxi fleet by refusing to renew licenses unless the cars were of a recent vintage.  A subsidy was supplied to help the owners.  Forced to upgrade in this fashion, most owner/drivers chose lower priced Chinese models.  Our driver explained that these now have maintenance problems.  Riding in taxis is always an informative experience.


We transferred over to a Tuk-Tuk for the run through the side streets to an electrical store.





We were in luck; a "high quality," proudly Egyptian, Ding Dong Doorbell was available for 60 pounds or just under $4.


I tested it and installed it on a temporary basis.  I need to fit a wall-colored plate between the doorbell and the electrical box to compensate for the slightly larger size of the previous bell.  I'll take a picture for the blog later when that is done.