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TAXI TuuuuT
 If
in Cairo, car horns are a way of life (1 tuuut for I’m here, you
maybe haven’t seen me, 2 tuuuts for you are going to die if you
don’t move out of my way, you silly), here in Hurghada, they are
a way of earning your life, as the taxis use it to attract
tourists' attention.
So, you are walking, and they just tuuuut at you, you think it’s
because you are cute or something. Nooo, they want work…
Tough way to earn a living… |
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UNORTHODOX HESHAM…
 A
little while ago, we received an article about one of the top clubs in Cairo, the Gazira Club, from a Hesham El Attar. A good article, plenty of photos, good
material, we thought (and it will be published shortly).
Cut to Hurghada, here he is in person, not only coach to
Omneya, based in Gazira, but also one of the top referees in the tournament.
His way of refereeing, his speech style, calm and contained, his understanding
of the psychology of the players (he’s been coaching most of them) make him, in
my eyes, a top ref material, and above all, a bloody nice guy to have a chat
with.
"I started squash by accident. I was around 7, living in India, and I was
playing tennis on a grass court with my father and my brother, when I decided to
wander off. I suddenly found a building, so I went in, climbed the stairs, and
saw some people training very hard. And something just clicked.
’I want to play squash’, I declared to my dad. So I found myself an old
badminton racquet, and a piece of rubber, and I started playing in my garage!
And after, I eventually started playing in that famous court, in that famous
building….
"I’m the same age as Jahangir to the week, so I’m part of that generation. And
although I was not able to live that dream of travelling a lot on the circuit
for financial reason, as I was studying economics and psychology, I still was
able to play at a reasonable level, I guess around the top 20, 30, and was part
of the first National League in England, the American Express, and I was playing
number two then number one for Redwood Lodge.
"Then in 1987, I got involved with the Egyptian Association for the Barada/Elborolossy
generation coaching, then in ’89, I was asked to go and coach in
Italy."
Since, he’s been travelling backwards and forwards between Italy and Egypt, but
since his wife has had their second child, he is trying desperately to have them
back here. Three years later, their house in the outskirts of Cairo is still not
ready… Still, he had the time to prepare some instructional CDs and e-book about
squash that have been very well received, I’m told. And when I asked him why he
loves squash so much?
"It’s like a physical chess game with style, where each player has got to
understand the other one's motion. And I find that fascinating”.
Not your typical Joe Bloke, is Hesham …
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BABY ON
THE WAY
 You
know I just can’t resist, well, an excellent news, Linda
Elriani, former Charman, has been expecting for three months
now. The couple are coming to England to say hello to in the
summer.
Question is. For which country the new arrival is going to play
for in the Team competitions????? |
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 Hurghada
EN BREF Issue #5
Everything you never knew you needed to know about the Hurghada
International |
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MEET MRS ENGY…
Most of you know by now that Engy Kheirallah became, in December
’07, Mrs Karim Darwish, “just after the World Teams in India”,
she says, “he had one more week of a single life”. How is she
adapting to that complete new world, even more for her, as it’s
not in Karim and Engy’s culture to live together or to have any
closeness before they actually wed. Well, it’s been not that
easy, she admits…
But let’s start from the beginning. They’ve known each other
since they were 14, and the very least you can say is that they
didn’t appreciate each other that much for years;
 “we
used to see each other on the circuit, but there was really no
attraction there, we were not even friends. Then, in 2001,
Karim, who was going out with the same girlfriend for six years,
just broke up with her, and the same for me. We were in the
University World Championship in Austria, and there was not much
to do there, so we just hung out together, and well, we sort of
realised that we could actually be friends. But really nothing
more.
Then we met each other later in Cairo, in the Maadi club, and we
went for a meal, then a movie, and it was fun. And we started to
call each other on the phone a lot, it got like a habit, and if
I was not calling Karim one day, he would ask me why?! So
gradually, gradually, the sentiment developed into something
else.
But Karim is somebody who doesn’t open easily, he just feels
things, but expects you to understand what is going on. So, it
took a while for him to actually open up, and one day, he was
driving me home, and he actually declared what his feelings
towards me were.”
They got engaged in 2005, and you know the rest. But since, the
“shock of the world” has been pretty tough for the Beautiful
Engy.
 ”Well,
I’m from Alexandria, where life is so much more relaxed than it
is in Cairo. In Alex, if you can’t do something one day, you’ll
do it the next day, it doesn’t matter. Whereas in Cairo, it’s a
big city, everybody is under a lot of pressure, and the pace is
completely different. So, I had to adapt to that.
"Also, Karim is so punctual, so organised. He is so
professional, he is such a hard worker, I look up to him a lot,
I wish I was like him, and it’s good for me to have to change to
become more disciplined, but there again, it’s a big shock for
me.
