So we're trying to get on with things in what feels like a perpetual weekend with no nights out.
Monday - Went over to Costa Coffee for breakfast and had our eye on the tank that has placed itself outside the Grand Mall roundabout. It just seems to be sitting there with a few army guys around it, not much else happening. Fatma came to clean today and she was so happy to see us (and to clean our apartment too it seemed!). She said she was contacted by the Phillipean embassy but she is happy staying now that things are better compared to last week.
Re-booked our flight to Dahab. We were due to fly on Friday in the early evening so we would arrive at the same time as Kevin around 8pm. There is so much disruption to flights at the moment though because of everything that is going on and flights aren't meant to be running during the curfew, so we suspect that our original flight may be cancelled. I convinced Scotty to book the 2pm flight. Mega early I know, but my reasoning was that if this flight was cancelled then we would be able to get a later flight in the afternoon and still arrive to meet Kevin. After all this time looking forward to this holiday I don't want to not be able to get there! Maybe we've gone overboard, but with a few films on the laptop and some books I'm sure we'll survive sharm airport for 5 hours!
Tuesday - Went to get my hair cut by "the French guy" (who isn't French, but his hairdressers is called Coiffure de Paris).
Called up and managed to get our dry cleaning returned to us (and sent off a huge amount of ironing). So we got back a duvet that we had found when clearing out a cupboard. It was pretty dirty and unappealing before, but now it looks OK. We put it in our newly bought duvet cover (which is very bright and energetic).
We queued for an hour today at the HSBC cash machine at the Grand Mall to get money out. We've got some cash at home, but we need to stock up for going to Dahab where we hear the machines are all out. The machine was defaulted to a maximum of 1,000LE per transaction and two transactions each. We took out 3,000LE because we didn't want the machine to run dry when there were so many other people in the queue behind us.
Wednesday - Duvet is brilliant. I always thought that you needed them in hotels because the air con there makes it colder, but it does make for a nice nights sleep here too.
We both finally went to the dentist! We haven't been here or in the UK since we moved out 2 1/2 years ago. Why? Well I guess we were uncertain at first about going to a dentist out here and then after that the excuse of being busy kicks in. We saw Dr Shalesh who was recommended by Daniel (he's having braces with the orthodontist at this practice and has had whitening done - he's American) and by a friend Brad who left last year. He was very good and we both had a quick check up before a clean and polish. Normally you have to get the hygienist for the clean and polish, but here the dentist does it! He noticed that I have a bit of the root exposed for one of my teeth where my brushing has pushed the gum up, so I've made an appointment to get this covered with a cosmetic filling. We had nearly 30 minutes each with him and came away feeling very happy - he was very good, excellent English and obviously internationally trained - and only 300LE each for the whole thing.
We can tell things are getting back to normal when we see a friends facebook update that Otlob is now open (although it is closing 2 hours before curfew each night, but hey at least it's open!)
Today cash machine had a queue of only three people and the withdrawal amounts are back to normal. Good sign.
Second tank has taken up position at the back of the Grand Mall. When queue for cash I waved to the guys who work at Saveway and then went over to them. I asked why the tank was here today (thinking it might be for the TelecomEgypt protests which we heard were pretty big by their satellites office) and they say it is because of the banks. I buy some supplies and they deliver them along with two crates of water.
Later in the day we go back to Saveway together (this is why they think I am crazy...because I always make multiple trips to buy odd items!) to buy some juice for the Grand Malt's latest experiment. Scotty has at last found a 7lt water bottle that he has turned into a demi-john and we're going to try and make turbo cider with the yeast that we reclaimed from our last brew (bottled on 25th Jan incidentally...as yet un-named). When we are in the shop though we get a little excited an instead of just buying apple juice we go for some "cocktail" and "peach and mango". If all goes to plan it will end up a little more like a very alcoholic version of Reef.
Thursday - Fatma came again today and she was very grateful for the 50LE extra we put in her salary this month (because we had to pay it in two installments because of the banks).
Managed to go and pay for the internet and top up the dongle ready for Dahab at Etisalat. Not gone to pay our phone bill with TelecomEgypt as we hear that they are striking.
In the taxi on the way to Road 9 I go around the Port Saied roundabout where the Maadi Police Station is. As I do two army personnel trucks pass me. They have three army guys with big guns in them facing four or five Egyptian civilians who look pretty roughed up and have got bandages on their wounds. Not good.
As I queued to get cash out (six people in the queue, crisp notes out of the machine) I see that at the Grand Mall there are two tanks again. Egyptians are taking their photographs by them and placing flowers on them. I took some photos from a distance, but don't yet have the confidence to ask if I can take a photo right beside the tank. Maybe I will soon - if they say no, then I just walk away.
Got a delivery from Gourmet Egypt as they have 10% off everything so we have some stuff to cook up today and freeze raedy for our return from Dahab.
We're going to get a massage in a bit from the Dutch place - a little treat as these are tense times!
