26/12 Claire - Milo's first Christmas

He's such a sweetie. No idea what's going on that's any different to any other day of the year but was as happy as ever...

4/9 Claire - Milo's christening

Milo’s big day! Today I promised to offer Milo love and guidance in the way of fun, laughter and disco… but in church I just had to renounce evil.

How very smart he looked. A total stunner!

3/9 Claire - Chris and Meera wedding

Chris and Meera's big day and the sun Gods have come good. It's rained pretty much continuously since these guys got back into the UK from Sydney so this is a big deal.

I arranged to travel from Kew Gardens back into the city to meet Lel from the train this morning, travel back with her so we could get changed and walk the 2minutes to the ceremony at 3pm.

Lel's been very excited to be "in London baby" so it was hard to tell her 20mins later that we had already left "London baby" and were in Surrey. Doesn't have the same ring to it.

The ceremony was beautiful, Meera looked gorgeous, the venue was amazing.

28/8 Claire - Shambala Festival

It was a bit like the big chill but smaller and a little bit home-made, full of hippies and played too much dub-step. Maybe the weather influenced my mood and my reaction. I have only ever been to the Big Chill, in the 6 years there it was ALWAYS sunny… Shambala = rain + mud

However check out Tank Girl and Booga…

I LOVE that costume, shame no one bloody knows who Tank Girl is!

15/8 Claire - Meera Hen Party

Not long until Chris and Meera tie the knot, they have 4 weeks back in the UK to fit in Hen and Stag parties, last minute preparations and the week of celebrations. I did wonder what it would be like going on a hen party with a bunch of people I hadn’t met before but all of the girls (and Gaz) were lovely. Afternoon tea in Surry, A riverboat into Westminster, murder mystery night in Leicester Square. I was a super-model y’know…

20/7 Claire - Ibiza

I know that at [ah-erm] 31 I should be growing old gracefully but we have never been and I wanted to go to experience it before I got too old (of course there’s lots of time yet)

The villa was nice from the outside, minging on the inside but after a quick wipe over with the cleaning fluids and a realisation that we’d be spending most time out partying or by the pool we decided we could live with it. Jamel the owner was a big, bear like, funny Algerian man who’s lived over there for 18 years with his English wife. They rent out the family home each summer to pay for improvements, such adding the pool, during the summer months. The thing about Jamel is not only is he lovely but he knows everyone. He said to ask him if we wanted to go to any of the clubs and he’d try to get us in for free. He didn’t just get us in free he got us VIP access at times also. What a star, I think he saved us about £500 over the week.

I was VERY excited to get there in time for Retro… look I met Paul! To anyone who doesn’t know this he was a bit (lot) of a hero when I was younger. As I may have garbled at him during this evening “you were the soundtrack of my youth…” gush, gush. This may be true but saying it out loud, and to him,

might have lost me a lot of cool points. If he was cringing he hid it well and was very gracious, or so completely wasted that he really didn’t care :o). Anyway, I think he’s great. Totally lovely guy. His mate Foxy was ace (and apparently owns half of Magaluf) , completely mad as a box of frogs but it a brilliant way. Loved them both!

Had some good nights for the rest of the week but I think we peaked that first Saturday. However, I must tell you that I was the only one to manage every night! Result! However by Thursday evening (before flight Friday morning) I could barely keep my head up above my dinner and was extremely close to a comedy face plant into evening meal situation.

10/7 Claire - Lel birthday

I love this girl!

Had a great night out with Lelly and crew in Yarm. I think the bird and the disco fingers all came out for an appearance, some a couple of times :o)

26/6 Claire - Gill and Brian wedding

Start of the day was not good!

My beautiful Karen Millen dress was dry cleaned after the only time I have worn this before which was a year ago. It’d been hanging on the back of my wardrobe for weeks waiting for the big day. I have a bag, shoes etc all ready to pop into the car at 10am on Saturday morning so I can drive to my parents house for a quick change and travel together to the church for noon. The sun was shining it was a beautiful day. As soon as took said dress outside into the bright sunlight I realised that the dry cleaners had completely ruined the dress bleaching part of it and leaving marks on other areas. In the artificial light of the house, nothing… in the sunny light of day, ruined.

