gnuchu: August 2008

Some photos

Wednesday, August 27, 2008 at 7:24 AM Posted under

Our street:

Dahab on the Red Sea coast:

I need a new camera. They're the only decent photos out of tonnes that I took.

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Ten things I've learned in a week in Cairo

at 3:59 AM Posted under

1. The Egyptians drive like loons. The next crash is usually only minutes away. I've already had a minor one as there was a massive concrete block left in the middle of the road that we only saw at the last minute.
2. You don't get many coins in your change. I've had two since arriving. Otherwise it's just notes. The 25 Piesta note is worth about 2.5 pence.
3. It doesn't matter if it's 3am and you are sleeping. You will get thrown in the pool.
4. If you don't go to the toilet before 10am best leave it till you get home.
5. The warnings on the cigarette packets are those particularly harsh pictures...ouch.
6. Mount Sinai is quite the most impressive piece of land I've ever seen. No wonder God chose it to speak to Moses from (allegedly).
7. There are more than the three Pyramids. In fact there are loads. Going to see some at Memphis this weekend.
8. Nothing is feared more than Ramadan by the alccy westerner. We're off to the Drinkies tonight to buy a months supply. We're taking two cars.
9. A road-worthy car in Egypt is one that will go. 80% of the cars here wouldn't pass an MoT.
10. The Arabic for Thank You is Shukran. Hallas means 'I'm finished' - usually used in the context of the end of a meal or sheesha but goes a lot further.

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Say "Goodbye Mr Griffiths" and "Hello Mr John"

Wednesday, August 20, 2008 at 12:18 AM Posted under

You'd think I'd have something interesting to say about Egypt by now. But all I've really seen so far is the back of a car and the inside of an office. They drive like absolute maniacs. Lane discipline is unheard of. Undertake, overtake, it's all the same. I tried driving round the block but kept jabbing my hand into the door when changing gear.

I've got some sunburn; some mosquito bites and it's so hot it feels like walking on the surface of the sun. Got a taxi to the supermarket that was 500 yards away at lunch time (didn't know that when I got in taxi at first admittedly) as the person I was going with said it was way to hot to walk. I agree.

Oh, and they call me Mr. John. When I arrived at the airport there was a driver with a big sign saying "Mr. John" - a title that I think I'm going to start using a little more. I've worked with a lot of Arabic speakers before and been called this a few times before but it was only yesterday that I worked out why - they read from right-to-left.

Oh, and the "villa with a pool" chat was not just a ruse. I live in a villa that has a pool and by all accounts is huge. Haven't even been on all the floors yet. And there's a spare room at the moment!

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