I spent just 24 hours in a country. Does that mean I’ve ‘been’ there?

Name the most spectacular sights to wake up to from your hotel window. Sydney Harbour, for sure. The Eiffel Tower. A game reserve in Kenya. The Swiss Alps around Lauterbrunnen.

And now let’s add the pyramids of Giza. You can stay in a hotel so close to these magnificent, 4500-year-old structures that they loom just over the edge of your balcony, close enough to touch (on a day without too much dust or smog).

Credit: Jamie Brown

I’ve just spent the night at Le Meridien Pyramids, one of many hotels in outer Cairo that boast views of those unmistakable peaks. Wake in the morning, slightly drowsy and jet-lagged, throw open the curtains and there they are, a wonder of the world.

And what’s the first thing I’m going to do on this beautiful morning, my first in Egypt? Check out. And then head to the airport.

See, I’m only staying 24 hours. This is a stopover, an enforced stay on a journey between India and Ethiopia. It’s an annoying break in some ways, given the hassles of getting around Cairo, though it’s also a prime opportunity to pack as much Egyptian goodness as possible into a very short stay.

I’ve already visited the Egyptian Museum, a chaotic wonder of treasures so numerous that priceless artefacts sit there unmarked. I’ve eaten koshari, the classic Egyptian stomach-filler. I’ve strolled the dense alleyways of Khan el Khalili.

Every visit to a new place is a luxury, regardless of how long you spend there.

And this morning I will explore the pyramids of Giza, I will see the Sphinx, I will say no to about 100 offers of camel rides, and then I will take a taxi to the airport and depart.

Have I even been to Egypt? There’s some argument among travellers about what it requires to have “been” somewhere.

People care about this. There’s a Travelers’ Century Club whose membership, despite what you might think from the photos of its members, is not age-based, but rather open to those who have visited 100 countries and territories.

And what counts as a visit? A transfer through an airport? Clearing customs and wandering around? Spending at least one night?

Le Meridien Pyramids’ rooms have views, as the hotel name suggests, of the Pyramids of Giza.

I actually qualify for membership in the Century Club, though honestly, an organisation that counts Tasmania as geographically and culturally distinct from Australia is pushing the bounds of credibility in my opinion.

And which others count? I’ve transited through Doha many times, but never cleared Qatari customs. I’ve spent six hours driving through Mozambique between Malawi and Zimbabwe – can I check that off my list?

The reality is that none of this matters. Who cares about tallying lists? Every visit to a new place is a luxury, regardless of how long you spend there.

And I got to witness one of the world’s greatest hotel-window views.