Back On the Road Again

I've been having a little interlude in England refamiliarising myself with the way things work here. Its been a refreshing break from relentless travel and an enjoyable opportunity to catch up with family and friends, including seven of the gang who were with me in China. I got to play uncle quite a lot, have baths, and gorge myself on roast dinners, fish and chips, proper beer and most importantly, bacon, something that doesn't seem to exist at all in Asia as far as I can tell. I also finally got a chance to see all the thousands of slide photos I've taken over these many months, a process which was so laborious it prompted me to go out and buy a digital camera to use for the remainder of the trip.

On the other hand, I've been reminded what a fundamentally rude and unfriendly place England is compared to most of the countries I've visited. I've been ground down by the ever present grey wet murk that passes for a sky in this cold land and simply astonished at the sheer expense of doing virtually anything here. So the prospect of a little warmth and sunshine down Africa way grows more appealing by the minute. I've even been practicing my French in anticipation of getting into a bit of chat with the locals over the prospects of the Cameroonian team in the forthcoming African Nations Cup. I can hardly wait for the second half kick-off tomorrow.