At this point I have less than 2 hrs to drive to Teesside, through the roadworks, to parents, change and to Sedgefield. Panic, tears, stamping of feet. Ian tries to get logical but I am literally blind with panic. He suggested that I run into Diva in Yarm on the way to my Mum’s house (not enough time, not enough time!!) which I agree I need to do.

Poor Jean in Diva is dressing a window in the shop when I run in like a mad woman screaming “Help!! I am going to a wedding NOW and my dress is ruined!”… I literally pick out a green dress from the rack, run into the changing cubical, Jean finds me a bag from the wall display and I have a new outfit in about 6.5 mins. I love that shop.

Had a fantastic day and I can’t believe my lil cuz Gill is a married lady.

21/9 Claire - Catch up

It seems that playing catch up on the blog is so overwhelming that I have ground to a halt. I think the best thing to do is what is referred to at work as an executive summary... I'll write this tomorrow and get you bang up to date!

23/5 Claire - Magaluf... at my age?

Gill is getting married and I was chuffed to be invited to the hen party which was in Magaluf. I’d never been to Majorca before and I am sure that I’ve still never actually seen the real Majorca.

My first reaction though was “oh no, Lel can’t come as she’s just had Milo” and my second reaction was “oh no, I am probably far to old for this”. Fortunately the themed fancy dress this time was more than a grass skirt and a couple of coconut shells (as per Al’s hen party) and we got to cover up in airhostess outfits.

Well, I guess that all depends on how much vodka we can put away. StarBrian had advised Gill that he was glad she was sharing a room with me as I was “the sensible one” and I thought this a fair comment although it caused a few raised eyebrows amongst my family. Of course I am the sensible one. I am 36… ah hem, sorry, 31 years old. I am a married woman, with a mortgage and two cats. I have a financial advisor for goodness sake. How much trouble am I likely to get us in to?

ting in the airport at 7am, double vodka and coke. On the plane, two 250ml bottles wine. By the pool in the afternoon more vodka, out for an early dinner with cocktails then there is a blur into the evening of vodka redbulls by the jug and a multitude of apple sours shots.

Gill and I spent an age drunkenly setting up the safe in the room only to wake the next morning to find passports and camera next to the safe but my Boots advantage and Go Outdoors discount cards safely locked away. Actually we only knew that the cards were safely locked away after we spent an hour trying to find the key we had "cunningly" hidden from intruders the night before.

Only once did Gill appear in a bizarre mix and match outfit for the evening out (sorry for not noticing this Gill when we were getting ready) only to have a moment of sobriety in the bar and exclaim “what the **** am I wearing!!?!” and have to rush off and get changed again. And only once did Gill wake up to find my face down in the pillow wearing nothing but my undies and at the end of a trail of clothes from the bathroom to my unconscious body, and only once did she have to prod me to make sure I was still breathing.

In fact the rest of the weekend is a blur of vodka, shots, cocktails and burger king. I vaguely remember a bucking bronco whilst in a very short airhostess outfit. I vaguely remember back flips competitions into the pool after far too many vodka slushies. I vaguely remember buying a flammable looking ginger wig to wear with my hostess outfit. I vaguely remember a lot of things but more importantly I vaguely remember having a blast!

Although I am since convinced I am quite sensible perhaps others less so. And according to Al’s text to Lel afterwards “by the way, your sister’s mental!”… if you can’t beat ‘em Al, if you can’t beat ‘em….

11/5 Claire - Mr Hudson

For the record I am not stalking Mr Hudson TC! Cheek.

Although us girls did get very excited when he appeared on stage minus his t-shirt and wearing only a wife beater vest.

No one in the crowd knew any of the tracks with the exception of Supernova and most of the audience were still at school but this went in my favour as I had less viewing issues. Even I can see over the top of a 14yr girl.

27/4 Claire - Foodie tour

We were supposed to be abroad, in fact the thought of not actually flying somewhere whilst I have time off work is enough to send me spiralling into a panic and setting off palpitations... damn ash cloud.

