In early 1927 Kazantzakis was back in his favourite place, the East, on a journey to Egypt and Sinai as a newspaper correspondent for Eleftheros Logos [Free Speech].

The mystical holiness of the Nile and the backbreaking struggle of the fellaheen were imprinted on his mind, providing material for his Odyssey. He visited the pyramids and Upper Egypt, Cairo and Alexandria, where he had a seminal meeting with C. P. Cavafy.