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Arrived back in Glasgow around midnight last night.Being a tightass I made sure Mrs A and I were nicely sunburned on the last day to help save on the heating bill now we are home...

Thoroughly enjoyed our stay at the Reef Oasis Hotel in Sharm.The food wasn't great but everything else from the weather to the rooms was just fine.We only left the hotel a few times to go for a walk.We'd been to Namma Bay and Old Sharm last time and just wanted a week to relax in the sunshine.

The snorkelling was one of the highlights of the trip.Until the new hotels were built and it was rebadged as the "RedSea Riveria" Sharm was mainly visited by divers for the incredible coral reefs and fish.

Most of the week was spent lazing on the beach,drinking beer and rubbing cream into my mozzy bites.Those wee fuckers are evil! Drifting off to sleep only to hear a loud buzz in my ear then waking up covered in big red lumps wasn't so nice.In Scotland we have the midge to contend with in the summer.I'm glad we don't get mozzys.I mentioned to Mrs A how surprised I was that the mozzy I splatted on the wall was full of bright red blood until I realised it was probably mine...

Sharm airport was chaotic.No organisation at all.Cost $20 for 2 cheese rolls and 2 cans of juice.I asked the wee guy serving if he had a mask he could wear whilst robbing me.That got a big "no idea what your on about" smile.

Outside the airport prices are very cheap.I'd brought some Egyptian pounds and US Dollars.At least my online poker experiences meant I could instantly convert $ to £ in my head when required.

The Egyptian people were very friendly although pushy when it came to selling their wares.When the average monthly wage is £25 I can understand it but it did get a little tiresome when out and about.

Amongst others I read Matt Matros book "The Making of a Poker player".One of the best poker books I've read in a long time.So good in fact that I'm going to read it again to hopefully absorb some more of it into my pea like acorn brain.Reading the thinking behind some of his plays gave me a lot of food for thought especially where multi table tourneys are concerned.( not that I play many). Picking on medium stacks when blind stealing seems a sensible tip but I think the main lesson learned is that when the time is right I need to open up and have a bit more gamble in me.

I also read "Blink" by Malcom Gladwell and it has to be one of the most fascinating books I've ever read.As the back cover says its "all about those moments when we "know" something without knowing why".On reflection part of the problem I have in trusting my first poker instinct is that when I first started my instincts were flawed in the extreme as I basically only considered my own hand and nothing else.I may start to trust my instinct just a little more after reading the book.

Thanks to Poker Jones and Grinder for the comments left on my last post.I have played full ring games at Ladbrokes but only at .10-.20nl.( lowest available) .Very Juicy indeed but can't comment on the higher levels.

Caught a bit of the LSUV Texas basketball game on tv late last night.Can't say I like US football or baseball but I reckon if I'd grown up across the pond basketball would have been my game of choice.( too little an acorn to play though!).Exciting stuff to watch and if I hadn't been so dog tired after a long flight I'd have watched it to its conclusion.29-28 to LSU v Texas when I left it and if I've got the right game ( googled it) they won 58-57 in the end.Forget the superbowl.Give me March Madness anytime.

Not caught up with many other blogs yet.Looking forward to some fine reading and of course hitting the tables for the first time in a week.

Off work today but apparently I only had 5 days annual leave left and not 7 so if I stay off tomorrow too I'll have 14 hours of flexi-time to make up.I may go in tomorrow afternoon.Crap really as I like a couple of days to adjust when coming home after being abroad.

Still Mrs A and I are hoping to go away for a week with Step A at the end of May or first week in June.Bulgaria or Majorca/Ibiza are favourite options just now.

Got those post holiday blues and can't wait to book up and start the countdown....