We hadn’t booked anything and were planning a late deal to the Maldives for diving. But, you just can’t book AFTER the ash cloud. It’s too risky, no one will insure you and it’s a lot of cash to blow on the back of one little change of wind direction.

So, really last minute we decide on a short foodie tour visiting a few Michelin starred restaurants starting at one of my favourites the Yorke Arms in Nidderdale. Fancy room, tasting menu, wines by the lass to compliment each course. Man, that’s a lot of wine!

Next day we drive down to Cheltenham to a 2 star restaurant called Le Champignion Sauvage. Going back to a 3 course meal was a little disappointing after a tasting menu which leads me to believe we are turning into foodie snobs. The meal was really good. I ate a pigs ear, crispy. I want hard point for that one.

I have no idea was makes a 1 star or 2 star as it wasn’t as good as the Yorke Arms. Ian agrees but I think this is due to a poor menu choice. Squid ink risotto. There is something wrong with blue food!

Next to L’Enclume… I have been here before and it’s great. A little Heston Blumenthal. 13 courses of bonkers tastiness. Ooof.

Now I know I have spent a long time discussing the gym and my body fat % so perhaps this choice of holiday is… erm… unusual? surprising? making my thousands of pounds worth of personal training a joke?

To be fair I was at the gym on the Tuesday morning and again on Friday afternoon. I can’t do more than that for balance now can I?

Seriously, it was only 3 days….

…OF CONSTANT EATING!

Awesome. ;o)

30/7 Claire - Oooo how he's grown

Just quickly though before I go to get ready... look at the little fella now. Not so little eh?

30/7 Claire - Ooops

Its is indeed 30th July. I haven't updated anything on Evil Sushi since March. Life got in the way. It turns out that if you don't update your blog then they get turned off!?!? Imagine losing all of the travel memories. This is the only copy we have. So task one, get turned back on. Done. Task two, update regularly. Ongoing. Task three, get travel blog printed in a book. To be arranged.

In the mean time I will update you over the weekend with what's been happening over the last few months. Not now though as tonight... I have a date

...(it's OK it's with Ian)

30/3 Claire - Just look at him

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Originally uploaded by blenkers

I mean... isn't he the CUTEST! I am a very proud Aunty :o)

This is one of his early smiles. Photo taken by his very proud parents...

5/3 Claire - Birthdays

Birthdays are ace! Ian usually takes me somewhere special for the weekend as a surprise, it's not a surprise that we go away but the location is. This year however we are going on holiday early on 6th there has been a change of plan.

After opening my big pile of presents in the morning I find that one more gift is waiting for me but it's still in the shop in Leeds as I need to chose it and try on myself. New skinny jeans for my new skinny butt!

Also, he's planned a v posh lunch in a v v posh restaurant in Leeds called Anthony's. Since I also had a launch evening meal with my family that evening I am not sure that I'll be that skinny for that long ;o)

I am spoiled and have had a fab birthday... thanks Ian x

6/3 Claire - Morzine

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Only 8 years of battling against my feminine fear of speed I suddenly get up one day in Morzine put on my new baggy denim pants and fly down the mountain with the wind in my hair (or would have been had a had hair and wasn’t wearing a helmet).

I really don’t know if it’s something to do with my new fitness levels or indeed the denim but something’s changed. Not only speed but my willingness to stay out longer than a couple of hours before hitting the Vin Chaud, in fact I was also in the snow park hurling myself over jumps. Ok, I didn’t land them all (probably one out of every two attempts) but hey I am not complaining this is progress.

The only problem I did have was new pants getting the distressed look only on one side of my arse because I kept landing on my left butt cheek.

2/3 Claire - Gone dark

Gosh I am tardy... this has been a whole month of no updates. What have I been doing? I will catch up soon I promise ;o)

2/2 Claire – Weigh in

Can you eat haggis, curries, parmos and drink wine, rum and sambuca and expect to still keep the body fat % on the way down? No! Measurement this morning had me at least remaining static at 24.8% which was bloody “lucky” apparently. I have been shamed enough to go on a two week detox before 16th February

This weekend Friday night is NOT curry night :o(

30/1 Claire - Oldest swingers in town

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Originally uploaded by blenkers

Whilst we left many people at Milo’s party discussing what TV was on that Saturday evening I was already ready to go out to play. Buckley (of BacktoBasics fame) was at the Medicine Bar in Middlesbrough so Julie, Ian and I thought this would be a good night for getting out our disco shoes (might need to point out that Ian doesn’t actually have disco shoes).