"On top of that, our house is not finished, we have workers in
and out all the time, our room is not ready, it’s not neat. And
we are trying to find somebody to help out with the house, as
I’m training all the time, and so is Karim, and we are
travelling a lot, but at the moment, I’ve got very little time
to do everything.
 "Not
to mention that up to now, I did a bit what I wanted, and that
I’ve been spoiled by my whole family, and that Karim had such a
great mother who pampered him. I told him from the beginning
that I couldn’t be like his mum, that I would never compare, you
know…
"Also, I never used to cook really, and food is a big thing for
Karim, he likes to eat at regular hours. He is not too difficult
on what he eats, thank God, but he needs to have something on
the table! And I so miscalculated the timing to cook, I never
realised it took so much time to cut vegetables!!!!!
"So, we took a few weeks in a hotel, where we could actually
train, go to his mother to have lunch, then train again, and
that helped us a lot. Also here, we are not sharing, because I
normally share with Omneya, and on this tournament we were
playing on different days, at different times, and our schedules
would collide. And with the pressure on this tournament, it was
much better to have to take care only of ourselves!”
 So
it seems that the life is not that easy at the moment for the
Engy lady. But would she do it again? “Oh, yes, definitely!
Karim is so caring , he is such a professional, and he talks a
lot to me, he shares his experience with me, and that helps me
so much, both professionally and personally. He brought so much
to my life….
"The problem is that I’ve got only a few years of squash left,
and we will want a child soon too, so I’m really trying to
concentrate on my career as well as on my married life, so it’s
all a bit too much for me mentally at the moment. But I know
that once we’ve got our house sorted and somebody to help out,
we’ll be just fine…”
I’m sure you will, Engy, I’m pretty sure you will, Inshallah….
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DO YOU KNOW MISTER ANDREW?
 Forget
Shabana, Ramy, Barada. When you arrive to Hurghada, if you want
to go places, you’ve got to know “Mister Andrew”.
They are of course referring to Andrew Shelley, coordinator of
so many events, and WISPA executive, whose gifts in organisation
and crisis management is famous all around the world.
He is famous for his witty sense of humour, asking shop keepers
if we are going to have some rain today, or sending us notes
like:
“Windy evening, matches complete, my hair a complete mess,
results attached along with tomorrow's order of play”.
 Famous
for his hatred of mobile (he is the only person I know apart
from my mum, 81, who doesn’t possess one - “I’ve succeeded to
retain my sanity so far”, he laughs), he had to have one here,
and I must say it’s quite funny to see him handling that object
a bit like a chicken would handle suspenders: with surprise and
wariness…
Still, when the cleaner of my room asked me what I was doing
here, in Hurghada, I said “squash”, he had a big smile, “Ah,
squash, yes, M. Andrew….”
So now, I go round and introduce myself with," Hi, I’m with
Mister Andrew," and sesame, all the doors are magically opening.
As ever, it’s all about who you know… |
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CONSTRUCT, CONSTRUCT,
AND CONSTRUCT…
 If
there’s one department where unemployment is not an option, it’s
the building industry in the Middle East. In all the countries
(Qatar in particular) I’ve been to, you can see buildings sites
all around you, and they build, build, build, hotel rooms in
particular I was told.
Keeps everybody busy, and the noise level up…
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SO DIFFERENT
 The
minute you arrive around the court here, you feel a different
atmosphere. If for us, Europeans, squash is a sport, here,
squash is “la fête”, squash is a reason to party!
The kids dance on the seats, the flags fly high, people smoke,
chat, call their friends on the phone to tell them how great the
matches are, mobile phones ring with exotic and original
ringtones the whole time, people get in and out of the seats
during play, waiters pass right behind the glass court while the
TV transmission is on…
It’s a whole different world, that takes at least a day or two
to get used to. But honestly, now that stomach bug is settled
with the help of a shot from a doctor who looked 20, but knew
his job (and yes, yesterday, quarters day was a bit difficult),
now that I’ve got a cute little set up in the stands near the
refs' table, with even a plug, that my camera is charged, that
the network is up again (well, if you read these lines, I guess
I was able to send the stuff through), I may actually step
outside, see the pool, and who knows, maybe even get a glimpse
at the sea!
Go on, Fram, you know you want to…
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Hurghada
EN BREF Issue #3
Everything you never knew you needed to know about the Hurghada
International |
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 HELP
AT HAND…
Mr Andrew, as they call him here, coordinator for the event, had
some lovely help this week, in the presence of Hend Helal,
22, who's stopped playing "serious" squash about a year to
concentrate on her studies, and who has been not only efficient,
but so pleasant and agreeable to everybody in the tournament
office.
