Once the shuttle had delivered us to the hotel we were speedily checked in, offered an impressive explanation of the breakfast options and handed over to a porter, who conducted us to our room.
Arriving outside the door, our friendly porter embarked on a lengthy demonstration of the correct use of the key card, which might have been understandable if the explanation was in English and directed towards a certain hairy foreigner, but it was in Japanese and directed at ‘Er Indoors who’d been privileged to receive a similar, though somewhat shorter, explanation downstairs. All in all it seemed somewhat pointless except as an exercise in repeated bi-directional courtesies.
Once inside the room, he proceeded to repeat at length the explanation of the breakfast options we’d already received at the check-in counter, before graciously withdrawing.
Throughout this lengthy process I was left alone to ponder that this guy bore a remarkable resemblance in the mannerism department to a certain ex-pupil who’d been known in Year Four circles as Harry Houdini.
When I mentioned this remarkable resemblance to ‘Er Indoors the look I received in return suggested significant further evidence had been added to the prosecution brief in the case of The Crown versus Hughesy’s Sanity.
After a few minutes on the balcony taking in the view across the harbour, a chance encounter with the room service menu revealed the availability of various reasonably-priced snack options, so we ventured downstairs and ended up with a club sandwich and a fruit parfait which provided the stomach lining we needed when we attacked the Shiraz, which we’d left quietly breathing upstairs.
And very nice it was, too.
Lights Out was some time after eleven, but with a midday checkout and the prospect of a lengthy and substantial buffet breakfast in the morning, the lateness of the hour was never going to be an issue.