Porque Me Gusta Malaga

It all started 14 years ago, my love affair with Spain; and, indeed, another, even more important, love affair. The two are linked. I met my partner, Andrew, in a nunnery in Bury St Edmunds in May 1997. As you do. The story of that meeting is a story for another day. Suffice to say I was late for dinner that night and when I arrived there was only one space space - opposite Andrew. Fate, I guess.

At that time, I was not necessarily looking for a life partner but I was hoping to meet someone who lived near me in Finchley. 'Where do you live?' I asked on that evening keeping my fingers crossed under the table. 'Fuengirola' came the reply. It wasn't exactly close to Finchley!

So Andrew went back to Spain. I went over to visit a couple of months later. And have done regularly ever since. And that's how my love affair for Spain started.

Shortly after our meeting, Andrew returned to the UK to work but we continued to visit Spain on a regular basis staying firstly in Andrew's rented flat in Fuengirola and then, when he gave that up, in hotels or guest houses in Torremolinos, Alora or Malaga.

Then about seven years ago, we took the momentous decision to buy a flat in Spain. It ended up being a very small basement flat - in the centre of the Centro Historico in Malaga. And we still have the flat. Our neighbours are Spanish, the local shops are Spanish-owned, the local restaurants are for the locals not for tourists and there is a wonderful food market close to the flat. And that's how I like it. I don't want to live on an English enclave.

Yes it is a basement flat and yes it is small. But is was affordable - not much more than £50,000 given the exchange rate at the time. It is, for me , in the ideal location. Very close to the local theatre, also close to the local gay bars on the Plaza Merced, right in the heart of the city of Malaga, yet only 20 minutes walk from the Malagueta town beach; not too far from the airport; near the old cathedral; and a short walk from the main shopping centre. We've been to many concerts in the Teatro Cervantes (The Malaga Philharmonic Orchestra are excellent) and also spent many hours on the beach - and of course quite a few in the terraces outside the bars.

And I have come to love Malaga. It is vibrant, very Spanish city. Full of life, but also very cultured. And the beach, and the beach bars, are great. And, dare I say it, the Brits fly into Malaga airport but don't go into the city - heading off instead for the all-inclusive hotels in Torremolinos or Benalmadena. Leaving Malaga almost untouched by the influx of British tourists.

I also love the surrounding area, the villages of Ardales and Alora, the town of Antequera, the mountain of El Torcal and particulalry the lakes of El Chorro.

We have just come back from six days in the flat in Malaga. These pictures were taken there using my new water-resistant camera. It was feria time so the city was full of street parties, music and dance. A great atmosphere. Each day we spent some time on the beach - the weather was hot and the sea was warm. And each evening we had a glass or two of wine on the terrace of one of the local bars. Some evenings I did some cooking; sometimes we went out. As always we had a wonderful meal at our favourite restaurant, the Vino Mio.

Yes I slept too much. I guess I ate too much and undoubtedly drank too much. But it all added up to a wonderfully relaxing six days.

Today we flew back. It was like travelling in time - from mid-summer to late autumn; like travelling from colour to black and white - from bright blue to dark grey. And from a different sartorial society - from t-shirts/shorts to dark waterproof jackets.

I always wish I could stay longer. But it great to know that I have clothes over there in the flat and that I can return at short notice any time. There is a buzz and a life about Malaga that I love. And sharing it with Andrew is just so great. That day in the nunnery changed my life for the better. It gave me the love of a partner and the love of a country. I am so lucky. Now I just need to learn to improve my ability to speak Spanish. Hablo Espanol solomente un poco.

Summer slipping away

On Saturday it was still dark when I got up. Sure it was quite early, around 6am - I was heading off to play golf. And there was a drizzle outside. But nonetheless, it was dark. Yet we are still in August.

And I wondered where summer had gone. And why I have not done all the things I had planned to do this summer. I was planning to visit my sister in Devon - I haven't. I was planning to go to the Open Air Theatre - I haven't. I was planning to visit friends that I had not seen for ages - I haven't. I was planning to sort out some of the boxes that remain from my flat move - I haven't. I was planning to get the bicycles out for a number of cycle rides - I haven't.

And why is that? Well I could blame the weather. Summer seemed to stop at the end of April this year. I could blame work. I just don't seem to have the energy when I get home after work. I could blame increasing old age. Certainly I seem to have a degree of lethargy that was not part of my make-up a few years ago.

And shortly we will move into September, the mornings and evenings will become increasingly dark and, if I don't watch, I shall retreat increasingly into a pattern of work, television, eating and sleeping with nothing adventurous to break that pattern.

Anyway we had for Malaga on Wednesday for a few days in the sun. I hope that helps recharge my batteries and kick-starts me into doing some of the things I had planned for this summer. Hopefully summer is not quite over.

Well done Darren

I know, in a small way, what it is like to be disappointed for years at missing out in a big golf tournament. In 2002 I went to Sydney to play golf in the Gay Games. At the final hole, a par 3, I needed a 3 to win the silver medal. I took a 5. Not only did I not win silver, but I also missed the bronze medal on countback. I was gutted.

