But more importantly, while all that was going on over here, HoboHeroes have been living it up across the world.

We had Marina over in South Africa post this little guy:

Can you spot the HoboNargile… in the bottom right? Digging those mountains in the background!

And then Dominique posted this little gem:

Now, I’ve seen some sweet hooka vases in my short time on this beautiful earth… but that pic right there blew me out of the water. Thanks for sharing it with the crew, Dominique!

And then to round it all, Grace posted this relaxing little image in between classes in LA:

Nothing better to get you through the stress of grad school than a flavor blast aimed straight at your heart.

Thanks for sharing the pics, HoboHeroes. You guys keep living the Dream, and we’ll keep trying to help you do it.

That’s right HoboHeroes: The HoboNargile and the Hobocans crew are in Las Vegas for the Champs Trade Show. Stop by if you have a vendor’s license and are in Las Vegas this week.

I hope everyone enjoyed learning about Tarneeb.  Now here are a few tips to beat your competition:

1) The bidding process is the most important part of most sets in Tarneeb.  Its important to understand what your partner is communicating during the bidding process.  If you bid a suite and your partner changes the suite by outbidding you, they are likely saying that they either are weak in the suite that you called or are very confident in the new suite that they called.  Try to avoid out bidding your partner if at all avoidable and only do so if you are very confident in your hand.

2) Winning a bid of more than 7 is tough if you have 4 or less cards of the suite you are bidding on, even if you hold AKQ of that suite.  Make sure you and your partner are on the same page before going more than 7 with 4 or less cards in the called suite.

3) If you have a strong hand in two suites and are calling before your partner, pick the lower suite.  So if you have near equivalent cards in Clubs and Spades, call the Clubs, so that your partner can easily outbid you if they need to without resorting to upping the number of tricks your team will need to take the set.

4) If you win the bid and have most of the face cards for your called suite, lead trump immediately to drain the trump from the other players.  This will make sure your opposing team can’t use their trump to cut in on a suite that you are long in.

5) If you know your partner is short a suite (either because they have cut in previously or they suspiciously played a high card that they knew couldn’t take the trick [like playing a queen when the ace of that suite has already been played in the set]), its usually a good idea to lead that suite back if you can.

6) Remember what suite your partner called during the bidding process, even if they didn’t win the bid.  If you are able to lead and don’t hold a card that you think will win the trick, lead the suite your partner called.  Its likely they will be able to take the trick.  This is true for remembering what the opponents have called as well.  Avoid leading suites in which the opposing team called during the bidding process unless you know you have the dominant card yet to be played.

7) Aces and Kings of fail suites are important.  If you have a weak trump hand, but a good amount of kings and aces, you can bid confidently.

8) Taking 11+ tricks is very difficult and doesn’t happen in most games.  Bid carefully when going over a bid of 9 tricks and if you do so, make sure you are very strong or short in fail suites as well as have 5+ cards of the trump suite you are calling.

9) If you are sure that your partner will take the trick, but you don’t have the suite that was played, try to play a non-trump card in a suite that you want your partner to play when they get the lead.  This can either be a suite where you have the dominant card that is still to be played (such as the ace) or a suite in which once you play your card you will no longer have that suite (so you know you can cut in with trump).  If you don’t have a suite that you want your partner to play, make sure to NOT play a suite you know that your opponents will take.

10) The most important rule, which is true for all trump games, is to count trump.  Every set has 13 trump cards (unless no trump is called).  You should always know how many have been played and thus how many are still in other players’ hands.  This is true as well for remembering which aces and to a lesser extent which kings have been played.

Enjoy Tarneeb and spread the word.

We’ve been hard at work getting accessories for the HoboNargile back into the US, and heck, we’ve just succeeded.  For those on the email list this comes as no surprise, as we sent out an update and a cheeky little discount as of Friday of last week.  The orders have been voracious, as its pretty obvious that HoboHero’s have been yearning to turn their pipes into two hose party hookahs for a while now.

In addition to the hoses, we now have super stems and trays in stock.  The stems are really awesome.  A lot of people liked that we shortened the stem on the New HoboNargile, as it made a number of bottles easier to use with the Hobo, but I know there are a few of you out there that love the big and tall bottles and this is really the stem for you.