I have never been to the Medicine Bar since it’s reopened (it used to be the Purple Onion) and it’s very nice. Shame it’s so empty, there were a few in there but it wasn’t packed. Also those that were in were maybe all around 20years old. I think it’s the sort of place that perhaps has well off students in posh frocks.

The first thing to hit you though is the lack of base coming from the music, Julie tried to tell him “you don’t happen to know where the base button is do you?” but unsurprisingly nothing changed…

The positive though is that we did get a little the worse for wear, leave Julie’s camera behind, not notice until I was raiding her handbag for it at 3am to photograph them on the Wii Just Dance only to find it missing, call up the bar and found that some kind and honest soul had handed it in. There are good people left in the world. Massive thank you to whoever that was!

30/1 Claire – Milo’s party

Aww, little Milo’s welcome home tea party was today with fizz and cake to celebrate the little fella. Lel’s mate Lou made this amazing cake that was a shame to cut into (she says it was only her 2nd cake and I think they are good enough to sell).

Dad did a complete Peter Kay sketch with his camcorder; I can’t wait to see it. Instead of point and shoot in distance to simply observe the party he was working his way around the group asking for each person to say something. I think there is a couple of hours of Dad behind the camera saying things like “And here is Claire, hello Claire, say something, what do you think of little Milo?” while people look a bit awkward and camera shy and just wave and go “erm… Hiya”. Bless him :o)

29/1 Claire - Akbars

Not sure how often I need to go to Akbars to get the Shax treatment but I am there a lot at the moment. This time with some of the Newcastle lot and Jandrea. Turns out that half of the group was driving and some of them a long way so it didn’t quite make the status of “big night out” but it made, as always, the status of “bloody good curry night”

26/1 Claire - Sent away from the gym

Oh dear. It's seems that you can do too much... I dragged my arse to the gym this morning for 7am, Nathan did the same and he wasn't actually on shift. One little comment during warm up about tired legs and I was nearly frog marched off the gym site. OK, to be fair I was only told that my legs were fatigued and training on them was not recommended. But I was already there… at 7am! Off to the sauna.

25/1 Claire - Avatar

I think I maybe forgot to mention my first 3D cinema experience. Well, I say my first 3D experience but that’s not entirely true, I saw Jaws 3 with my red and green glasses as a child but I am not sure that counts.

From the moment you are told to put on your 3D glasses the whole experience is awesome, even from the 3D dairy milk advert that comes on screen first. The film is good but the imagery and CGI is amazing. I think I spent 3 hours with my mouth open (in awe not to fit in popcorn). You HAVE to see this film at the cinema and in 3D! Do it now.

23/1 Claire - Burns night

I am neither Scottish nor like whisky but the pull of a haggis dinner is too much to keep me away. Rob and Rach hosted and supplied a rather large and extremely tasty haggis, I think Millie may have helped catch it earlier that afternoon.

23/1 Claire - It's definitely gone down

Following my intensive web research on body fat percentage I have agreed with Nathan that I will get tested on every other Tuesday, at 7am before drinking loads and before exercise. Turns out it's gone down to 24.8% from the original reading of 26.7%... let's ignore the 27.3% middle reading :o)

21/1 Claire - Milo's first family gathering

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Originally uploaded by blenkers

Seriously, could this little fella by ANY more cute? This is our first cuddle...

Have decided that in baby sitting duty Milo and I will hang out doing the things we will, I am sure, have in common:

• Sitting on the couch in our PJs
• Eating my favourite snacks (space raiders and magic stars, both child friendly/made for kids)
• Watching Pixar

16/01 Claire - Rob's Birthday

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Originally uploaded by blenkers

In addition to 10 pin bowling (111 high score from me, a best ever score) Rob also arranged for the grown ups to go out on the evening for drinks. Very upset that Rachael was so ill with tonsilitis that she couldn't make any of the outings :o(

The evening was spent at the Cumberland Arms where there is real ale, a coal fire and, it seems, fake fur to play with...

