Burp, and is this a bargain

It rained overnight and in the morning the dust on the roads had dampened down to a thin layer of mud.  It was also quite cold and I was glad I bought the winter fleece with me from the UK.  I know from time in Iran and trips to Alice Springs that it can get bitterly cold in the desert at night which is why I had anticipated colder temperatures. 

Deciding on a new eating strategy, I invited one of the recently arrived Egyptian manager to join me for dinner, provided he selected the restaurant and chose the food.  A cunning plan as I can’t read Arabic!  His English is reasonably good (he tells me all Egyptians are taught English at school) and we were able to converse in broken English.  The restaurant he took me to was (another) fast food outlet, this one specialized in Egyptian food.  My dish was a mix of rice, pasta, various lentils and small strips of beef.  It came with three types of sauces.  One was a thin tomato, the second lemon grass, and the third a type of watery gravy.  There was also a side dish of ‘Nan’ (flat, unleavened wholemeal brown bread) and a plate of chips.  Everything seems to come with chips in this country.  The change in diet was welcome after a fortnight of kebarbs.  However the serving was too large and in the end I left half of it.  No ‘doggy bags’ here as no one keeps a dog!

After the meal we wandered around the exterior of King Abdullah Park.  It’s open to men on Monday and Wednesday with women and families on all other days.  I’m being discriminated against!

After braving the traffic back to the apartment I wandered across to see my favourite Bangladeshi laundry man where I collected and pay for my washing and ironing (£2), and get my smile and wave!  Next was the local mini-mart to restock my depleted pantry.  The flies are starting to put in an appearance (probably attracted by the delicious smells emanating from the drain in the bathroom floor) which meant fly spray was added to the list. I’m not buying drain cleaner as (hopefully) I have less than a week before moving to my new accommodation.

These are my purchases which cost approximately £6.50.  Is the cost of living cheaper here?

Essential man food! Have to maintain a balanced diet……