Cairo is a metropolitan city, full of hustle & bustle and a melting pot of cultures, but gained a reputation in the early 20th century as the destination for treasure hunters, known for their happy-go-lucky attitude and sense of bravado. These rogue ‘codebreakers’, fuelled with optimism and opportunity thanks to advancements in air travel, crammed into the tiny smoke-filled bars down narrow side streets seeking ice cold refreshment after long day's exploring the wind swept sands under the unrelentingly hot sun.