THIS is a Cairo epistle with a difference!

Firstly, I am so glad you are now on e-mail as faxing internationally from Egypt is horrendous, which is one of the reasons these letters have been so sparse. After several attempts to get through, I give up!

Secondly, the subject is not so much life in Egypt as life as an expatriate anywhere. Not always the stress-free, affluent existence, that people think!

One of the first decisions to make, when you accept a job abroad, is, 'What do I do with my house?'

There are four options. If you can afford it, and have someone local to watch over the place, then you can leave it empty. This means you have somewhere to come home to, on return visits, at any time you want. The downside is, you can be paying rent abroad and mortgage in the UK.

The second option is to let it through an agency, whereby they monitor the tenants and you pay them a percentage of the rent. Downside, you have no personal knowledge of the tenants and need to charge enough to cover percentage and mortgage. And you spend your UK visits trailing round, staying with relations etc. unable to access your home.

Thirdly, let to someone you know who needs a home and you think they can be trusted to look after your home and your possessions. Downside, you spend your visits homeless yet desperately trying to collect/clear stuff and check up on the state of your house.

Lastly, sell up. Selling all your worldly goods and chattels is a hard decision and an emotional process. Things you valued are shrugged over by dealers and knocked down by auctioneers. Antiques, which when bought were valuable and beautiful artifacts, are suddenly run-of-the-mill-loads-on-the-market-well -I can-take-it-off-your-hands-for-a-fiver!

You also have to invest your money carefully and pray house prices don't rise too much in your absence!

As those who saw me on my flying visit to Okehampton recently know, letting your own home is totally different to a 'Landlord' letting anonymous property to unknown and anonymous tenants. The trauma of the damage, the theft, the unkempt state of one's home is akin to bereavement. The stories I hear from others letting property all carry the same theme.

These people don't care. It isn't theirs so what does it matter. The DHSS pays the rent and money for cigarettes and magazines and beer takes priority over oven cleaner and polish and windowlene!

The Government is trying to persuade people with empty property to rent it out. My advice to anyone thinking of doing so is this: Think very carefully. Remove anything you value, putting it in a locked or separate room is not the answer. Charge enough rent to completely re-equip and decorate the house on your return.

There has been one good thing to come out of this depressing saga: That friends are the family you choose for yourself!

Friends wined and dined me, (especially the wining!) lugged out rubbish, mended windows, provided transport and were totally supportive.

Without their help, I think the whole scenario would have driven me stark staring mad. My heartfelt thanks to you all.

By the way, the Internet café at the Okement Centre is such a useful facility for visitors. I hope it is advertised in the visitors' centre. Stella and the staff are really helpful and I was able to check my mail and send messages to Cairo instantly.

The constant rain of my entire visit has now become constant sunshine back here. Blue skies and sunshine, folks, blue skies and sunshine! All year round.

Many people stopped me to say how much they enjoyed reading my epistles from Cairo, so whenever there is time and a topic I shall e-mail one through!

No more faxes, Humdillalla'ah!

Jan Goffey