It started to go wrong here but by the time Eldred ordered tequila slammers I knew I was a gonner :o(

16/1 Claire - Bowllng

Even my best ever bowling score couldn't take away the shame of again having to wear velcro bowling shoes...

12/01 Claire - OMG it's gone up

So I have been to the gym 16 times in December (one week of that month I was out of the country so this is a good effort) and had a relatively restrained Christmas. I can see the difference and can feel the difference yet I stood on those scales and watched in horror the % body fat read higher than when I first started. Then followed a small hissy, some calming and soothing words of encouragement from Nathan and an acusation from me that the scales were wrong!

Granted it hasn't gone up by much but I KNOW I am fitter and leaner so I just couldn't believe it. Bring on t'interweb....

Turns out there are a few things that you should consider when using these scales such as not comparing yourself to others and use them as a measure of your own progress only. More importantly I didn't follow these recommendations

Make sure you always drink the same amount of water one hour before you test yourself.
Measure yourself at the same time of day for each test.
Don't test yourself after exercising. When you exercise you sweat and when you sweat you lose water. This affects your hydration levels and hence... the results.
Your skin temperature affects the electrical current used by the scales (and surely exercise affects this?)

This has gotta be it, right?

10//1 Claire - If you're gonna walk...

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Originally uploaded by blenkers

… do it properly.

Being snowed in means that you can’t really get out to the gym. And to be honest, although I wouldn’t stop the gym, I haven’t really taken advantage of the lovely snow in the surrounding forest and hills. So being wrapped up like I was about to hit the piste we head off this morning with hot chocolate, fruitcake and brandy (in case of emergencies). For most of the walk I was still knee deep in snow although the temperature has risen and some of the icicles were starting to melt. There is more snow forecast this evening so I’ll see how we get on in the morning.

(no there was no emergency but the brandy was still drunk, precautionary you understand)

8/1 Claire - Snow watch

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Originally uploaded by blenkers

I have just been towed home again. I was going great guns in 3rd up the 1mile hill toward our village when I came around the corner to find an abandoned car in my way, had to stop, lost momentum and that was that. Tractor towed me home about an hour later but look at the state of the garden.... it's getting deeper!

7/1 Claire - But it can be beautiful

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Originally uploaded by blenkers

Snow is wonderful if you don't have to drive in it! This is the view from the top of Silton forest as you walk 10mins from my front door.

It was too good to resist.... let's call it a late lunch break!

6/1 Claire - How much snow?

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Originally uploaded by blenkers

I did try to get out this morning to go to the gym before work, the plough had been through the village and the roads out of the village to the A19 had been clear last night.... I got to within12 feet of the top of the steep bank where the slip road meets the A19 and the car wheels started to spin, I had to reverse back down the hill blind to try a second time with a bit more speed and a higher gear but managed to get the car stuck in some deep snow on the verge. It's well and truly stuck and can't be pushed out. Since it was dark a friendly farmer gave me a lift back home and a local farmer guy has said he'll come around later this morning to see if he can help pull me out with the tractor.

Anyhow, I am not in the office! I should have stayed in bed :o(

31/12 Claire – Happy New Year and Happy Birthday to Jackie

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Originally uploaded by blenkers

Once the excitement of visiting Lel in hospital has died down (not Milo he’s in intensive care) I rushed home to pick up stuff for the evenings entertainment.

Non of this spending half a day getting ready to go out. Make-up on in the car (I may have looked a little like a drag queen by the time I had finshed but it was dark light so hoping I got away with it) dress on at the Moxon’s whilst the taxi waited outside. Done.

31/12 Claire - I am in love with a new man

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Originally uploaded by blenkers

A new little man…. Please give a warm welcome to Milo Errol Parks

He arrived over 7 weeks early and at only 4.5lbs but he is doing well and Lel & Errol are bursting with pride :o)

20/12 Claire – Feel the burn baby

I am doing quite well at the gym but to keep up the motivation I have signed up for 12 personal trainer sessions. These are different to the freebie ones what you get as part of the membership where they give you a routine to go off and complete yourself, these are pure one on one training. So if you recall Nathan who scoffed at my goal of wanting to be able to eat what I wanted without putting on weight… I am with him.

