22nd
Monday 21st March 2011
Today we headed up to the Delta in our trusty 4x4. The traffic was appalling, and our timing not helped by the fact that we started up the wrong way on the infamous ‘da-iry’ - the ring road! But we got on the Cairo-Alexandria agricultural road eventually and then to Tanta before the office closed. We met with the head of the inspectorate for Minufiyeh, our inspector and old colleagues. It was great to see everybody again and to feel that the work is about to start. After finalising paperwork in Tanta we headed back to the town of Shibin el-Kom, where we have stayed for the past two years now - a nice modern town with lots of familiar faces. We found a nice clean appartment very simply this time - thanks to colleagues - and moved in and headed for the supermarkets to get our supplies in. By the end of the day we had shared our first simple and well-earned dinner, unpacked and found the internet connection on the balcony. The weather is plenty warm enough to sit out and type from there. Tomorrow we head up to Quesna to get equipment and then start on the survey.
