When will Spring come?

It's the 21st of March and I am cold. Too cold. Not seen any sun for what feels like an eternity, and tomorrow the forecast is for snow. When will Spring come? When will we feel the gentle warmth of the sun on our faces, birds sing and lambs bleating for the mums. When will Spring come? I hope it comes soon, the long hard slog of Winter has taken its toll on mind and body. Our first holiday of the year is just a couple of weeks away - a picturesque cottage on Exmoor. I hope that Spring comes soon - Exmoor is no place to be when the wind is howling and the rain beating down. When will Spring come? Will it come soon?

It's been a while

One of the great benefits of the connected world in which we live is the ability to reach out and talk to people across the globe.

Today from my free wireless connection at the Sofitel in Marrakech I have been commenting on Facebook posts from people in Hong Kong, Malta and home on the UK, having an email dialogue with clients in New York City, Dubai and London as well as chatting to various members of my family.

And the main reason for this intensity of contact? Well I am sat in this hotel as very much Nobby no mates. The nearest thing to any kind of social interaction (apart from a 90 min meeting with my DMC contact this morning) was the camaraderie that comes from a bunch of blokes watching a footie match - in this case Messi drew 2-2 with Ronaldo... A few other guys turned in white shirts with Ronaldo and striped shirts with Messi.

Let me tell you about staying in a 'western' orientated hotel in Marrakech. Apart from the fact the Sofitel is French owned, the dominant language in the hotel is not Arabic but French. The good thing about being separated from my countrymen is that there is a distinct absence of lad and ladette behaviour. Even watching the football was somewhat refined. The downside is that there is also a distinct lack of urgency, so my Anglo Saxon DNA finds the pace of service delivery (I would say slow) irritating.

It is a nice hotel, it feels comfortable, the public spaces are spacious and there are various nooks and crannies to ring the changes. The location on the edge of the Medina is excellent and my room which is South facing has spectacular views to the snow capped Atlas Mountains.

Just thought.... The one good thing about the chilled approach is that I am not being hassled for my table..... Always best to get the glass half full!

So it has been a while. My apologies, I will try harder, and if I said exactly the same last time... Oh well.

Peter 

	Peter Jackson Commercial Director Red e2 Ltd
DL: +44 (0)870 121 7062 M: +44 (0)7887 794 396 T: +44 (0)870 121 7060 Fax: +44 (0)870 121 7061 Email: pj@rede2.com Web: www.rede2.com
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A name

Currently sat in a pavement Cafe and a pass has just gone past showing its destination as Chartres, a couple or so weeks ago whilst being driven around a city I noticed direction signs showing the way to both Fez and Casablanca.

It always amazes me the impact of seeing a the name of somewhere either historic and/or famous being used in a very mundane way - such as a street sign or as in a few moments ago on the front of a bus.

I am struck by two thoughts which I guess is the same thought from different ends of the spectrum.

Do people who live in Chartres or Marrakech (where I saw the signs for Fez and Casablanca) realise they in places that hold other people if not in awe in a degree of amazement?

Are people impressed if they see signs for Hallow or Worcester? Perhaps it does, but then again no doubt like the good people of Marrakech and Chartres I should also be amazed at other people's amazement......

Actually comparing the tat being flogged to people in both destinations compared to the stuff being sold at home.... Perhaps I should be amazed if people are amazed at Hallow or Worcester, I suspect the good folk of Chartres and Marrakech are just grateful for the business...

Next few weeks Amsterdam, Paris and back to Marrakech.....

Peter

Sent from my mobile so please excuse the brevity and any mistakes!

Peter Jackson

Commercial Director
Red e2 Ltd

DL: +44(0)870 121 7062
M: +44(0)7887 794 396
T: +44(0)870 121 7060
Fax: +44(0)870 121 7061
Email: pj@rede2.com
Web: www.rede2.com

To find out more about our ducks visit www.rede2.com/meet-the-team.html

Please address correspondence to Red e2 Ltd, Unit 8, Twigworth Court, Twigworth, GL2 9PG, United Kingdom

Please consider the environment - do you really need to print this email?
E-mail confidentiality and virus policy notice. The information contained in this e-mail and any files transmitted with it is confidential and intended
for the addressee only. If you have received this e-mail in error please accept our apologies. We would ask that you advise us by contacting red e2
on +44 (0) 870 121 7067 or via e-mail by return or forwarding to gf@rede2.com quoting the name of the sender and the addressee. Please then
delete the message and any attachments from your system.

No plug sockets!

Now I travel with a six-gang, that is an extension cable with six sockets. This allows me to charge my phone, iPad, camera, headphones and laptop in one go and with minimal disruption to my hotel room.

So I am in a nice ocean front suite on the West coast of Barbados, a huge balcony and the sea just a few feet away, my iPhone decibel app has just recorded a peak of 84 db from the noise of the crashing waves. Anyway, do you think I can find a power socket not already in use? Well I did actually two outside on the balcony... But that's not the point... Nothing inside... Very frustrating.... Had to unplug a lamp.

