WEST OF SUEZ.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 304, 23 December 1940, Page 6

WEST OF SUEZ.

LIFE IN EGYPT. A SERGEANT'S DIARY. TRAINING AND RECREATION. One thing of note this week —it rained quite heavily for about half an hour last night. Some say it is eight years since it rained in these parta, some eight months, which is probably nearer the mark, but whatever ie correct it must be a rare occasion. We are fortunate in that this camp has been fairly well established by the first, and we have all the permanent buildings for messing and entertainment. We sleep in tents, of course, but they are ideal for these climates. Don't imagine it to be up to l'apakura standard. It ie not, everything very rough, but homely and comfortable.

I have only been into Cairo one morning so far, and it seems to l>e a very weird and "wonderful place. There seem to be two main parts, the old and the new, the old as old as the hills and the uew ultra-modern.

Everybody in the streets eeem to be selling things, and it makes you wonder who doee the buying.

The Y.M.C.A, and Soldiers' Club have very good places in the city, and are about the only reliable places to have a meal at, except some of the hotels, which are rather expensive for the likes of us. Have had a really laay week-end, swimming and sun-bathing. We have wonderful baths in the camp and they are a, great attraction. Strangely enough we have an abundant and good water supply. One thing very noticeable compared with New Zealand is the small amount you eat and drink. Our rations are cut down to half or le*s and now everybody from the colonel down has exactly the same food. We have onr different meases as before, but quantity and quality of food all the same. We are all looking forward very much to a New Zealand mail, but it may be some time before it arrives. Route Marches in Desert. We are getting a fair bit of training and plonty of exercise in the way of marching and digging and are feeling very fit indeed. These route marches into the deoert are tlie things—very different from going along a road. After about 10 milea in the heat and sand, you begin to think you have had enough. Cairo is a great town and so very different from a New Zealand city. Some parts are just a rabble and others are as up-to-date and modern as you could wish. There are many large shops and goods seem very cheap compared with our pricee.

The hotels are also very good, and for a meal you could not wish for anything better. The particular hotel we went to had the restaurant in the open air, combined with the picture theatre. Most places of entertainment are open air, and it is a real pleasure to get away from the 3tuffy atmosphere of our theatres.

For shopping and most places of business, French seems to be the principal lingo, and we have a lot of fun with some of the assistants. What little we do know comes in very handy, and with the aid of our hands we manage to net our requirement* in the finish. Fortunately, the talkies are mostly American or English, with the French and Arabic versions printed below.

Food and Mails. It seems strange to us that so little news has been made known in New Zealand, but now that we have arrived at our base there does not seem to be anv reason why future mails and information should not bo transmitted more re<nijarly Air mails from Xew Zealand have been coming through fairly rejmJarly but it may be some time yet before the first surface mail arrives. When it does, I think we will declare, a holiday You make me feel very envious when you eay the garden is bright and the weather is perfect. I have no complaints about the weather, but to see a nice bright garden would be a treat for sore eyes.

In thw camp, the food is quite plentiful and reasonably good, for these parts i ou never- see milk, of course, but e<r<r S and tomatoes are good and plentiful Egypt ia supposed to prow the best vegetables in the world, but by the time the army cooks have done with them you would not notice it. Tomatoes are always good though, eo for me that makes up for a lot. When we are awav, though, the old stand-by comes to the fore again—bully beef and dry rations, which are not quite so good. About two weeks back we had a vieit from Anthony Eden. It was an occasion for a ceremonial parade and march past with the usual few nice words said to us. Yesterday also, H,H. the Emir Abdullah of Trane-Jordan paid us a vieit eo the usual parade again. I don't

know who thie old bird is, but ho is apparently very influential, by the way the authorities are fussing around him. The mails see:n to be coming in regularly now, and on the 10th 1 received all yours dated 5/11/40. Not bad going, and if they can keep that schedule I will have no complaints. Main Discomfort—Cold. Everything is going on very qnietlv over here at the moment. We'have had a fairU' strenuous week though, and been out and away from cam]) nearly all the time. Three nighta sleeping out in the desert, and not very pleasant. You will be surprised to lw>ar the main discomfort is the cold. From midnight to dawn it is deadly, not the cold we get in New Zealand, but a wind saturated with moisture which eccnis to go right through you, and worse than a heavy frast. You will find the sand in the morning quite wet to a depth of half a inch, and your clothes and blanket* the eame, After the long hours through the week I am thoroughly enjoying a lazy week-end, and have no wish to leave camp.