Anyways, that’s the big news for the summer.  This fall/winter we should have a couple of sweet new additions, but until then, enjoy the new accessories and the rest of summer.  Keep living the dream!

Tarneeb (or “Trump” in Arabic) is a trump style card game similar to Eucre (but a bit more fun and strategic) played throughout the Middle East.  Its a great game to share with 3 friends while passing the time away smoking a hookah.

Tarneeb uses a standard deck of playing cards less the two jokers and is played with two teams of two players per team that sit opposed to each other. The dealer, deals the cards out evenly to the 4 players (13 cards a piece). Once the hand is dealt, players must bid to call a trump suite. Starting from the player right of the dealer (counter clockwise), players bid for the number of tricks (or rounds) that they think they can take with the minimum being a bid of 7 tricks. For the bidding process, the order of suites goes Spades, Hearts, Diamonds, then Clubs.  So a player that bids 7 Clubs can be out bid by the next player if they call 7 Diamonds, which can then be outbid by a call of 8 clubs (and so on).  Since each player has 13 cards, there is a maximum bid of 13 as there are 13 tricks per set. The bidding goes around the table until there are no further bids.

Once the bidding is complete, the “called” suite is trump, or the master suite.  The trump suite can take any trick where a fail suite is dominant.  The player that won the bidding leads the first card with the other players playing their cards in counter-clockwise order. All players MUST follow with the lead suite if that suite is in their hand.  If the player does not have that suite, they may play any card in their hand, including a trump card.  Playing a trump card when a fail suite was lead is called “cutting.”  The player who played the highest card wins that trick.  The player that wins the trick then leads the first card of the next trick.

Example: Player 1 wins the bidding with a bid of 8 Spades.  Player 1 leads a fail ace of clubs.  Player 2 follows with the 2 of clubs, player 3 plays the 10 of clubs but player 4 is out of clubs so they play the 2 of spades. Player 4 wins the trick since they were able to play a Trump card, even though Player 1 had played a higher face value card, the ace of clubs.

Both teams attempt to take as many tricks as possible.  If the team that won the bid gets the number of tricks that they bid or more tricks, they earn the point value of the bid (if they bid 8 Spades and take 8 or more tricks they would earn 8 points).  If the bidding team fails to earn at least the number of tricks that they bid then the bidding team loses the amount that they bid and the “setting” team (the non-bidding team) earns points equivalent to the amount of tricks that they took (or won).

Example: Player 1 bid 8 Spades but his team was only able to take 6 tricks.  Player 1 and their partner Player 3 then lose their bid of 8 points and the team of Players 2 and 4 gain 7 points as they had taken 7 tricks to set bidding Player 1 and their partner Player 3.

Once a set has been completed, the dealer position moves to the right (counter-clockwise) and another set is dealt. The game is won by one team earning 31 points or can be lost by a team losing more than 31 points (in other words having a score of negative 31).  Games can have as many sets as needed in order for one team to lose (earn -31) or win (earn +31) the game.

Note that table talk is violating the rules of Tarneeb.  Players on the same team can not communicate what is in their hand at any time through innuendo or otherwise.  Players can only communicate to each other via the cards that they play or the bids that they make.  The lack of partners knowing what is in each other’s hand is an important aspect to the strategy of Tarneeb.

Regional Rules:

A couple of new regional rules that I learned while playing Egypt:

1) Dekik: A player can call “Dekik” in the event that they have a poor hand.  A player can call Dekik only if the hold in their hand a card value of less than 4.  Card value is assessed as: Jacks = 1, Queens = 2, Kings = 3, and Aces = 4 (card of 2-10 have no value).  So if a player has a only a king in their hand, they can call Dekik, but if a player has two Queens they can not call Dekik.  In the case of a player calling Dekik, their partner gets to ask two questions about their partner’s hand that is limited to asking whether their partner (who has called Dekik) has master’s in a particular suite (meaning that they can ask if their Dekik calling partner has a playable hand if a suite is successfully bid).  After the partner asks their questions, the partner that did not call Dekik can decide to either re-deal the set or continue playing even though they know that their partner holds a weak hand.  A person can also call “exactly Dekik” when they have exactly 4 points in their hand, which does not allow the partner to ask questions or a re-deal but will notify their partner that they have a weak hand and to bid with caution.

