Hello again.

I've not visited here for almost a full year. You started to bore me, dear blog, and I found that I enjoyed painting and...sleeping more than updating you. The year's almost up though so perhaps I ought to tell you what I've been up to.

First I ended a terrible relationship. Entering into it in the first place was the only big mistake I've made in my life. I don't think one should go through life without making a few mistakes so it really was about bloody time. I learned that I can hold a grudge.

I made a triumphant journey to Nepal, where I trekked up a mountain, hang-glided off another mountain, rafted through rivers, camped out on a river bed, rode elephants, wrestled with rhinos and got drunk with a local band in Katmandu.

I moved again. This time I left Hong Kong Island for the quiet surroundings of Tai Po. I found a tiny little village without shops or regular bus services, right on the waterfront with a gorgeous mountainous backdrop. There I am the only gweilo and an object of much curiosity. People smile and nod when they see me, and push their kids forward hoping for free English tutoring.

I found a new local with lots of decent people. I also found another local where people are not so decent but the food is. I started singing karaoke on a frequent basis. I discovered that I'm a really terrible singer. I found friends that (also) think it's perfectly reasonable for a party to go on until lunchtime the next day.

I managed to squeeze in a short trip home to see my Granny, and a weekend trip to Vietnam to see the Vietnamese.

I caught pneumonia and had to stay in hospital for a week. It was boring.

I messed up the Christmas meatballs again this year.