The first thing you notice about Egypt is the smell of the dust. It penetrates just about everywhere, including air-conditioned rooms. It’s a musty, brick-tanged odour that isn’t unpleasant but can be oppressive until you’re used to it.

It’s not hard to imagine that you’re smelling a bit of history floating in the air; after all, this is the home of the most famous ancient civilisation in the world. Those motes in your nostril might be from the desert outside the airport or they could be a tiny scrap of the Sphynx – or even a corner of the Great Pyramid.