Coffee, cups and bowls

So we have been here a while now. It feels strange to even think that as our only opportunity to see anything was the drive from the airport to our apartment and I fell asleep! Anyway we arrived last Thursday and its now the following Saturday. I am starting to think of myself like Mark Watney in the Martian only with reduced access to Pork products.

For anyone who knows me well or perhaps has been on any of the Ten Tors training walks, you will know that I love a coffee in the morning. However, many years after discovering this black gold, I still go to bed each evening looking forward this syrupy wake up juice. My efforts to mix such a potion are rarely limited. I have collected an array of paraphernalia, of differing sizes and styles. On packing for our one way trip to the UAE I went with the tried and tested Aeropress. Simple, light, confusing for Sarah to use. It is everything I need in a morning brewing contraption. On our first morning here I encountered a significant and irritating hurdle. It doesn't fit!

Much like the food situation I have mentioned before. Ahead of our arrival some kind person has been out and purchased kitchen supplies for our apartment. The aim here, I know, is to make our move as pleasant as is possible and given the circumstances is probably more essential than it usually is. However, in any normal year, within a day or two you would be out and about and could purchase things of your own. In this case the thing required is a sensible sized coffee mug. For those of you who prefer the more gentle tickle of a morning cup of tea and have little idea what an Aeropress is let alone how one cannot fit, I have included a picture below of one in action. For days now I have been unable brew using this method and have been forced to make coffee in bowl. To the rescue, the Bavisters!

Yesterday evening, the door bell rang and rather sweaty man in cycling attire stood asking if we wanted him to order us some take away Pizza. Our neighbour had just got back from a ride and had remembered what I had not; Friday night is Pizza night. In fact I had completely forgotten that it was Friday night! Unfortunately for us, with the day forgotten, the opportunity for Pizza was lost; we had already eaten. However, fortunately for us the opportunity for perhaps our 4th conversation in the last ten days arose. Lending of lemons, confessions of damage to borrowed property and about an hour later we were in possesion of a barrowed coffee mug. Hazaar!

The following day dawns and at the crack of about ten thirty a coffee was brewed that had not been poured from several different receptacles. It was going to be great day!

As you can probably tell, I am running short of things to write about at this point. The ony things left are perhaps our nightly trips to bin across street or how frustrating the air conditioning remote is. 10 days in and all but the very darkest crevices our four room, three bathroom apartment have been explored. Just four more days to go!