Unusually for me I have actually spent some time in the room, last night I actually watched TV and this afternoon read and dozed a little on the balcony.... Ok it was only for an hour and half but that is much longer than I normally spend in my bedroom (without sleeping).

And another thing.... The hotel provides a coffee making machine but no fresh milk or a socket to plug the machine onto! No plug sockets!

Peter
10/11/12
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Class act in Chester

Sometimes you come across a group of people who really impress, over the weekend my wife and I had the good fortune to meet the staff who work at the Chester Grosvenor Hotel.

Delivering unsurpassed service matched with a gently assured and natural manner is a delicate art few hoteliers are able to master. These guys were very impressive, rarely have I come across a group of people who not only do their job exceptionally well as well as being so......well human.

A great hotel with wonderful people.

Peter

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We're cheaper than ASDA

The journey back from Alexandria didn't start well.

I thought the agent said 12.30 but could have been one o'clock. I was getting angst at 12.45 but holding my nerve, well at least I thought I was but that bubble was burst when the Four Seasons guy approached me asked a couple of questions and reassured me that the guys picking me up were probably just praying - it was Friday - and because it was Friday was only 15 minutes away.

By ten past one and unable to reach anyone by phone - did I mention it was Friday? I was on edge, just as I was about invoke a Four Seasons service solution when the guys turned up.

After that the journey went well, the train quiet, the trolley man able to speak english, the porter not too greedy and Ahmed on the platform to welcome.

The journey to the relatively new Fairmont Nile City was uneventful. We avoided Tahrir Square which wee due to have demonstrations today - did I mention it was Friday?

Getting checked in was however less straightforward. I think the welcome was warm however I couldn't hear it over the drilling from jack hammers in the lower lobby. My company credit card declined - Laura thought it was amusing that the reception guy enquired if I had sufficient funds in my account. Not a great start.

The Fairmont room itself was great, large, modern, well equipped.

We went next door for a bite to eat before checking out the roof top pool and bar. Unfortunately as it was after 6pm the pool was closed and the roof top destination bar with panoramic views of the city was coming soon.....

Laura wanted to return to Khan el Khalili - the bazaar area of old Cairo to buy some gifts. It was Friday and we didn't fancy the regular taxi's so using the excuse that dinner in the shopping mall restaurant was a lot less expensive than the hotel meal I had initially planned we treated ourselves to a town car for the journey there and back.

The Fairmont staff redeemed themselves from the earlier less auspicious start but sorting the car and changing some cash into small bills.

Now the Khan el Khalili area is like most bazaar areas, wall to wall shops selling stuff from the same wholesalers, guys touting for business, children at your shoulder trying to sell trinkets.

It is generally good natured stuff, the banter friendly and a polite but firm no or shake of the head sufficient for them to stop.. Laura as you would expect received a fair bit of attention, shouts of my angel.... I love you. One guy delivered in jest the immortal line 'how many camels for your daughter sir'. It's fast, intensive and a lot of fun.

In amongst all of the shouts of 1/2 price today, I make you special price two calls made us laugh - they were 'we are cheaper than Tesco' and 'we are cheaper than Asda'. Funny.

Returning to the hotel we had a night cap in the first floor (tiny) bar. The two bar men very friendly and of course the conversation turned to football. It would appear we were in Cairo thousands of miles from their home grounds in the presence of a Liverpool and Man Utd fans. No surprise there then.

Tomorrow we have a half day at the pool and then begin our journey home.

P
Peter Jackson
Mobile: +44(0)7887 794396

Sent from my BlackBerry from Vodafone- so please excuse the brevity and the typing mistakes!

Please reply to pj@rede2.com. Thank You

A river runs by, the oasis stands tall

The river in question is the six sometimes eight-ten lane highway that runs in front of our oasis which is the Four Seasons hotel. The flow of cars, vans and ambulances seems never ending what ever the time of day or night. If I didn't know better I would say they are the same cars stuck in some kind of horrific loop.

Four Seasons dubbed themselves Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts and this is very much a resort hotel. If you were so inclined you could stay on property, observe the world from either the fourth floor infinity pool, the private beach accessed by an equally private tunnel under the sea of cars or from one of the several different restaurants. This is what Four Seasons does best, create an oasis for its guests that allows them to feel safe, comfortable and completely un stressed.

We allowed ourselves to be swallowed up by the hotel today, it was nice.

Tomorrow after three days here at Four Seasons Alexandria and before that three days at the equally pleasant Four Seasons Nile Plaza we start our journey towards home with a train journey back to Cairo.

Night, night world.








Peter Jackson
Mobile: +44(0)7887 794396

Sent from my BlackBerry from Vodafone- so please excuse the brevity and the typing mistakes!

Please reply to pj@rede2.com. Thank You