A new, better, bright 2015

2014 was a bit of a beast.  2015 promises to be a great improvement, insh'allah, as they say.  And of course it is the year in which you turned 21 - what a milestone - a million congratulations on becoming the person you have.

Out East, travel was back on the agenda with a vengeance, but first a few post Christmas new year festivities - starting with Gracie Mann's 18th birthday.  Being 45 means that you feel (very) old at 18th birthday parties, because, unavoidably that is the truth of the situation - insulation comes from the relative nature of things, namely that many of the people you know have had their 50ths, and some their 60ths.  But 18 one is not.  It was a masked ball.

The oldies congregated in pools of geriatricy (my word - masks where?). 

I arrived with a burglar mask.  Brett Free thought rightly that I would look better in his - from that point on damn cool - here with my one-time cycling nemesis Adrian McCarroll (who it needs to be said is a class person, and who has flown a Spitfire - not an everyday garden brag by any stretch).

This is, by contrast, what the 18 year olds look like.  Michael Schatz, looking slightly unsettled for reasons only clear to himself, is also an absolutely class person, armed with those human favourites of crystal humour, charm and kindness. He found his hands full.  (Personally, I think one should avoid women who dribble on themselves, no matter how utterly fantastic they otherwise might be ;-)

New-year's day saw us at the annual Hong Kong vs Visitors rugby matches at the football club.  Courtney (who used to play for the HK U17 and then U19 Women's teams) was playing fullback for the visitors.   She is a seriously talented rugby player (and all round human being, god I love and miss her).  The ref was appalling (was seen high-fiving the HK coach after the game !?! - very zuma-esque I thought)....

Aiden watching with Jordan, herself back from DSG in Grahamstown, showed his displeasure.

And then it was into the maelstrom for me, travel travel travel - like a dam(n) wall breaking ....

Paradise Hotel with Heda Bayron - reputedly the best Bryani in Hyderabad, which reputedly has the best Bryani in India - it was hot and tasty...

Breakfast in Bombay (on the Bay of Bombay - check out the Jennifer Ferguson song "Bay of Bombay", my early years vintage)...

Sunrise in Seoul...

Tea and snow in Tokyo...

Dusk in Dalian (check out where that is, bizarre place - SUPER fantastic people; but bloody bloody cold).

And then one final one for a smile - out of sync and poetry, from Korea - part of my "some brands just don't translate  well" collection; it made me laugh - all very Fifty Shades.