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.
