A Story of War

We reach Suez and embark a few more passengers. It suddenly gets damn cold, the day before in the Red Sea, and I get my battledress out. P.T. every afternoon followed by deck hockey, a la Razmak only no roller-skates, with the ships officers, and yesterday I get invited back fro some beer – McEwans Red Label, which I haven’t seen for some years. We pass Shandur this morning and are now going through the Bitter Lakes. Sunset over that hill to the west of the refinery, and the ships silhouetted in the glow – the last one I shall sea for a bit I expect. Italians singing to a guitar, heard whilst half asleep in the afternoon – always reminds me of Somerset Maugham.