Monday - Went over to Costa Coffee for breakfast and had our eye on the tank that has placed itself outside the Grand Mall roundabout. It just seems to be sitting there with a few army guys around it, not much else happening. Fatma came to clean today and she was so happy to see us (and to clean our apartment too it seemed!). She said she was contacted by the Phillipean embassy but she is happy staying now that things are better compared to last week.
Re-booked our flight to Dahab. We were due to fly on Friday in the early evening so we would arrive at the same time as Kevin around 8pm. There is so much disruption to flights at the moment though because of everything that is going on and flights aren't meant to be running during the curfew, so we suspect that our original flight may be cancelled. I convinced Scotty to book the 2pm flight. Mega early I know, but my reasoning was that if this flight was cancelled then we would be able to get a later flight in the afternoon and still arrive to meet Kevin. After all this time looking forward to this holiday I don't want to not be able to get there! Maybe we've gone overboard, but with a few films on the laptop and some books I'm sure we'll survive sharm airport for 5 hours!
Tuesday - Went to get my hair cut by "the French guy" (who isn't French, but his hairdressers is called Coiffure de Paris).
Called up and managed to get our dry cleaning returned to us (and sent off a huge amount of ironing). So we got back a duvet that we had found when clearing out a cupboard. It was pretty dirty and unappealing before, but now it looks OK. We put it in our newly bought duvet cover (which is very bright and energetic).
We queued for an hour today at the HSBC cash machine at the Grand Mall to get money out. We've got some cash at home, but we need to stock up for going to Dahab where we hear the machines are all out. The machine was defaulted to a maximum of 1,000LE per transaction and two transactions each. We took out 3,000LE because we didn't want the machine to run dry when there were so many other people in the queue behind us.
Wednesday - Duvet is brilliant. I always thought that you needed them in hotels because the air con there makes it colder, but it does make for a nice nights sleep here too.
We both finally went to the dentist! We haven't been here or in the UK since we moved out 2 1/2 years ago. Why? Well I guess we were uncertain at first about going to a dentist out here and then after that the excuse of being busy kicks in. We saw Dr Shalesh who was recommended by Daniel (he's having braces with the orthodontist at this practice and has had whitening done - he's American) and by a friend Brad who left last year. He was very good and we both had a quick check up before a clean and polish. Normally you have to get the hygienist for the clean and polish, but here the dentist does it! He noticed that I have a bit of the root exposed for one of my teeth where my brushing has pushed the gum up, so I've made an appointment to get this covered with a cosmetic filling. We had nearly 30 minutes each with him and came away feeling very happy - he was very good, excellent English and obviously internationally trained - and only 300LE each for the whole thing.
We can tell things are getting back to normal when we see a friends facebook update that Otlob is now open (although it is closing 2 hours before curfew each night, but hey at least it's open!)
Today cash machine had a queue of only three people and the withdrawal amounts are back to normal. Good sign.
Second tank has taken up position at the back of the Grand Mall. When queue for cash I waved to the guys who work at Saveway and then went over to them. I asked why the tank was here today (thinking it might be for the TelecomEgypt protests which we heard were pretty big by their satellites office) and they say it is because of the banks. I buy some supplies and they deliver them along with two crates of water.
Later in the day we go back to Saveway together (this is why they think I am crazy...because I always make multiple trips to buy odd items!) to buy some juice for the Grand Malt's latest experiment. Scotty has at last found a 7lt water bottle that he has turned into a demi-john and we're going to try and make turbo cider with the yeast that we reclaimed from our last brew (bottled on 25th Jan incidentally...as yet un-named). When we are in the shop though we get a little excited an instead of just buying apple juice we go for some "cocktail" and "peach and mango". If all goes to plan it will end up a little more like a very alcoholic version of Reef.
Thursday - Fatma came again today and she was very grateful for the 50LE extra we put in her salary this month (because we had to pay it in two installments because of the banks).
Managed to go and pay for the internet and top up the dongle ready for Dahab at Etisalat. Not gone to pay our phone bill with TelecomEgypt as we hear that they are striking.
In the taxi on the way to Road 9 I go around the Port Saied roundabout where the Maadi Police Station is. As I do two army personnel trucks pass me. They have three army guys with big guns in them facing four or five Egyptian civilians who look pretty roughed up and have got bandages on their wounds. Not good.
As I queued to get cash out (six people in the queue, crisp notes out of the machine) I see that at the Grand Mall there are two tanks again. Egyptians are taking their photographs by them and placing flowers on them. I took some photos from a distance, but don't yet have the confidence to ask if I can take a photo right beside the tank. Maybe I will soon - if they say no, then I just walk away.
Got a delivery from Gourmet Egypt as they have 10% off everything so we have some stuff to cook up today and freeze raedy for our return from Dahab.
We're going to get a massage in a bit from the Dutch place - a little treat as these are tense times!
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| Tank at the front of the Grand Mall facing the roundabout. |
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| Tank outside Saveway (although they probably have put it here more for its proximity to HSBC!) You can just see our building on the right-hand side behind the palm tree. |
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| These tanks have been very well designed as their camouflage works well in both desert and urban settings. |
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