2) Doubling: When a bid is settled but before the first card is played, a player on the non-bidding team can double the set.  Meaning that whatever number of tricks that was bid the point value is then doubled (so if a bid of 8 Spades is called, and a player on the non-bidding team doubles, if the bidding team wins they will earn 16 points, but if they lose they will lose 16 points and the setting team will earn double the number of tricks they take).  Once a double has been made, the bidding team can re-double, to quadruple the amount of points at stake.

For more information on Tarneeb, check out the Wikipedia Page.  Since Tarneeb can only be played with 4 players, I also recommend learning an old Wisconsin favorite, SheepsHead, which is played with 3 or 5 players.  With those two games and a deck a playing cards you should be covered for most of your lounging shisha sessions.

Our little Dream is moving up in the world.

A lot of memories flooded back to me when I landed at Terminal 1 at Cairo International Airport.  Had it really been 6 years since my last pilgrimage to the place that later inspired the original HoboHookah?  Would I even recognize this dynamic and crazy city and this country that had opened my mind to so many things?

Well, Cairo is still Cairo, that’s for sure.  While this trip lacked the frequent trips to the ubiquitous Shisha Cafes, which had been a main touchstone for me, my astute eyes did glean what has changed in hookah etiquette in the place that popularized the pipe in the Middle East and abroad.

But first, what’s new in Egypt?

1) Cairo International’s International Arrivals terminal is now really nice and surprisingly efficient and friendly.  Back in 2004, it was an intimidating arrival to an otherwise kind, albeit hectic, city.

2) The visa is brand new.  While its still $15 or 15Euros (make sure you have a $20 spot of hard currency with your passport when you arrive), the two postal stamps have been replaced with a full page, hologramed sticker, that looks official. PRO-TIP: When you arrive, go straight to the Bank of Misr stand and purchase your visa, then go stand in the customs line.  You’ll need a passport, the visa, and the customs form in order to gain entry.

3) More good news at CAI is that if you fly in using Egypt Air, you’ll land at Terminal 3, which is brand new and beautiful.

4) The cell phone network seems as good as anywhere in the world, which is a huge change.  If you have a smart phone, call up your provider and get an international data plan for the time you are there.  They’ll still charge you an arm and a leg for phone calls, but unlimited data is about $30 extra.  Definitely worth it.  Egypt has several providers with great 3G coverage and you’ll see most of the Cairene elite holding new model BlackBerries and iPhones.

5) Cairo now has flashing road signs and some stop lights.  Traffic is still crazy though.

6) Metered cabs: Gone are the days of hopping into 70’s model black and white Peugeot fire traps where you have to negotiate fiercely for sensible cab fares.  The new all white cabs have air conditioning and meters that make getting around in Cairo much more comfortable and friendly.

Those are the big things.  Overall they are great pluses for the traveler.  Now is a great time to see the pyramids.

Now on to shisha. Shisha is still served nearly everywhere, from Italian Restaurants to haute Nile side cafes.  One big thing I noticed off the bat were the hoses.  When you order a shisha in Egypt, the pipe comes out with a disposable hose that’s fresh and clean.  This is a great move to keep shisha smoking sanitary and flavors crisp.  Other new and old notes for smoking hookah in Egypt:

1)  It’s customary in Egypt to have your own shisha.  In the west, mostly due to cost and taxes levied on shisha cafes, hookah pipes are usually shared at cafes.  In Egypt, expect to order your own.  Shisha is still inexpensive, and when in Cairo, be Cairene.

2) Tip the coal man.  When your smoke is getting light, signal the coal man and ask for “Wilah (or fire in Arabic)”.  At the end of session, tip the coal man at least 1EGP.  If its a group, its nice to tip 3-5EGP if the coal man has been giving you good service.  This is in addition to any other service charges or tips you leave for drinks or food (generous tipping in Cairo is an additional 10%, but service charge is included on most bills, so additional tips aren’t necessary especially if the service was poor).