To be honest I do like him, he’s good crack and he gets what I want to get out of gym. I was always only interested in running to keep weight off but since I’ve been doing different stuff in the gym I’ve noticed a difference in muscle definition. Now wouldn’t it be good to get a really athletic physique? Hmmm.

So first session you get weighed, measured and BMI calculated and Nathan has decided that I need to not lose weight but reduce my fat % by 6% which will show a noticeable difference... I am 26% fat! 26!

I think he’s won me over a little as to work all this out he asked my age and was visibly surprised by my response of 35 years and said “really??” I needed this after before mentioned Leeds incident.

Anyhoo, once we start I might have also mentioned that I would like to add another goal to my training plan… “Could we also work on me getting the arse of a 20year old?”

He responds with “[chuckle] you may need to book some more sessions…”

Damage done ;o)

25/12 Claire - A new toy

I publicly rescind all recent negative comments about Mac intuitiveness, it doesn’t matter it’s a thing of beauty :o)

18/12 Claire – Love the new hair darrrrhling

I have just been advised by a very camp but very funny man in Leeds that my new hair (he hasn’t seen me since last Christmas) is “fabulous, really fabulous… it takes 10 years off you. You look about 32, 35ish”

WTF! I am not sure how to get across in written word how appalled I am :o(

18/12 Claire – Party season begins

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Originally uploaded by blenkers

This weekend it’s Thursday in Leeds, Friday in Sheffield, Saturday in Newcastle and Sunday in the Lakes.

Finished work on Friday with a Team Christmas lunch in Yarm….

11/12 Claire – More Diving

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Originally uploaded by blenkers

Our dive master today was ace. George. I would have dived every day with him; he was really easy going and friendly. I like the Angel and Clown fish, I recognise them from Finding Nemo

10/12 Claire – Can’t speak, too relaxed

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Originally uploaded by blenkers

Sunbed, ipod, book… turn over, rum and coke, turn over again… lunch, wine, turnover again… massage in spa

9/12 Claire – Stiiing raaay…. sting ray!

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Originally uploaded by blenkers

Diving in Egypt is way different to the Cook Islands. They take you out on massive boats with two decks, the top deck having padding sunbathing areas. Off season this is quite cool as there are only 6-8 people diving as you have loads of room to relax and chill out.

They take you out to a dive site, you get your equipment set up, they brief you and off you go for your first dive. After an hour or when your air runs out you get back on the boat, change over tank for the afternoon, go sunbathing and read your book, the crew cook lunch, a bit more sunbathing before the boat then takes you off to dive site number two.

The best fish we saw today were the two spotted sting rays but unfortunately this was the dive we didn’t have the camera but honest they were there. Here’s one from another dive later in the week.

8/12 Claire – Cairo

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Originally uploaded by blenkers

Nice, 25 degrees in Sharm El Sheik and had a lovely relaxing day sunbathing yesterday. Today however I fulfilled my childhood dream of visiting the Pyramids and the Sphinx :o)

We flew from Sharm to Cairo at an ungodly hour, jumped on a minibus, picked up our Egyptologist (how do you become one of those?) and off we went. I went right insight one of the pyramids into one of the inner chambers. It’s basically a stone room once you get in there but it’s really cool to be able to say that you’ve been inside one of the pyramids. Sorry am I sounding a little on the geeky side?

There are guys riding camels just waiting to rip you off for a £50 camel ride. I would have paid that I tell you but we were told that we weren’t insured and so weren’t allowed. These guys even charge you for a photo so you had to avoid eye contact and pretend they weren’t there.

The Sphinx was really impressive too. It’s fantastic to just stand there and look at it.

Lunch on the Nile sounds quite swanky so I should leave it there. Lunch in TGI Fridays looking over the dirtiest, mankiest part of the Nile I can imagine less so.

Then off to the Cairo museum, it’s massive and FULL of stuff that has been recovered but the Tutankhamen death mask was really awesome. I know, I know I am a proper geek but I loved it. What a great day.