Shimmy like da Sphinx ...

Having had a work trip to Cairo extended by a few days Michaela decided on a whim to fly over and join me.

There was time to explore the city and surrounds, including taking in some local flavours such as apple tobacco and pigeon soup. I'm not sure what was more detrimental to my health, the shisha pipe or breathing in the Cairo smog.

The city itself is clustered around the Nile on the edge of the desert, with the pyramids at Giza able to be seen from the centre of the city. Of course once you get to the pyramids you have the touts to deal with (and elsewhere the Tourism Police to give baksheesh to for helping out).

This was the first trip to Africa for both of us, but after this taster it will certainly not be the last.

S

Snow!

About a whole month late, but it's here. All of it, and all at once. This is definitely the first time I've trudged through powder wearing a suit. The news websites are not quite sure whether this is the biggest single snowfall in 6 years or 18 (to be confirmed at some point I expect, probably once it stops snowing). Either way it is lots of fun. Yippeee

My favourite is the guy on the right (daffodil eyes, turnip nose and string beans for hair, on closer inspection)

M

Sweet moves on the ice

After we each made blink-and-you-miss-it visits home for 2 weddings and freely available beaches, mussels and sunshine - there was going to have to be a fairly good next adventure waiting back in the UK.

I'm not sure how well it matched up against the beach but ice skating on the outdoor rink at Somerset House definitely offered more scenic surroundings than my one and only other ice skating attempt - at 'Paradice' in Auckland aged 14. I'm not sure my technique has improved any but the good old mulled wine afterwards was a definite improvement. Paradice, if you're listening, this could be a go.

M