Pyramid
Since Christmas I've been to Cairo for the first time. The stories of chaos at the airport were largely unfounded. A by product of all the extra security around airports is that there are far fewer people around. I was met by a "meet and greet" service. They put you in queue for passport control while they go off and buy the visa, £10 or USD/Euro 15. They jump the visa queue and get it in seconds instead of minutes. The only downside is you don't get the chance to break your notes into lower denominations. Everyone wants a tip!
Cairo is chaotic. I went on short notice so had to change hotels for the last night of my stay. The extra 10 miles took me an hour and a half. I realised on the way that it wasn't going to be straight forward. I looked across and noticed that all the traffic was heading the same way, wondering where the out bound road was I suddenly hit me! I was on it heading the wrong way. They have an unofficial tidal flow system.
Street vendors selling water and snacks are common in heavy traffic but seeing someone selling towels reinforced my suspicion that it was going to be a long wait.
It was worth with because the second hotel was right by the pyramids. It was dark by the time I got there so all I really saw was the outline. I'm back there next week so I'm hoping there will be more time for sightseeing.
George Bush was also in Egypt prompting colleagues to suggest he only felt safe if I was in the region.
One Year On: Changes
One year on from my last post and I'm struck by how similar the situation is to last year.
The lead up to Xmas is again hectic and not helped by the fact that most of last week I was in Southern France. In November, I also visited Amman again!
Daisy didn't do so well at her GCSEs but has got on the computer course she wanted by the skin of teeth. She's learning the harsh lesson that comes from not doing enough. Repeating exams that she failed by a few marks will hopefully stiffen her resolve not be in that position again.
Rory, continues to do well. We went to the WWE again for his birthday. We saw a show that was used for broadcasting.
Both the kids have had their main wishes from last year.
Daisy has had the Acer 5920 laptop. After much research, I came to the conclusion that it was the best value around. In my view Intel's Core 2 Duo is a must for Vista and to build in future proofing an '8' series graphics card. The cheapest laptop to tick all the boxes was the Acer 5920. I bought it from Tesco but declined their extended warranty which was £100 more than Acer's.
I've bought CA security suite with 3 user licence direct from the American website which saves me half the price!! It's installed on both my computer and Daisy's laptop.
Rory got his Playstation 3 for birthday and early Christmas present combined. Just before his birthday they reduced the 60 GB version of the PS3. This version can play certain PS2 games. The salesman tried to tell that they'd done a survey and most people didn't want to play PS2 games once they had played on the PS3. No doubt, but as the mug that's being paying out for the games I kinda want to feel they are worth more that scrap! I'm told when they run out of the 60 GB version they will stop making it. I can't help thinking they have to bring out a 100 GB version in a year or two.
Work wise my company's parent company has been taken over so it's an uncertain future. All the more so because without the takeover I would re-locating for a secondment to the Middle East.
Christmas Rush
This year Christmas seems to have come on us very quickly. The last few weeks have been hectic. We asked the kids what they wanted and they've both come up with items that are just too much to buy now. Daisy wants a laptop but not an ordinary laptop, one that will cope with her preferred option of Media Studies. Rory wants an Xbox360 and games. Typically they both have stories of other parents who coming up with the goods.
I don't know how some parents do it!! It's a stupid amount to spend on items that we all know will drop in price rapidly over the next few months. We've ended with compromises that mean that they will have fewer presents now and save some money to contribute to what they want by their birthdays.
All this negotiation has used up the time to order from the internet and we have had to scramble around to get items from shops.
The irony is that some shops have started their sales and we've hit on some bargains. I still need to buy some chocolates and cds for the wife. I got her main present last month in Amman airport, Clinique perfume.
Dubya Finger
I was in Amman last week visiting a customer. The trip was arranged at the start of November and it wasn't good news that it coincided with George W Bush being in town. The wife was convinced I could post pone the trip but it's never that easy.
I stayed at my usual hotel which was busy with people "moved" from the hotel being used for Dubya. "I've been kicked out for Bush" someone told me. I felt sorry for the hotel staff because these guests were unhappy to be there and determined to feel hard done by.
On the evening Dubya was in town my driver took from the customer to the hotel a route I'd never been on before. Shortly after our turn off into unknown territory, for me, we came across a 3 car and small truck road accident. It was hard to see much as a crash is quickly the centre of attention for everyone within walking distance. All eager to give an opinion. My driver swerved towards the side of the road as if to park but thought better of it and made do with a comment to me in arabic. Realising I couldn't understand he made gestures with his fingers. I nodded approvingly hoping his hands would soon be back on the wheel.
The next accident we came across was a headon between a truck and a Mercedes. Both had come off badly along a road with fields either side. The truck looked wounded at 45 degrees in ditch and the Mercedes had the entire front inside the car. The third, and final crash also involved a Mercedes. this time it had ploughed along the side of a mini bus.
The centre of Amman was gridlocked and drivers were finding new, unfamiliar routes home.
