The second day of voting in Egypt's first ever free elections has seen another decent turnout. With 50 million people being eligible to vote, the polling is a landmark in the country's history because it represents the end of decades of authoritarian rule.

In spite of the heat, people in one of Cairo's bleak slums were more than happy to join the big queues at the polling stations to stake their claim in the country's future - even many of the elderly. Abdul Salam Mahmoud said: ''I want the next president to deal with the country's security first of all, to deal with unemployment and find work for the young people. I want him to help the poor areas, the poor people.''

Mahrous Abdel Hamid had firm views about Hosni Mubarak's successor: ''He should reform health care and take care of our pensions. We don't need more than that from him. We want to live in dignity, and to love each other and look after each other and be close to god.''

A world away from the Duweiqa slums, in Alexandria, some took advantage of the national holiday and headed to the beach. For Fathi Abdel Azuz voting was a significant step:

"It is the first time I ever cast my vote. I'm 45 and this is the first time in my life to go to a poll station to vote. I was willing to vote, because this is the first time I feel that my vote makes a difference and that it will support my chosen candidate,"

The military currently lead the government and recent protests show that the people of Egypt have had enough of the current status quo. The big task for whoever succeeds Mubarak is to put right the big international concerns of re-establishing the country's security and fixing its broken economy.