The space between the trips ...

I feel that I should have photos of London, but I don't.  This is not because I don't like London, I love it (and look how sensibly it voted in the great Brexit travesty).  It's just that I was too busy thrilling myself by doing things like leaving my wallet in taxis.  Amazingly, and to my utter delight, the wallet was returned to the hotel I was dropped off at by the driver who found it some time later.  Lovely human being.  It took me a while to work out exactly how stuffed I was without it: very.

All over and sorted now, and smiling at the week ahead in Hong Kong.  Some stuff to deal with for sure, couple of night calls - never great - a few anxieties - but then a long weekend with a junk trip, bring it, bring it.

On the patio - so cool to be back - and especially with all the cousins from SA back home, and Polly from Brooklyn NY

Hisako-san and Jacques strike a pose on the pavement in the city.

William Boivin looking damn cool with a cup of coffee, waiting for a meeting to start.

And the reason that one rides - to have a cool shirt with green flames on it.  Mamil from hell.  30 degrees at 5.50am.

The best of US

There is a whole lot to love about the US - and I confess I was super-happy to hear that you're contemplating it.  Its such a great blend of hard working, completely nuts, wildly beautiful, bizarrely detached, and just all round interesting.  This is the Sours family - just the loveliest of the loveliest people (missing young Henry from this photo, and with a sadly obscured lady Victoria.  Henry is at least 6 foot something, and he's 14) .  This is somewhere in the middle of their garden - which is absolute paradise.  

Charlottesville's finest include a few not featured here - but thankfully in the pic below with Tom Sours we have the inestimable Andrew John Jenkins - delightful person.  For me hanging with these two people is a straight delight.  I hope you get to meet them one day - they will put a smile on your face.

 

Off the beaten track - Charlottesville

 

Loved all these - the stuff that people don't think is worth looking at - the stuff not on the tourist map.  And it was a delight being out of the cities for once, just walking the backstreets of suburbs and strip malls - summer in the small-town South.  And then such a delight being home again after weeks - Chicago, Washington, Charlottesville, New York, London.