I gave myself a treat this afternoon and spent the best part of an hour at the camp Imrber. For five piastres (1/3) I was able to got a haircut, shave, shampoo, and a friction, so am a nice clean boy again and no (leas. !t was money well spent, and will be vioiting again,'l think. Have not yet received any pnpere, but they will be very much appreciated when they arrive. The tent* are very large, and usually accommodate cijiht. so we have plenty of room. All dug in of course, and our beds are well below the ground level. Tents are just ideal for these climates, and would much prefer them to huts as in Papttkura. The food is also very good and being 'more acclimatised and the cooler weather finds the appetite* very keen.

What a boom this war must bo for Egy'pt—up to the present, anyhow. The money spent to maintain the British Army imwt le very considerable; wages alone, which must all bo spent here, would amount to hundreds of thousands weekly. The old Qyjino hae never boon better off in hie life, and everybody bus something to sell.

That seems about all I win find for this week. You need have no worries for me out here; am aa lit as a fiddle, and although I would not say am enjoying the life, am able to take the new conditions and climate very well. Perfect Weather. Different from last week, we have had rather an easy week and have been in camp the full seven days. I'athcr pleased to bo in too, for believe me the nights are getting very cold even here, and they mu»t be a lot worse deeper into the desert. We don't get the frost, but it soeins quite cold enough. I suppose with the warm days we notice it more. Really, to me. the weather at present i< just perfect with the pleasantly warm days and fresh nights and early mornings. Further up into the desert where the First Echelon arc, they have hud a real deluge of rain and just about flooded out, but no sign of it here. Have had a very quiet week-end, and Saturday afternoon went down to the Market, which is the native part of Cairo, whore they make and sell j>ll Eastern ornament*, jewellery, embroidery works, etc. Very interesting, and I intend to go again and look dee|>er into it. Some of the work ia marvellous, but spoilt by the fact of so ninth child labour. All hand-made, and they have some real craftsmen among them.

We went into one perfume place. Mention any smell, scent or flower, and they would li 11 the room with the exact scent. Wont through th • gold and silver markets, enruot makers and various others, and really had a very interesting afternoon. This afternoon we toured round Maadi l>y bicycle. You can hire u bike for two piastres an hour (.Id), and makes an easy and pleasant way to look around. Maadi is chiefly a residential area, and being dose to the hill is well cultivated, and the vegetation is really very good. 'I he homes are very modern, and owned by Europeans and wealthy Greeks, Kgyptians, etc. You would love the gardens, and their front hedges are mainly composed of poiutsettias which are at the moment in full bloom and make a great show. In the gardens rosee and carnations seem to make the highest show at the moment.

All this area is very flat, and both sides of the streets are planted with trees which overhang and meet at the top, so besides being nice and cool thev are very pretty.

Well, C'hri.tmas is not very far awav, and to-day we started planning our Christmas dinner, which will co'mi.rUe roughly turkey, duck, uute, dates, fruit plus the usual vegetables, etc. We are putting in about eight piastres each to help along with th<» extras. Arrangements are only temporary in the meantime, as we can't he certain whore we will be. but it looks as though we will l>e ill ramp. There may be a possibility of a bit of leave for a day or two, and if so will "inKc a bee line for the sea, if money i« available. May be Alexandria or Inlestine—lk.Ui *~,,n , | very attractive to us desert rats at the moment.