It was only years later, when I won a medal at Eurogames in Antwerp, that I was able to put the disappointment behind me.

Dareen Clarke has played professional golf at a high level for 20 years. During that time he has watched as lesser golfers won major championships. He came close on many occasions, but he never did. Now, at 42, it was surely too late.

Last week I was at Castle Stuart near Inverness to see Darren Clarke and others compete in the Scottish Open. I took this photo of Darren.

This week the Open Championship took place at Royal St Georges near Sandwich. And amazingly, as the top golfers in the world failed to stay at the top of the leaderboard, Darren took the lead with one round to play. And even more amazingly, despite huge pressure, he held on through 18 holes of the final round to win the tournament and become a Major winner at long last. So occasionally nice guys do come first. Well done Darren. Fantastic.

Birthday weekend (2)

The weekend after our Spanish sojourn, Andrew knew that we were meeting some relatives and a few friends for lunch on Sunday. There were people who could not come to Spain, some for health reasons. We had initially expected that there would be half a dozen of us - in fact there were 32 in total.

As far as Andrew was concerned, that was all that was happening over the weekend.

Not so.

As a surprise, I had booked front row tickets for Les Miserables on the Saturday evening, an appearance at a friends 30th birthday party at the Shadow Lounge, an overnight stay at the refurbished St Pancras Renaissance Hotel and a Sunday morning visit to Tate Modern for the Loan Miro exhibition.

I think he liked his surprise.

Neither of us has been to Les Miserables. It was magnificent. Powerful and moving. And Alfie Boe was fantastic. We enjoyed the stay at the St Pancras Renaissance Hotel. The architecture is amazing. Not everything was good about the hotel though, which is disappointing in an expensive five star hotel. The next morning we found the Joan Miro exhibition to be really interesting and well curated.

And finally we all had a good meal at Palm Court Brasserie in Covent Garden. So that was the birthday celebrations over. It had taken a lot of organising for the two weekends in Malaga and London. But it all worked really well.

But that is it for now - no more organising for another decade.

Birthday weekend (1)

Not mine. But I was doing the organising. Andrew's big birthday. We took 20 friends to Malaga for the weekend. It went really well. On the actual birthday we met up in the morning, and went up to the top of the Gibralfaro where there is a magnificent view of the city. Had lunch at a beach chirunguitto, and did some swimming. Then toured the historic part of Malaga. Chilled out for a couple of hours. And finally had dinner at the Vino Mio.

For a present we bought a paining by a local artist Carmen Sanchis and asked her to come along to preewnt this to Andrew. I think she was pleased and honoured to be asked.

Dinner was fantastic. Helene and her crew did us proud. And after dinner Simon did an amazing cake which we ate at Mi Terraza.

We were really grateful to friends for coming all the way over to Malaga. They seemed to enjoy the weekend and they were all impressed with Malaga.

It was a great weekend and a good way to celebrate Andrew's birthday.

A group in Spain

We are heading to Malaga later today to celebrate Andrew's 60th birthday on Monday. There are going to be 20 of us. It took quite a bit of organising. Now I just hope everyone will enjoy the weekend. At least the weather forecast is good - hot and sunny.

On the Monday we are doing a tour of Malaga - Gibralfaro, Malagueta, Catedral, Alcazaba, Calle Marques de Larios etc. - followed by dinner at our favourite restaurant, the Vino Mio. I think it will be a good day.

My head exploded

Well that's the nearest I can come to describing the feeling.

I had only been a member of Hertford Tennis Club for about a week. I was playing on Sunday last week and turned round at the back of the court to pick up a ball. And my head exploded.

What actually happened is that a player on the court on one side of us was returning a ball to the court on the other side of us. And for some reason decided to do this at full pace. The ball hit me full in the left eye.

I had to go to A&E at Hertford then to the Eye Clinic at Welwyn GC and subsequently back to the Eye Clinic a week later. My eye certainly looked scary - full of blood.

Thankfully I have now been told that there has been no permanent damage. But it was frightening at the time. And led to a worrying week.

I don't blame the guy that caused the accident - and it was an accident. Though he was rather stupid. I was a member at Totteridge Tennis Club for 20 years without any serious accident. And a member at Hertford LTC for just a week before this happened. I will return, but will be wary in future of what is happening on other courts.

Lost Causes

I guess, throughout my life, I have always tended to support the underdog, minority causes and the unpopular viewpoint. I don't know why. And often that is a good place to be. I am not one for jumping on bandwagons or bending to opposing viewpoints just for the sake of popularity.

Politically I was once one of only 10 people who voted for the communist candidate in a local government election in Aberdeen. Recently I have consolidated my support for the Liberal Democrats just as their support is ebbing away from most of the rest of the population. I was a strong supporter of the Alternative Vote - again not a majority view in the country.

I have never supported a top football team. I remain a passionate supporter of Inverness Caledonian Thistle who are never likely to win a major trophy. But I got more satisfaction from their steady climb from non-league football to the Scottish Premier League than, I believe, a Chelsea or Man City fan can get from knowing that their success was bought.

