A Pam hug, better than a bear hug

So having arrived in Saudi it must be coffee time, it's always coffee time in the sandbox and who better to share the experience with than Shery, Pam and Laura, we arranged a meet and greet at the rec centre and off I toddled to see my ladies, well just a few of them to start with.  Now you would think that as the coffee shop is in the rec centre that coffee would be readily available, you would be wrong, for some reason I know not why coffee is out of stock, arabic coffee is available though and unfortunately tastes like scented coffee with added gung.  Now I love arabic coffee having been introduced to it by Reham some time ago, but this stuff is obviously an acquired taste, I did manage to get half way through the cup before I decided that I didn't have the stamina to finish the other half. We chatted about Algiers, and things that I had missed in Saudi and we are now fully up to date with our respective little worlds.

My afternoon was spent looking at our belongings and walking back out of the room again, walking back in the room and walking back out again, I was beginning to feel like a yoyo, I may very well have to tie myself to an immovable object just to stop myself from finding something better to do when I really should be organising.

Next coffee meeting was organised and this would include breakfast at Madeleines, we hi-jacked the compound bus and it's driver and insisted he take us to Madeleines, but after he dropped the ladies who were genuinely using the bus to their required drop off points of course. Madeleines was busy as usual and we arrived and found our table, it was so nice to be out with ladies who are great fun, and like minded when it comes to the little idiosyncrasies of the country we find ourselves in.

We should never underestimate the power of friendship, lady power, call it what you will, a miserable day can be uplifted by the simplest of gestures, a smile or a few kind words, but let me tell you the best gesture of all and one that not everyone will be lucky enough to receive, I have been lucky enough to have had many and it is a Pam Hug, it is a very precious thing, there is nothing to compare with a Pam hug, it is like being wrapped in your favourite PJ's, cocooned in you comfy chair whilst drinking your favourite bed time drink in front of a roaring fire, warm, comforting and full to overflowing with friendship.