I take it they're not big on direct debit over there? I wouldn't ever pay any bill only for direct debit.

Nah, it's Old Skool.

When I lived in Cairo, some fella would just turn up on your doorstep with a scrap of paper with Arabic on it, and ask for some money to pay the bill. (And by some money I mean a couple of dollars, maybe less.) If you weren't in, they'd leave a baffling scrap of paper, and they'd just come around another time.

Nowadays I get proper letters all official like and scary. But you can pay them at the 7 Eleven, and there are 7 Elevens all over the place here, like several to a street, so I really have absolutely no justification for having paid my bill at the last minute/several days late EVERY TIME.

So far they haven't cut off the leccy, though. Yay for that.

I don't think my relationship has a tool and a bastard, or if it does the roles change based on context.

So let me know if you have any Cairo-living advice for my father, would you, Fay?

Go to Bullseye in Mohandaseen and tell Amr (the barkeep) that Nic sends her love? And while you're there (or elsewhere) pick up a free copy of the little pocket-size listings mag The Croc which my friend Con writes for? It's got all the info on what's going on in Cairo in terms of pubs, clubs, restaurants and cultural events.

Um...there's a nice wee second hand book shop in Maadi on Road 4 (i think it's Road 4? The main Western people shopping road) and it's next door to a Baskin & Robbins. Diwan, in Zamalek, is the best bookshop in town though.

Go to The Mena House for breakfast of a weekend, because you can? And you can eat yummy buffet breakfast/a la carte while staring out the window at The Grand Pyramid, which fills up most of the window.

Go to Luxor. Lots.

Jazz Brunch at The Four Seasons is to die for.

More-or-less opposite The Four Seasons, there's a rather lovely little houseboat-type-thing which is a restaurant serving Lebanese food. V. good.

He's already been for visits, but now it's going to be sort of longer-term, so any ex-pat resident sort of advice you have would be welcome. Well, by me, anyway.

Fay is such an old skool Brit World Traveler. I can see her in some 30s movie, at the corner table of an exotic cafe, giving advice on the best little restaurants in cities around the world. "Oh, Darling, I'm off to Katmandu in the morning! Wherever shall I have tea?" "You must go to Muski's on the east side of the main square, tell them I send my love, they'll know my name."

Also, Hubby pouts when I don't wake him up in the morning. Of course, he doesn't have to get up at a set time, so he doesn't mind a brief wake up.

waking up is easy. It'll be getting out of bed that will hurt like a mo-fo! Might I suggest pushing off from the bed and keeping a hand on the dresser and walls as you make your way to the shower. Once their aim the shower head to the corner, that way the two walls can help stand ya up :P

Neat how you saw into the future like that!!!!

Getting into the shower was FASCINATING. I sort of goose stepped.

The best part though is how much my abdominal muscles hurt. I can feel each little six in the pack every time I move. And other blobs of hurt too, sort of deeper...I think my organs hurt!

Fay is AWESOME. I love Fay.

Um, there were other things I was going to say, but my coffee tasted bad this morning and I only drank half of it, so I'm not all here.

This is my last day in DC. How did that happen???

Oh, and good luck, Cash's husband!!

This is my last day in DC. How did that happen???

Oh, wow!! I hope it is a perfect day here for you and that your trip is easy peasy. East coast will miss you!!!

meara's leaving! sob!

Have a good trip and best wishes for life in the other Washington!