3) Tea is still the main drink of choice while smoking shisha.  Its still mostly Lipton yellow tag served with a bowl of sugar.  Try the “Chai Na’na”, which is lipton with mint.  Its awesome.

4) Word from my Cairo friends is that Tornado’s in Medan Aswan is now sketchy and the shisha there is no longer top of class.  If you are looking for a good place, try Sequoia on the Nile.  Its pricey, but it has great reviews for both shisha and food (there is even great, safe Sushi which has the rep of being the best in Egypt).  Expect a 100EGP (about $20) minimum there, so make sure you come looking for food as well.

5) There is now an Airport Mall at CAI, which has two cafe’s that both serve shisha attached.  If your plane gets delayed or you get to the airport early, just walk across the street of Terminals 1 and 2 and pass the time away.

6) If you are feeling spry, have packed your HoboHookah, and don’t want to leave your gate, all terminals at CAI have smoking sections.  We’d love to see a pic of a HoboHero in there smoking a HoboHookah out of a water bottle (no liquor bottles, respect the culture!) to pass the time away and enjoy a few longing stares.

7) The trendy cafes now serve Al Fakher instead of Nakhla.  Not sure if this is a plus, but if you can ask if the flavor is “Shisha Fakher” as the brand is known in Egypt.

That’s it.  Ill post a cheeky follow up next week on how to play the Middle East’s favorite card game, Tarneeb, but till then, keep living the dream.

PS Dahab is still awesome as ever. Its worth going to Egypt just to soak that place in.

We’ve been having a lot of fun over at the Facebook page. Are you in yet? We’re having a blast with it.

AK, bless his HoboHero soul, sent in this advice if you’re looking to get the most out of your couch surfing “service” while cruising the globe:

So Ive been doing this awhile and i know you’re lookin’ for a place in China… so my recommendation for finding a host would be to… Join the couchsurfing group of the city you’re trying to stay in. Look at who posts in there regularly and email them. They are usually the most active members and will have a higher probability of hosting you.

There are tons of people who use this site to find a free place to stay and thats it… Their profiles just sit there and they never check them unless they want to find a place. But there are still a lot of good people out there who love meeting new people.

You could also post on the group message board and ask for a place to stay there. Its a bit on the impersonal side but it at least gets you exposed to more people without having to email every single one. I highly recommend filling out your profile as much as possible… it helps people feel more comfortable about letting a complete stranger stay with them.

alright, with that said. good luck man. ive met some dope ass people through here.

So we got the HoboNargile hoses and stems in, but they shipped them to the East Coast and not the West Coast, so its going to be another a week until they are on the site.

With that said, we have gotten a sneak preview of the merchandise, and it is awesome.  Well at least the stems are.  The hoses are sweet because they allow you to have a two hose hookah, which is awesome.  But they are the same exact hose that came with the HoboNargile: Useful, but no surprises.

The surprises all come from the new Super Stem.  So its a little different to have a hookah where you can remove the entire stem and replace it with a brand new one, but thats the advantage of getting a HoboNargile.

So why should you buy a Super Stem for your HoboNargile:

• Its stainless steal: Just like the original HoboHookah, this new stem will be Stainless.  We like stainless for its durability and easy cleaning.  The Super Stem will give you all that and work perfectly with the HoboNargile.
• Its Longer: At 13inches, the Super Stem is 3 inches longer than the HoboNargile stem and just about an inch longer than the original HoboHookah.  Great for those large or slender bottles.  A longer stem cools the smoke better, and also help prevent liquid from getting into the hose.
• Thicker Bore: Because the stem is longer and because we were able to use stainless steel, the interior bore is bigger, allowing more air through the pipe, making for an easy pull.
• Built in Diffuser: This is the big feature we’ve added.  Beneath the rubber grommet on a Super Stem lies holes for a built in diffuser.  Just pull back the rubber grommet, and smoke: Smaller bubbles means better purification and cooler smoke.

We have always wanted to bring new stems out to you HoboHeroes and now its a reality.  It was one of the original things we always wanted to do with the Hobo Pipes.  What other pipe allows you to completely remove and replace the gummiest part of the hookah? 

We have another video on tap over at the Hookah Happy Hour.  This time its Tangiers Pineapple: All I have to say is that it was awesome.