How Deep?: December 2009

I wish that someone would try and dabble inside my brain. A lot of people would say that there is not a lot in there, but I think that maybe some times I am shut to the outside world and that my brain is still active. I hope that is the case anyway.

Let's be honest, even some of Paul McKennas friends are fat, smoking, kangaroo eating weirdos.

Ok, the thing I want to mention is lifts. British lifts. Not elevators, they are lifts.

I hate lifts.

People ignore each other, and don't even talk. How crazy is that? It spans the multi-cultural expanse of life. Put a Budhist, an American, an African and a Chinese man (or woman) in a lift and they will still ignore each other for the period of acsending or descending. It's completely mad.

Well I've had enough. I would like to ban lifts. Take the stairs. Except for disabled people. But I expect they would probably ignore each other too.

Damn those lifts!

The world of the international traveller is a lonely one. Over the last couple of weeks I seem to have been away from home a lot. And whilst people may dream of the jet setting liftsyle, and seeing the world at someone elses expense, in reality it is early mornings, grotty airports, flying next to people who smell (and snore and use your arm rest), poor quality (but high quantity) food, faceless hotels, dirty hotel bathrooms and dodgy wifi.

Ok, I don't want to lay it on too thick, but I'm not really enjoying travelling at the moment. Some of the enjoyment of travelling (as with everything else in life) disappears over time. It's natural and I understand that. Most of all though, I think that I am not enjoying travelling as I know that my family are growing up at home and I am not there. A little soppy I know, but even us blokes get a bit hormonal every now and again. Thankfully Christof is pretty good with her blog, so I catch up with family life and photos on the internet. When I can get a wifi signal that is.

Anyhow, I am currently in Egypt for the umteenth time in the last few years, so for me it's nothing special. As it is early December the weather here isn't anything to write home about. This evening it is raining, windy and a bit chilly. On the plus side, my hotel room windows nearly shut, so most of the weather is staying outside. The hotel I am staying at in Alexandria is actually quite nice and full of historic character. It was built in 1906, is called the Windsor Palace and has rooms named after the British Royal Family. Later I might go for a pint in the Prince Charles bar, or maybe have a meal in the Queen Elizabeth restaurant, and maybe finish the night off in the Prince Albert gym. Or maybe not. The room is OK, although I hate beds without duvets, as I just can't convince myself that the bed spread is new for every visitor.

In order to give a lasting record of my view of travelling and Egypt especially, I have looked on the internet and downloaded some photos which represent the parts of Egypt that I get to see with my job. I can confirm that I have borrowed most of the photos from Boots In The Oven for which I whole heartedly thank them for, even though they don't know it. I wish to make it clear that this is of course a slightly biased view of Egypt, but in reality it purely demonstrates that I have not been fortunate to experience the other side of Egypt which I am sure is beautiful and exists somewhere outside the realms of my routine business trips. I really believe that there is a part of Egypt that is tranquil and clean, beautiful and full of relaxed people ready to lend a hand, not chop it off. OK, lets get into it before I get accused of being too bitter.

P1 - Egypt By Air

P2 - Cairo View From Mosque