Even for someone that has had years of Dubai's 50 degree humidity in the summer, a sweltering French summer is proving to be hard work. The mercury's hovering around 31 degrees, but there is no AC - and we are wilting. I had to resort to primary school origami by making a paper fan, so we have issued purchase instructions for an electrical variety.

Meanwhile, the flies are out in force, inspiring my colleagues to buy up the local supermarket's stock of insect killer. So now the office is adorned by hanging sticky tape traps, sprayed with chemicals and books are thrown at lingering bluebottles - a positive war zone here.