Greetings from Cairo

I have a bit of time so I thought I'd try and bring you up to date on what is going with Doortje and I. But as there is so much to tell I really don't know where to start. Umm, well, the weather here is really nice, it's been in the low 20s all week.

I just got off the phone with Door and she is quite busy at the embassy. She went to work on monday and is staying at the Marriott Hotel with all the other embassy staff but I'm staying at the house as the hotel doesn't allow dogs, for any reason, so going there with her isn't an option. Doortje didn't go to work sooner as she was just getting over a nasty cold which I suspect is still lingering but she wants to be at the embassy to do her part. As well she says they all walk back and forth from the hotel/embassy in a group for safety and that we shouldn't worry about her. But somehow, I still do.

As for me and the dogs we are doing well. The rich Egyptians on our compound have hired 20 or so men to provide security and they are doing a good job so I feel safe enough. I had been joining in with them sitting outside our gate from 0400 to 1800 but with the way things have turned we've decided that I should keep a lower profile, it's not like I'm adding a lot with my presences anyway. Except perhaps for the appreciation of the guards that I'm willing to sit outside and to eat breakfast with them, this I've been told means a lot to them. I am "Mr Brian" to them which is respectful, and I feel undeserved, but makes me wish I had more food/water/warm clothes to share.

My short term plan is to stay in the house as long as I can find enough food and, well, toilet paper but when the logistics/security becomes too difficult some desert friends and I plan to head to the Bahariya Oasis, if we can get out of the city safely.

I have buckets more to tell you but I'm in the middle of packing the truck in case we do have to leave as I suspect that will be done rather quickly. So I'll leave my stories for another time.