A sudden chemical spill on the highway created a chain‐collision which created a record traffic jam.

Their manners were better than those of most of the people in our vicinity. They looked at nobody but took their places without the least self-consciousness, and talked to each other in low tones with light smiles. You cannot be sure about married people on parade, of course; they might have been quarrelling fiercely.

He took so long to shave his head that we arrived 45 minutes after curtain and were denied late entry.

An elderly sheik shared this little ceremony with us, and afterwards benignly gave the waterman a coin and made him spurt scented water on his face and beard.