Tuesday, July 08, 2008

How do you like yours?

When the heat in Tel Aviv climbs to insufferable levels during July/August, it becomes a bit of a mission to find the right temperature in which to get some kip. Especially when you're married to an Israeli. The humidity outside might be 200%, the fridge melting and the unripe fruit you bought yesterday already seeping juices and attracting flies...but the missus will be wrapped up warm in her duvet.

Trying to share a bed with these opposite forces at work is a toughie. I like to sleep minimal, possibly in just my boxers, possibly not, depending on how decadent I'm feeling. With just a thin cotton sheet to pull up around my ears. Ideally with the air conditioner on, but, as you can probably guess, this is almost divorce-invoking.

So, obviously I have to sleep with no air conditioner, which means I'm left with the fan. Which can only be switched on at its lowest level, and pointed in the direction of London at 137 degrees. No air movement is allowed to stir the missus' duvet, or hair; if it does, am I in for it. And the fan is banished to the living room for another night...

So how the hell do you Israeliens sleep at night?