Again an upper-middle class drawing room drama – even less promising than the second.
We were at a preview. There was Polly, socialising with her friends and relations, who were there to make sure that the preview was well received by the audience…
…it all seemed aa shame and a waste of talent to us. Perhaps Polly was honing her skills for a TV writing career that will be far more lucrative than the stage…and perhaps to that end she is succeeding.
Indifference summed it up for us too. It was entertaining, there were good lines and vignettes in it. If this had been a young writer’s first play we would have oozed about a promising writer. But this piece was a waste of Polly Stenham’s talent and the talent on show with cast and crew too.
I have a copy of the play if anyone wants to seek enlightenment from reading that, let me know. I challenge you.
Tucked into my copy of the play is a short script for something else – I think it is a sample from one of Simon David’s pieces – quite impenetrable without context – clearly it was that sort of night.
Naturally this was a good excuse to encourage people to dress up for dinner…
…as if the Z/Yen crowd in those days needed much excuse to dress up.
The Cinnamon Club, in the old Westminster Library, was an excellent venue. We had the whole of the upstairs mezzanine for our dinner.
I wrote a song that year specifically for the event. Rather a good one, though I say so myself, despite (or perhaps because of) the Christmas cracker joke in the first verse.
Well acted, directed and produced – of course. But a rather predictable, tame piece. Maureen Lipman and Tracy-Ann Oberman for sure could handle something more challenging – probably all the cast could have done – we certainly would have preferred more challenge.
It wasn’t our habit to take a short break this close to Christmas, so we must have been feeling a real need to get away from it all that autumn. We chose Egypt for that time of year, arranging a few days of cultural tourism in Cairo and then a week of R&R in Sahl Hasheesh, near Hurghada. What could possibly go wrong?
As our diplomatic guide explained it to us on arrival; “our president has said one or two things that have not gone down too well with some sections of our society. There might be some protests about this over the next few days.”
Occupancy was already down at the Mena House, where they took so kindly to our perseverance that we were upgraded to the Gustav V Adolf Suite on arrival.
Anyway, we enjoyed the benefits of the pyramids of Giza and the Egyptian Museum with very few other tourists to interrupt our enjoyment, which made us feel big.
Occupancy in Sahi Hasheesh was, if anything, worse (from the resort’s point of view), although at least the atmosphere was less nervous.
Audley provided same in a jolly nice ring binder. My hand-written notes, barely decipherable and therefore perfectly safe in the public domain, are here:
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Have some Hossam Ramzy as mood music while you read this:
26 November 2012
Rose to play tennis – Daisy seemed much happier in daylight but Ged won 6-4 despite winning fewer points.
I recall fiddling around with a DAB radio (or was it the internet radio by then) to catch the end of the India v England test match that day. I think we could only get Test Match Sofa, which Janie rather liked, despite the persistent Wankhede puns.
Scrub up and breakfast. Daisy goes Egyptian, Ged tries a rather disappointing oatmeal porridge.
Go for scuba lesson at 12.00 in swimming pool which was fun. Meet Danielle (only other classmate) who turns out to be half of the mystery 1600 tennis duo.
Return to villa, share a light snack of chicken wings lunch , Then Daisy goes off to yoga class while Ged reads and sleeps.
Daisy returns for R&R and then down for dinner, which is a Thai feast after duck salad starter. Daisy announces Ged’s expertise on such matters. Strangely the shrimp soup comes without the customary coconut cream finish. When Ged comments on this the waiter explains that Ged is listed as coconut allergic – Daisy hoisted with own petard [from yesterday].
After many unnecessary apologies and offers a repeat dose, we convince the staff that we were at fault. The meal is excellent, including green curry properly finished with coconut cream!!
27 November 2012
Rose to play tennis in the morning – 5-5 a tight match and deservedly so.
Showered and took breakfast – Daisy chose scrambled egg and beef bacon, Ged tried waffles with maple syrup which were good when bacon was added to the mix.
Ged sat around pool for a while when workmen were in doing bath/shower, then spent the rest of the morning/lunch slot in the villa.
Went off at 1530 to cookery exhibition where we learnt how to do chicken kebabs and fish Tikka – nice tasters and met Livre who turned out to be the “missing special occasion” lady from last night. Belgian and round mild Tikka masala extremely hot.
Returned for R&R, scrubbed up, then down for dinner. Ged had prawn and scallop dish. Daisy went for steak frites. While choosing desert, Livre sent over some of her delicious chocolate birthday cakes so that was desert.
Comedic serving of a glass of port to go with it for Ged!
Watched end of dire Freddie Flintoff VCR.
28 November 2012
Rose early read a little before excellent game of tennis which Ged won 6-4 from 2-4 15-40 down.
Then shower and breakfast. Daisy got caught up in a pomegranate juice incident which might have turned very nasty but ended up with Ged getting pomegranate juice. Ged tried Egyptian breakfast today, Daisy poached eggs.
Went to aromatherapy massage class at 1130, where Livre literally upset her husband onto the stone floor and Ged was used as the model or guinea pig – pick your term.
Retired to villa after the lesson for sun, reading, swimming, snack of cashews and beer, R&R etc.
Watched a cheesy movie, One Day, purported to be better than that.
In between chunks of the movie had dinner. Ged had a duck dish and Daisy had osso bucco – deserts of ice cream and creme caramel respectively.