When I tell you that M. Sawy knows how to throw a tournament…. |
MARWAN GETS THE GIRLS…
I was feeling a bit guilty to let Marwan all alone with dozen of
young girls. "How is he going to cope", I thought, maybe it's a
bit too much for him, he is so young.
Well, look at him, he doesn't seem to be that annoyed, does he?
Some would even think he is quite enjoying himself.
Oh well, it's a tough job, but somebody… |
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INGHAM CLAN IN CAIRO
For a minute, I didn't even flinch when I saw the Magical Three
in the Cairo Centre seats.
But the penny eventually dropped. What the heck where those
juniors doing here? Well, simple answer from the Inghams: "We
are here to train in the Heliopolis club".
Clever dad and mum, lucky kids… |
I LOVE ME SPONSOR…
When I saw Wael arriving, I couldn't believe it.
He's got a car which is exactly the colour of his sponsor's
logo, Tecnifibre!
"It's in the contract, Fram", laughed his head off the cheeky
and slender Egyptian after weeks of training with Jonah.
I tell you, to what extent those guys go to please their
sponsor…. Is that professionalism or what! |
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Hurghada
EN BREF Issue #2
Everything you never knew you needed to know about the Hurghada
International |
NO NONSENSE
 I’m
going to be pushing open wide open doors when I tell you that
parents/coaches' influence on kids during matches are paramount.
Well, yesterday, during a stunning ladies match between two
youngsters, Nouran and Salma, I came to see some superb
behaviour.
OK, both coaches were not exactly quiet during the games, but
hey, they were both coaching, and smiling to each other during
the match, offering the spectators a superb ambiance of both
intensity but also fair play.
 Then,
several times during the match that was long, very long, both
girls started arguing at the refs. And each time, both
coaches/dads signalled that the ref’s decision was the correct
one, and to just “get on with it”. Didn’t need to speak fluent
Arabic to get that one…
Believe me, they were all very tense, very committed to both
their kids. But their great attitude reflected on the girls, and
a match that ended 10/8 in the fifth became, as far as I’m
concerned, a classic.
Thanks for that. |
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NOT ON DIET…
You’ve got certain tournaments where you are not exactly taken
care of (no, you won’t have any names…), and you’ve got the ones
like this one…
 The
second thing M. Sawy said after "got you the wireless, that way
you won’t complain," was "whenever you want tea, just go to the
cafeteria, and put it on my bill."
You add to that some great ladies at the cafeteria that make you
feel at home, the waiters in the restaurant of the hotel
bringing me huge pots of tea whenever they see me approaching,
plus lovely food all day, not to mention a great invitation last
night from the Shorbagy family to an exquisite fish restaurant,
and you have a very happy frog…
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Hurghada
EN BREF Issue #1
Everything you never knew you needed to know about the Hurghada
International |
 LET ME EXPLAIN….
You read those articles, you see Cairo, but you may not
have a clear picture of how a day runs here…
Well, to start with, a shuttle bus service has been organised
(yes, even for the qualifiers…) between the Hotel Sonesta and
Cairo Stadium.
 Well,
you can actually walk from one to the other, it's about 10/15
minutes depending on your load and the state of your knees. But
to do so, you've got to cross a main road.
I did, but
frankly, not exactly looking forward to doing that again soon.
So, the bus takes you round the block, virtually, passing in
front of some lovely buildings, cradled away by the sounds of
the car horns in a chaotic rhythm. Then you arrive in front of
the closed gates, that the 24-hour security opens for you.
And there you are, in front of that imposing Stadium, vast and
airy, with four glassback courts and one glass court, all with
plenty of seats … |
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REFS UNDER PRESSURE…
Never easy the qualifiers, you know. Players who come from
abroad are desperate to win their place in the main draw to make
it viable financially, local players, of an excellent level that
don't have the opportunity to travel much around are keen to do
well here…
And in the middle of that, refs, that the large crowds (yes,
even for first rounds of qualifiers) expect to be on their
boys/girls side…
 Well, I'm happy to report that we had an excellent day as far as
refereeing is concerned. Even the "hot match" of the day, the
five setter between Amr Mansi and Jaymie Haycocks, which saw two
match balls for each player, and ended 14/12, which was reffed
by a stunning strong Bank Deputy Manager ex squash player Samah
Hanafy, was as fair as can be.
We had a "bad day" for one ref, bless him, who lost his way when
he gave a let after a player actually clearly played the ball
(even his marker was shaking his head in disbelief), but that
was a little hiccup that shouldn't spoil a perfect digestion, if
you pardon the expression.
In other words, I'd have them ref international matches any day… |
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