A Date with Arabian Coffee...

...is the first thing I was offered on taking my seat when I boarded my flight to Abu Dhabi. Did I mention I was going on a little holiday? Hmmm... maybe not. Regular readers would only have given me hard time anyway as, apparently, I'm always on vacation.

TOH and I are here to visit my super good friend Jane. We've known each other for years and she's living here so I thought it was time for a stop-over. I'm currently sitting in the living room of her flat, looking out over Lulu Island and on to the Arabian Sea, the sun is setting and we're preparing to go out for the evening to the Emirates Palace Hotel, which is ludicrously massive but supposedly amazing. I'm also using Jane's MacBook, which I'm finding a bit baffling but generally ok, although I can't see what the huge fuss is all about - it's like any other computer really. I feel I may come in for a huge deluge of criticism for my last comment but computers aren't at the top of my list for cool gadgetry. I love lots of techie stuff but lap-tops etc just don't push my buttons. Sorry Mac lovers - let me know how I can make it up to you all and I'll do my best.

Anyway, back to my flight. It was fine. TOH and I treated ourselves and used miles to fly in First Class. I'm lucky to have flown in Business Class lots of times as I work for an airline but it doesn't have a First Class Service, so this is a fun experience. Mind you, I think I'd still travel in the Business Class of my airline, as I think it's better than BA First and better value for money. Ok. Yesterday's flight (sorry). Sitting across the aisle from me was an attractive Arab guy, trendy clothes, kinda cool manner. The cabin crew from other cabins kept cruising through and then back beyond the curtain to get a good look at this guy. He was fairly hot but I have seen better. My conclusion was that he's some kind of Arab nobility, although they normally travel with a retinue of thousands and have flunkies to perform at a mere hand-clap. Maybe he was travelling incognito. I was fascinated by him for large parts of the flight - even when he was asleep, especially when his shirt rode up and displayed his particularly well toned and hairy stomach...

It's bloody hot here. 38 degrees today. I felt as if the sun were beating me into the pavement. It made me a little bad-tempered - poor TOH, he dealt with it (and me) in his usual calm and accepting way.

Thanks to those of you who took part in helping me with ideas for future posts. I'll use them all, I promise. Anyone reading that wants to offer an idea, please feel free.

Right. I need to nip off now, as I have considerable amounts of body husbandry to do before I'll be halfway acceptable at a swanky establishment. My turn for the shower.

Dry as a Bone

OK. I’m all out of stuff to write about at the moment – I’ve hit a blog desert and I’m hoping my reader(s) will lead me to a lush and tropical writing oasis. I’ve done this before and it seemed to work fairly well. I’m offering you the chance to decide what I should put digit to keyboard about.

Last time I asked for just one word. This time I’m asking for an emotion or a feeling.

I’ll respond and blog about all suggestions – providing they’re appropriate for a clean-living chap like me!

The lines are now open but please remember to ask permission from whoever pays the bills. You’re also reminded that once the lines have closed, if you contribute you may still be charged…

Afternoon Tea

I’m having a bit of a hot drink quandary. I used to have a cheeky little latte of an afternoon to give me a jolt of caffeine perkiness, which would get me to the end of the day. Then, I got bored of coffee. I switched to tea. I love a nice drop of splosh, so I was fine for afternoon refreshment for a time.

Now? I’m bored of tea. What to do? I drink water all day so I want something different. I don’t like fizzy drinks and juice doesn’t hit the spot. What’s left? Hot chocolate? I prefer my chocolate all over a biscuit rather than in a drink. Hmmm.

I’m feeling odd today. It may be because I went drinking with fellow (now lapsed) bloggers, CuteCTguy and Guy In London. They are such a dreadful influence and encourage me to consume far too much booze and behave dreadfully. Normally I’m the very soul of abstinence and as I’m sure everyone’s aware, I hardly ever touch a drop but last night I think I may have fallen from grace. I don’t actually feel over-hung, just a little displaced. It’s like I’m looking through someone else’s eyes today and my thoughts feel like they are being processed a long way away and then transported on grumpy, stubborn donkey to my limbs, which then lumber slowly into action. It took forever to brush my teeth this morning but I was so dull-witted to realise that I’d been buzzing away at my gums for ages. It was only when I dribbled toothpaste foam (now extra frothy thanks to the extended attention to my teeth) down my chin and chest that I came to my senses and prompted myself into further morning activities.

The day has been a bit of a blur though. Lots of work done and lots of people seen. I’m ready for a big sit down and a cup of… oh. A cup of what though? Bugger!

Chicken Curry Soup and Sticky Digits

I know what you’re thinking… I thought the same.

I’m a game kind of chap so I thought I’d try this mysterious and unusual soup. It made my lips sting. The end.

I feel cheated by lunch today because I had this stupid soup. I don’t feel hungry but I do feel that I missed out on lunch, as I didn’t enjoy what I had.

I’ll get over it I guess.

OK. What’s new? Nothing really. Had a great weekend though. Had dinner with some friends in Brixton on Friday. Had a few beers with a few lovely friends on Saturday (they’re all Australian weirdly!). We met them at a bar in Islington and when TOH and I arrived, the door bitch (a new twist for this venue…) declared it was £3 entrance but the first drink would be free. She then thwacked a sticker with a number printed on it, across my chest and shunted me inside. I grilled Malcolm (my friend) who ummed and aahed a bit before blurting out that he didn’t realise it was a singles night. I insisted he wear my sticker so that he would have double the opportunity to score with the gent of his dreams. TOH swept off to the bar for our ‘free’ drinks which all turned out to be £3 anyway so the entrance fee was the same price as a drink. It was a fun night, which also turned out to be educational, although slightly sticky fingered. An American friend of Malcolm’s (can’t remember his name so from here on in he’ll be called Chip) explained that I was drinking my Corona all wrong. I was a bit perplexed, as I only know how to drink it orally and expressed this concern. Chip then demonstrated the Chicago method for ensuring that one’s Corona is fully limed. After stuffing my thumb in my bottle, gently tipping it upside down until the lime had floated to the top (or bottom) of my bottle and then back, I was instructed to very slowly remove my thumb. Obviously I was gasping of thirst by this point, it had been about 3 minutes since my last swig, so I was a bit over eager with disengaging my thumb, hence a sticky wrist which tasted of lime for pretty much the rest of the weekend.

Sunday TOH and I went to Wapping Food Project, a restaurant converted from a hydroelectric power station, to have lunch with a group of friends. It’s a seriously cool place. All of the tables have been placed in and around the machinery and it’s groovy in an industrial way. The food is amazing too. It's especially good at night as the lighting is amazing and there are candles all over the massive old machinery. There's also a brilliant art space attached which has some wierd and wonderful exhibitions.

So that’s me. Not much new to report. Still in the same place with the same thoughts about being elsewhere but I’m working on that.