Very enjoyable day.
29 November 2012
Rose early again, read before tennis at eight, Ged won 6-3. Good game again.
Showered and then breakfast – pomegranate juice, muesli and cooked meats and cheese for Ged, poached eggs for Daisy – a grumpy Mahmood tried to get all aspects of the order wrong.
Spent day in pool villa enjoying reading and sun.
Pilates class at 1530 felt like quite hard work – big balls small balls think core… More to Ged’s taste than yoga.
Back to base for some R&R and prepared to go out to dinner.
Dinner in Indian (Zafran) restaurant. We share a lamb chop starter, followed by prawns in southern Indian style and slow cooked lamb ghost with coffee and pistachio ice cream to follow – all very nice.
Daisy fell asleep even before opening credits rolled through It’s Complicated.
30 November 2012
Rose early, played tennis – coach came out today to show off his painted lines and put us through our paces. Ged won 6-2 (7-4) today.
Breakfast – Daisy is settled on poached eggs, Ged tried ordering waffles with maple syrup and bacon today to the shoked look of Farouk but on Ged’s recommendation we think the team are now into that combo.
We made a special order of shawarma for lunch. Enjoy the terrace and pool, then went down to main pool restaurant and tried a shawarma (shared one chicken and one beef) with a beer. Then strolled jetty and beach before returning to villa for a while.
Then went to spa for Balinese massage (Ged) and facial with head and neck massage (Daisy) preceded by a steam.
Back to villa, neither of us very hungry but we watched It’s Complicated with a bottle of wine and then ordered a pasta Bolognese to share. R&R after movie and grab both fell asleep promptly.
1 December 2012
Rose early to play tennis for the last time here. Coach and other hopefuls turned up briefly but couldn’t diverted from a purpose and honourable 5-5 tie resulted.
Breakfast along similar lines to previous days the buffet has been abolished the last two days and some elements of order presumed!
Rumours of water being cut off will quickly quashed so we were able to retreat to a pool villa the whole day reading, swimming and relaxing.
Early evening started watching The Help then, just before dinner, Fathy and the evening service crew through insisted on making up a room while we waited on the Terrace for the romantic last night set up. More amused/irritated than impressed.
We got ready for dinner had a duck confit dish (Daisy) and lamb shank (Ged) preceded by Tandoori prawns and concluded with a Egyptian pastries (Daisy) and espresso ice cream (Ged).
Then watched end of the film.
On 1 December I also took the headline picture, which I submitted to King Cricket as a cricket book in an unusual place – this piece published in newar-record time, a mere 18 days later:
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Checking out
Here is my log for the third day:
Rise early for breakfast and departure to Hurghada. Event-free journey.
Orientation at Oberoi and arrived at our lovely villa in time for a snack lunch of calamari and kibbehs very nice.
We have a dish of biscuits etc. including some coconut macaroons was Ged doesn’t like. Daisy phones asks for future dishes to leave out coconut as Ged is allergic. Why?
We cannot book tennis court any earlier than 1900, so arranged late dinner in Saffron Indian restaurant.
Daisy does not enjoy floodlit tennis but we do both enjoy Indian meal of Bengal fish curry (nice perch) and chicken Tikka quite spicy but very tasty.
Light breakfast and a good news – Protest low-key in morning so no problem.
Have some more Hossam Ramzy music to accompany your read:
We see all the main highlights of museum and more – Tutankhamen moon and Akhenaten stuff highlights for us.
We were in a way very fortunate to be visiting the museum at this time. While there were evident signs of the afternoon/evening protests, our driver and guide were able to ferry us to and from the museum without any difficulty and the place was practically deserted, giving us untrammelled access to the wonders of that museum. Janie had been before and had been dreading the crowds a bit. She claims to have seen so much more on our visit as a result.
Comedy mislaying of Muhammad [our driver] (Ged’s fault). Delayed departure slightly but back nice and early for turkey/smoked beef toastie and some Casper/Jardan Du Nil white outside at Alfredos. Bit more atmosphere with a few people.
Time for R&R and amazing dinner at Moghul of Tandoori prawns, chicken Tikka in tomato gravy, yellow daal, pilao with peas and mushrooms and Nan – gift of kulfi and fond farewells to restaurant.
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Here is my log for the first day:
We rose at eight to realise that someone has built a huge stone monstrosity right in front of our window in the hotel.
Ged was going to complain, as he had paid for a pyramid view, until Daisy explained that the “big eyesore”, as Ged put it, was the Great Pyramid of Giza.
Simple breakfast and then off touring with her guide Mohammed who shows us that Great Pyramid (Khuru) the other big fella (Khafre)…
…and the baby one (Mankaura) “de-de-durrrrr”…
…plus the Khafre temple and also the Sphinx.
Back to hotel sharpish – nice tip cheered driver and guide up.
Got bearings and took a snack lunch of chicken foccaccia and beer at Alfredos by the pool. Hotel almost empty.
Had a good afternoon nap and took dinner at the Moghul restaurant – tried prawns in rich ginger and garlic and coconut gravy, Lamb Rogan Josh, black lentils, pulao Kashmiri style and carrot halwa to finish – so good, we booked again for tomorrow. Tried Ayam white and then switched to Zaman/Jardin Du Nil.
