I flew from London to Istanbul yesterday. It was a very long day for a flight that was less than four hours long. I left in the morning at 9 London time and didn’t reach the flat until 10 Istanbul time. In between I travelled to Gatwick, remembered what a terrible airport it is to […]
Under the weather
Feeling a little under the weather today, though this might be the power of persuasion, as my hostess is currently languishing on a sofa with a terrible cold or perhaps incipient flu. Hoping I don’t catch it, with my return to Istanbul imminent, but what can one do? The only positive to come out of […]
Start of the return
Today, early in the morning, the GF left for Nairobi, marking the beginning of our return to Istanbul. I’m not exactly aching to get back to the city, but it will be nice to be back in our own space. This trip has had rather too much of being with other people, more than I’m […]
Past the barricades
A neighbour is a senior politician and though one notorious for cutting his sail to the wind, is wanted by the authorities in the current situation. All the streets around our house are barricaded and full of very miserable policemen (one told me, plaintively, that he wished it would all end as he was sick […]
Goodbye SEA
I was supposed to go out for a final lunch, but slept badly so woke with a headache and cancelled the reservation. Instead I packed, worrying all the while about luggage allowance (this turned out to be not an issue). Among my purchases is a slightly embarrassing one, a very lightweight wok. I wanted a […]
Fine fish
Had my blowout meal in Bangkok this evening, at one of the city’s best sushi places. It was very good, quite a delight, and plenty of things I’d not tried before, such as a baby snapper and seasonal squids and eels. I didn’t go for the premium omakase which cost half again as much though […]
Aftershocks
A previously unfamiliar pink alert on my phone, an earthquake in southeastern Turkey. I have an app which monitors earthquakes. It was nerve-wracking when it was set to Indonesia, and of course it reported the earthquake outside Jakarta while I was at lunch, which ended the lives of many, but also at least 2-3 earthquakes […]
Nearly done
The GF sent a flurry of pleased messages as he sorted a number of long-pending bits and pieces. A delivery from Ikea included a nice mop (a small but important development), the washing machine was repaired, the air conditioner returned (we decided to give up on installing it), the fan in the spare bedroom was […]
First visitor
We had our first house guest staying for the last few days, fortunately a very easy going and easily pleased one. Fortunately she is happy shopping by herself, so could be dispatched to the Grand Bazaar when I had work. She also brought over some things I’d requested from the US, which are very pleasing […]
Childhood dream
The kitchen tiling was completed, and the entire flat was covered in a thick layer of white plaster, even though the tiler had been careful to keep the door closed. He told me today he is a gynaecologist from Turkmenistan, with three children back home. What could I say but spread my hands hoping to […]