An AFR correspondent’s encounters with the seeming Egyptian proclivity to prevarication and procrastination casts light on the scramble of the COP27 finale.
Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt’s sprawling resort town on the Red Sea, attracts a year-round stream of scuba divers, Russian holidaymakers and footballers’ wives.
It is fringed by powerfully rugged mountains and a gorgeous crystalline sea. But otherwise, try to imagine the road-centric sprawl of a desertified Canberra, its buildings either aping the postmodern excesses of Las Vegas or else wallowing in the Middle East’s typical architectural style: battered, boxy, dusty Lego-brick.
After three hours of driving around a couple of darkened city blocks, dropping people off at random intervals – and passing the front door of my own hotel at least three times – I finally stumbled into reception at 6.30am.There was no record of my reservation, I was told. I was invited to wait by the pool and the reservation manager would come to see me. About 20 minutes later, I began to wonder. I went back to reception and asked when he might be ready.
“It is working,” was the first suggestion. “It will be working again in 10 minutes,” was the next try. “It works if you sit next to the pool.” was another constructive offer.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Fairness and finance: At COP27, Australia stands in the middle of tense climate talksThere is a brutal and simple dynamic at play here in Sharm el-Sheikh at the 27th United Nations Conference of the Parties.
Read more »
Fairness and finance: At COP27, Australia stands in the middle of tense climate talksThe COP27 climate talks have devolved into a stand-off between rich nations and poor ones over fairness and finance. And Australia finds itself at the centre of the action. | ANALYSIS by Nick O'Malley
Read more »
Letters: Encouraging steps at the G20Albanese, Biden and Xi Jinping’s talks in Bali; Coalition’s offshore wind initiative; Australia’s COP27 role; costs of logging; crypto regulation; RBA cash rate.
Read more »
AFR - Carbon ChallengeSign up for our Carbon Challenge newsletter and you’ll get news and analysis about the transition to a net-zero economy delivered to your inbox every Thursday:
Read more »
Fairness and finance: At COP27, Australia stands in the middle of tense climate talksThe COP27 climate talks have devolved into a stand-off between rich nations and poor ones over fairness and finance. And Australia finds itself at the centre of the action. | ANALYSIS by Nick O'Malley
Read more »
Fairness and finance: At COP27, Australia stands in the middle of tense climate talksThere is a brutal and simple dynamic at play here in Sharm el-Sheikh at the 27th United Nations Conference of the Parties.
Read more »