A lapse

Oh dear, I’m sorry to have to report that I smoked two cigarettes this evening. Bad blogger. Weak willed, I was. Someone insisted while I was at a bar and I gave in – but I have not bought a packet of ciggies, which is usually what happens after these incidents.

I’m not good at being a non-smoker and Italians don’t help either; it is quite acceptable to ask complete strangers here for a cigarette and this is bad news. In the past I have stopped smoking and then re-started because I felt guilty about scrounging cigarettes from others.

Funnily enough, I don’t feel any craving for another puff and hope to start not smoking once more………

Write 1000 times – “Smoking is bad for your health and your wallet.”

Sharm El Sheikh and bombs etc.

Two years ago my other half went off to Hurgharda, which is in the Sharm El Sheikh area – ie the Red Sea – for a brief holiday. She had a great time and we've been thinking about going back there or checking out Sharm El Sheikh with our two year old son. Not now.

For the moment the terrorists have got their way and put me, and quite a few others off this area. This is a great shame for Egypt which was getting itself established as a good holiday destination. However, the old favourites of the Greek Islands and the Spanish islands should do quite well out of this nasty incident.

Sharm El Sheikh had become a number one, and very fashionable, holiday destination for lots of Italians in recent years, a bit like Tenerife is for English people. Sadly, the popularity of the destination has been damaged by the acts of the blinkered few. The tourists are not the ones who will suffer in the long term, oh no, they will find other places to spend time and money. The populace of Egypt in the Red Sea region, which had been pulling itself slowly out from the grip of poverty, will suffer. And I'm not sure that they, the Egyptians will view those who have halted their progress with particular kindness. This act will not do much to raise the popularity of Mr Bin Laden and his cause.

If I were to be an arms dealer, or one who holds shares in a security or arms company in this period, I would probably be rubbing my hands in glee. Everyone wants protecting and therefore everyone wants guns and related security equipment. Makes you wander whether it is not really in the best interests of certain people for Mr Bin Laden to be brought down. After all, he is creating a nice healthy climate of fear and this means countries will spend loads on arming themselves, not to mention keeping populations so occupied with worries about bombs and the like that they will overlook ever increasing prices and ever more incompetent leadership.

Forget I wrote the last part, after all, it cannot be right can it?

I have not smoked for over a week!

It’s true. I’m becoming a non-smoker, again. I even resisted when surrounded by other ‘orrible smoking types, too. But ciggies can be useful – as you can see from the pic.

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