Spot the pyramids in the not to distant distance minutes before we hit a hotel which by my standards is positively palatial. All low level barrel shaped rooms. Two double beds and a camp bed for Cal. Pyramids impressive.
Temperature is warm. But time to kip. For everyone else a 5.00 am wake up call. For me normality!
We land safely, which is cool and a relief. Locate people from our tour and Matthew our guide. Looks like a packed tour but flexible.
Cairo traffic is manic, much honking of horns. Travelling through the knob friendly Heliopolis right now.
Stopping in Giza, wonder what the local take on lolly ice is?
Travel to Waterloo and head to the London Eye, we have fast track tickets heading our way. First though Cal has some fun and uses some energy at a nearby playground. We have slightly different views of what we want out of the Eye. Me, I like the engineering and design of the thing. Monst wants to see the views, despite her fear of heights. Cal is interested because of the Thunderbird connections.
Then back to Paddington and pick up the bags and head to Heathrow. Entertained by people impersonating tubas, trombones, clarinets etc. Cheap entertainment.
You know you're with friends when you are greeted with 'You've put on a lot of weight'! Annette as ever is the lovely viking she is and Kaushall a lovely Sri Lankan who's concept of time is not constricted by the concepts of hours or minutes. The kids cure any lingering scrofula by playing in the Princess Slapper puddle. They get soaked, Cal less than the girls but he ends up going commando as a result.
We head over by car to chinatown and collectively go for a chinese. A loud and amusing meal ensues as the familes catch up with each other. For Kaushall and myself this is kinda understandable given the odd year or two goes by without us speaking with each other. For Annette and Monst well they talk almost daily by phone. It's fun sut by 10.00 we're shattered and head back to Paddington. Kip comes easy.
Waking also comes easy so as usual at 5.00 I'm awake. The room is still dark, make a cup of coffee, grab my book, plug Jonny Notpod in for an energy reboost and head for the bath. Emerge prunr like an hour and a half later. Repack my bag and discover enough light to continue reading. By 7.30 the rest of the family wake up and the slow clatter of getting ready for breakfast begins.
We hit the smoke and the hotel in Paddington. Food then a brief trip to the Science Museum and Natural History Museum.
We've arranged to meet friends from the Barnet College of Nursing and Midwifery for food tonight. So plan is to meet them at the Princess Slapper Memorial Puddle. So I type this paddling and hoping the water cures me of any scrofula I might or not have.
Calm myself down with the sweet sounds of Hefner emanating from Jonny Notpod. Kick off a desultory read of 'Country of the Blind'. By Crewe I'm chilled and kind to old ladies, puppies, children and fish.
Train is full of last nights revellers and at Crewe just full generally. Those who've wandered off for coffee find their route back hazardous.
The asian John Le Mesurier sends the world and his wife an e-mail slagging my release of yesterday after the event. Tosser, I do take on board his criticism and will do better next time but only because he hacks me off. Plus I suspect the motivation is corporate todger waving. Mind you I might be over sensitive about this.
This is the start of my holiday..... Stressing about work!
Bags are packed, I'm up early and not running into work. Coffee is brewed. Bath beckons. Radio is on. Leave message for Sally here and by mail. Books for travl are selected and Jonny Notpod is charged and ready to rumble. Journey down to the smoke sees me sat in one carriage while Monst and Cal have seats reserved in the next one down. Time to relax then! Downside, with trip, I have to wear the hat.....
Key data files from CAIRS for Sally and Stevie P. TA0000.f50 TA0000.f51 TA0000.f52 TA0000.f53 TA0000.f60 TA0000.f61 TA0000.f62 TA0000.f63 TA0000.f70 TA0000.f71 TA0000.f72 TA0000.f73 TA0000.f80 TA0000.f81 TA0000.f82 TA0000.f83
In for tail end of the great rip, a few loose ends left. CAIRS server is dying which is shite news. Stevie P and Mikey F on the case. Not sorted by close of play. Salford start hassling, wish I had a magic wand that I could wave, but I don't. Need to mail Sally with an outline of where we could go next and intro to the ways of Stevie P.
Town, work everywhere buzzing with the European Cup win last night. Nice to see if disconnected from it. The girls had a good time last night by the sound of it. Cool, not many nights like last night, so made up for them. Mail chat with Shan, raise the 89 game......
Dave mans the library as I leaflet the building. Learning at Work Day goes with a bit of a whimper. Guess it's a case of after the Lord Mayor's show. Not suprising building is half empty. Still the joy on peoples faces is good to see.
Meanwhile on leave as of now and FoI haunts me as the DoH deny having files they claim we have and we deny we have them. Somebody somewhere is telling porkies either to me or the requestor.
Learning at Work Day arrives so on goes the LAW T-Shirt again.... Comp this year, how many practices did our little book go to spawned a host of pics:
Priory Medical Centre 
Hanging out with some grey lit
Fairfield
A good penultimate welcome too
Penultimate practice of the day
More friendly folk
Sheil Park
The book reports to the receptionist on arrival
Bigham Road Medical Centre
Kensington Park, the AA fail us and we have to take an alternative route
Edge Lane in the distance
The book makes as suggestion....
Another new friend of the library. Pleasant folk make the day special.
Spot the book, we even have time to make new friends for the library
Earle Road
Incognito book
Abercromby, some mutterings about deities, gambling etc. In joke for the Fade crew I'm afraid
Inside Edge Hill
Edge Hill Health Centre
Booking an advanced appointment
So good we took it twice
The Riverside Crew try and get inside information from the Littlest Book
Inside St. Joseph's
St Joseph's just up Upper Parliament Street
Lots of friends for the Littlest Book to play with
Upper Parliament St. Medical Centre
Happy at Hartington Road, nice reception
Hartington Road, PCT HQ
Practice shut we show it the book
Spot the surgery again
MC Littlest Book
Christina gets in the picture....
Lunch break for the Littlest Book, it wanted a pint of Old Hooky but we explained it as under age!
In Greenbank Road
Greenbank Road, evidence of spend on primary care premises
But we learn it's not now....
Greenbank Road Surgery we thought!
Minimalist Littlest Book
Greenbank
Sandringham Medical Centre
More friends for our tiny book
Nice People
In Lance Lane
Lance Lane Medical Centre
Guess where?
On the Board
At Penny Lane the Littlest Book makes a friend
Penny Lane Surgery
Sefton Park Medical Centre
Sefton Park, nice Glass Bricks
No seriously it is on the map!
On the map at last....
Nice bricks!
The book knocked, and was let in!
Spot the Surgery!
Knotty Ash, Jam Butty Mine Central
Lovely smile, small book, what more do you want?
We prescribe small books
Welcome in Dovecot
Dovecot
Oak Vale Medical Centre
Hanging around Oak Vale
A warm welcome at Green Lane
Old Swan Health Centre
Hiding again....
Where's that book?
Stoneycroft Medical Centre
Stoneycroft Medical Centre
Another welcome for the book
There's an Old Piano....Behind the Green Door
Green Lane Medical Centre
Hornspit Medical Centre
Baycliff FHC, Book is Banned Here!
Littlest Book in Eaton Road
More Eaton Road
Eaton Road
