Tuesday

A smooth journey to Bahrain courtesy of British Airways and a very perky crew. It seems that there is an air show on while we are here and the plane had a goodly number of single men with camera equipment. One of them was snapping away as we were bussed out to the plane and could probably have told me the size of whitworth screw they use on the hold door if I had made the mistake of showing an interest. The food was good on the flight and I watched ‘The Theory of Everything ‘, a film about Stephen Hawking which was excellent.

We were met at the airport by our hostess, Stephanie, and the Dean of the Cathedral, Chris Butt. It was warm, pleasantly warm. Stephanie took us out along the approach road to the King Fayed Causeway and then turned off just before we were committed to going to Saudi and a possible meeting with Jeremy Hunt. It was a close one! Stephanie and Darshon live in a charming house on a gated estate with its own swimming pool in the centre. We may have to give that a try sometime. As we stepped from the car we noted the frangipan tree in the garden, but more particularly the strong smell of camel. Stephanie apologised, pointing out there was a camel farm in the vicinity.  They farm camels …..who knew? For riding? For meat? Imag8n3 carving that for Sunday (Whoops, I meant, Friday dinner). Leg or hump? One hump or two?

Stephanie is from Wolverhampton and knows how to make a good cup of tea which we sank gratefully. The bed in our spacious, ensuite, room called out loud and long, and apart from when a car backfired repeatedlyon the highway  (I think that was what it was,( it can’t have been gunfire surely?) we slept all too well.