Birthday Dude

Picked up early morning and taken along rain-filled roads to Cairo airport (donating my Amr Diab tickets in the process; a gesture which will hopefully make life easier for me when I return to Cairo with heavily taxable gear next week) where a stale muffin and a Nescafe preceded a 'Think I'll keep it in rather than use those filthy bogs' stroll around before the four and a half hour flight to Heathrow. (I am working on a theory that any city can be judged by the state of the toilets in its airport.)

Terminal 5 is very nice. I was giddy with delight as my eyes were cast over magazines, DVDs, games and books whilst people stopped to make way for me and said 'excuse me' and 'thank you' as I meandered around. The Boots Meal Deal has gone up to £3.49 I noticed, but you still get an Innocent Smoothie with it which makes it excellent value for money (especially if you forego a sandwich for the sushi).

Met by Mum (camera stuck to her eyeballs) and driven back for some tea before sorting out His Lordship's radio settings (a regular fixture in my trips home) and then on to the Metropole for a good old chinwag and catch-up with wingpig, some bloke who calls himself myaimistrue, and TFP (pictured above), who drove out on his birthday to come and say hello (much appreciated dude).

Not quite as cold as I was expecting either.