EventsI flew back with Air France through Charles de Gaulle airport. We landed early despite taking off late. A few momments after we came to a stop it was obvious something was wrong. After an announcement in French, the voice told us " we have a technical problem.....the finger...we can't extend the finger".
Medical Choices
The wife's flight came in early on Monday night. The kids had wanted to come to the airport. As the flight was scheduled to land at 00.40 I thought it was too late for a school night. In the event we were back home at 01.00 but but the kids were fast asleep. The wife was abit disappointed but she saw them in the morning.
This week we have completed the "Open Days" for Daisy visiting the last possible college she could go to next year.
I am finally getting to grips with what each level of qualification means. A BTec can have many forms. If it's a national certificate it's worth 2 'A' Levels if it's a national diploma it's worth 3 'A' levels.
Univeristies have a points system for admission with 320 points being the typical threshold. The BTec national certificate is worth 240 points whlist the diploma is worth 360 points.
To get on a diploma course Daisy
must pass either Maths or English GCSE. If she doesn't they won't let her do it, she has to do the cerificate.
At this point she has 3 choices.
- 'A' Levels at her current school. She wants to do ICT and Food Technology but has to have 2 other subjects.
- BTec in Food Technology. The college will take her right through to degree level.
- Btec in either ICT or Media studies at the college we went to this week.
It's all suddenly made Daisy realise that she needs to do well to have choices. My mother had offered to pay for a tutor so we got someone this week.
Daisy's tutor started on Thursday and hopefully will give Daisy the boost she needs to get through. It was important to us that it was a woman. Daisy tends to be shy in most of her classes except Food Technology....no boys.
Events
I had my medical at work this week. The nurse measured my circumference and tutted, then my weight and shook her head. "They've both gone up" she said with a sigh.
Looks like I'll be spending the next weeks on the Carl Lewis exercise bike we bought a few months ago.
Wrestling Euromillions
Rory was excited last weekend as the final part of his birthday treats was to go and watch WWE wrestling. The WWE visit the UK twice a year and typically in November just after Rory’s birthday so it’s become a regular event.
The WWE wrestlers know how to put on a good show and everyone goes home happy. In the picture ( above) is John Cena in the crop trousers, Rory's current favourite wrestler.
At the interval Rory wanted to buy a program, £10. I left him in the queue with his own money to go to the nearby Gents.
As the queue for the Gents was even longer I went back to find Rory buying a wristband, £8. “Where’s the other one?” I asked. It was just one with DX on it. I looked at him. His face lit up as I bought him a program. DX are two Wrestlers, Triple H and RBK, in the photo below.
On Thursday, the wife and three of her friends went to Tenerife for a long weekend. It’s the first time she’s been away on her own since we got married. I am away with my work from time to time but it’s not a holiday and typically I’m on my own.
As I write this I am between ironing and cooking the Sunday meal. I’ll be glad when she’s back!!
EventsThe Euromillions jackpot was £120 million on Friday this week. I was talking to Rory about winning it.
“You could do some of the jobs (around the house) that Mum’s always on at you about” Rory said.
“Son” I replied, “ we’d move! Get a big house with lots of space”
“oh” said Rory, his mood dropping “but I’m happy here”.
Another Open Day
Last Sunday we had fireworks in the back garden for bonfire night. From past experience it's best to just buy rockets and sparklers. I usually set up some bricks to protect the lawn and make sure the rockets go up. Friends came over and brought fireworks that fire in sequence. They are like the business part of a rocket bundled in boxes. Lighting the fuse sets off 5 to 10 rockets with a brief pause between them.
The rest of the week has been hectic with various college Open days for Daisy. On Tuesday it was the school she currently attend. The bullying has tainted the school and Daisy hasn't got a positive view of "staying on". For me it offers a simple solution in terms of understanding the qualifications, A levels, and how she can progress. When I did my A levels two years work was all on the final exam. Now all the courses have been split into units and there an opportunity to retake several times before the end of the course.
On Wednesday, it was a college in the South of the City. I was not impressed by the fact that most of the staff had left before we got there around 7 pm even though it was till 8pm. Daisy did get to talk to someone but they weren't sure which course would run. Two ICT courses, one worth two A levels, not enough for unimpressed, the other worth four A levels, more than enough! I sat in the canteen whilst Daisy and a friend looked round. There was a notice about racist and sexist graffiti. As we left there was notice offering a reward for reporting anyone damaging the buildings....Not a nice place no wonder the teachers left as soon as they could!
Saturday another college. This was more impressive but the range of subjects on offer much more limited.
EventsThe wife called her brother early in the week to find out if they'd sent a card for Rory's birthday. Thay hadn't but it's one of those pretending to be finding out in case it got lost. The sister-in law answered and was ill recovering from flu so the wife left it.
Later in the week the sister-in-law called realising they'd forgotten! "I wish you'd told me when you rang" she said.
