"Marhaba" (hello). Weather today 27°C, still cloudy and warm; music Vaughn Williams, Mendelssohn, Bruch and Hank Williams. Photos here. Tip: have something to say (yes, I know but I am trying).
To bed at 12.30am (UAE time) and doze until 3,30; try to get more sleep but "Sleep won't come" (Your Cheatin' heart) so up for blog, TV and tea. Maybe I'm worried that after yesterday's sleep in I may not hear the phone alarm. Watch BBC Worldwide News; typical UN, about bloody time.
Last nights tango milonga in the Millenium hotel bar was a select affair of a very high standard. However, only 3 couples on the small dance floor (even smaller than Guppy's in York) when I arrive. All ex-pats but not all British, I meet a friendly Turk and a Russian, and hear the familiar tale of "we usually get far more people". I don't enjoy the smoke from the cigar of one non-participant who shares the venue so I stay only an hour but by 11.00pm there is only one couple left.
Ask the concierge for a taxi and ride the 2 miles back to my hotel only to discover that I'm in what is laughingly described as a "limo". It's only a poxy Audi and a small one at that but it has a minimum charge of 40 dirhams, about £6.40 Still cheap by our standards but as I only paid 10 dirhams, about £1.60, for the trip down I do feel, probably unjustly, that I've been ripped off.
Oh dear, now diarrhea, no one's told my insides that I'm not ill. So where's the imodium and my nurse (lovely wife) when I need them. Console myself that the local Boots opens at 10.00. I drink lots and lots of water, shower, wait......, wait a bit longer......, and then go down to breakfast at 6.25. Find a free copy of Gulf News outside my door.
Choose American, rather than Oriental and enjoy French toast, veal bacon, chicken sausages, mushrooms and rather runny eggs Florentine. My constructive comment to the manager, which was well received, was that although it was a very good breakfast, it was all rather cold. As I leave she goes off to check the temperature of the hot plates.
No reaction so at 7.10 leave for the office for an 8 o'clock start.
"Ma is salaama" (goodbye).
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