Getting better

THURSDAY 28th

Less wind so as the day progresses we may get our clothes off! The hotel is only 55% full and it seems even quieter today as many of the Longwoods' guests have gone on the day trip to visit the ancient city of Petra in Jordan. Although this was a good, but expensive, way to visit Jordan we have been told we would have at least 5 hours walking and we had to get up very early.

So after a morning by the pool, but not yet taking a dip, we set off to walk to the Dive Centre again for lunch. The sea was so flat and lots of people were snorkelling and diving, the beach beds were occupied and beach activities were taking place. We had been approached whilst lazing by the pool to come and play water polo. "Do I look like the sort of person who plays water polo? I don't think so!" His reply was "No, perhaps not, more of a belly dancer - I can teach you" "With my bad back, thanks, but no thanks!"

Back after lunch Keith went to collect his snorkelling gear whilst I went for towels and to search out a couple of sunbeds preferably near the jetty. Despite the notices the Russians were still walking into the water over the reef. A kingfisher obliged me by resting on a jetty post so I could capture him on camera. If only I had left it switched on I could have taken a photo of him diving into the sea and returning with a fish in its beak - it would have been a cracking shot. As we returned to our room with the setting sun people were still coming down to the beach. The watersports centre located on the beach have said we shall have similar weather tomorrow. The air temperature, pool temperature and sea temperature are all the same today 27C.

We have discovered the 'Tanour' bar and restuarant has happy hour from 6-7pm which more or less coincides with our dining routine. The only drawback is the French guests take up a large section of the floor seating by the corner of the bar to play noisy parlour games run by the French 'Fram' entertainment team . The bar staff are not happy with this arrangement apart from the noice none of the French guests are buying drinks.

We gave the entertainment a miss again tonight. As the evenings are getting warmer we are quite content to sit on our balcony with a bottle of wine and watch the lights of Saudi which stretch all along the coastline as far as the eye can see. During the daytime there appears to be nothing but mountains and the 3 chimneys of a factory which we have been told is the border between Jordan and Saudi Arabia. But at nights we can see many lights high up in the mountainside as well.