If I ever watch reality talent shows, I rarely agree with the judges. Yesterday I watched the first semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest and recorded a vote for Malta. They failed to make the top ten.

As far as people are concerned, I never quite take to the extrovert who craves popularity and seems to get it. I prefer the quiet and thoughtful person who sees through the hype.

But there is a fine line between being proud of my support for minorities and feeling that perhaps I am a patron of lost causes. It might be nice to feel part of the mainstream more often. To be less of a maverick.

But then again, when the road diverges, it is more exciting to take the road less travelled.

A week in Scotland

For many years Andrew has had a timeshare week in N. Wales. This year he was able to swap it for a week at Dalfaber in Aviemore. We went up there 9-17 April.

The Trip Advisor reviews were dire. We were apprehensive.









In the event, the accommodation was fine, the resort had good facilities and the location was superb. We had an excellent week.
We did family things for 3 days. We visited Andrew's uncle and aunt and we brought my Dad to Aviemore for one night. He didn't want to come but in fact he enjoyed it. It was a stimulating break from the boredom of his life in his sheltered home.
We visited the Ospreys at Loch Garten. They had just arrived back from West Africa and were mating before the female laid her eggs. The whole RSPB centre at Loch Garten is fascinating and the volunteers are full of enthusiasm for the birds and other wildlife in the area.









I played three rounds of golf at Dafaber 9-hole course and went swimming three times in the indoor pool. One day we went up in the train and then to the top of Cairngorm. The weather that day was amazing and the views were breathtaking. And on another day we went snowboarding - the first time for either of us. An interesting experience. But we had aches in places we had never ached before!
And we went for walks and drives in the area notable round Loch an Eilan and to Loch Insch.








It was a wonderfully relaxing week. I loved it.

It's not the critic who counts ....

I often find that if I really work hard and conscientiously at something difficult, particularly if I put my head above the parapet and have the temerity to express an opinion, then at best I get silence and usually I get some degree of criticism. This applies to all aspects of life. In these circumstances, I get comfort from the words of Theodore Roosevelt which I reproduce below without further comment. “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.”

Spanish Therapy

We had a short break in Malaga at the start of this week. I was looking forward to a bit of warmth and sunshine but sadly that was not to be. It had been sunny the week before we arrived, and was sunny on the day we left, but it was rather wet and windy during our stay. No es justo!

But we did the only thing to do when the weather is not on board - some retail therapy followed by food and wine. We had a great meal at the Vino Mio on Sunday and an excellent Menu Del Dia at the Laboratorio on Tuesday. Both involved rather more wine than was probably appropriate but, hey, we were on holiday.

We had to go to the DHL warehouse on Tuesday (before the food and wine) to collect the Chris Bushe painting that we'd had shipped from the UK. That all went well and thankfully we still really like the painting. It is one of those paintings that has an emotional pull but gives a different emotion depending on how it is lit.

And talking of paintings, Andrew had said that, for his birthday in June which we are spending in Malaga, he would like a permanent reminder of the occasion. On our last visit, we bought a painting of the Plaza Merced by a local artist, Marie-Carmen Sanchis. I wondered if she might have another painting of a place that means something to us - the lighthouse at the end of the beach perhaps as we spend some time at the Chirunguitto there. So I managed to track down Marie-Carmen Sanchis and she said that she did indeed have such a painting. Next thing I knew, I was being taken in a battered old car to her home in El Palo to see the said painting - and to meet her husband and son. The painting is really good so I found myself buying it. And I have asked Marie-Carmen (we are on first name terms now!) to come to the birthday celebrations on 20 June at the Vino Mio to present the painting to Andrew. A good result, I feel.

As always, i enjoyed wandering round Malaga when the rain subsided and we did have a few hours on Sunday lunchtime at the Chirunguitto by the lighthouse having a few beers which was very pleasant.

The photos here are ones I took during our few days in Malaga.

Diet part 2

The January diet, postponed to February, now starts today - March 1st.

It didn't exactly work in January. Or in February. Or rather, I did not work on the diet. So here I am at the start of March exactly the same weight that I was at the start of January. Not good.

But now I have joined the local Hartham Leisure Centre, the weather is more conducive to outdoor activities and, above all, I am determined to eat less food and drink less alcohol. So here goes.

I hope to lose some weight, but that is not the only requirement. I particularly need to get fitter and into better shape. I weighed myself this morning - 13st 5 lbs. What target do I set myself? Nothing too difficult, I think. I need to be realistic. So let's say that I need to get below 13 st by the time I go to Torquay in mid-May and then to 12st 9lbs by the time we go to Malaga in mid-June.

The fact that I still have a sore ankle, some 7 months after I strained it, does not help. But this evening I will go to the gym and perhaps tomorrow evening I will go to the pool. I need to get started and into a regular pattern. And I need to do it now.

I am reluctant to share these thoughts, in case I do not succeed. But I know I am more likely to succeed if I do share these thoughts. So watch this space.

Bit of a balls-up really

I am in agreement with Mary Dejevsky in today's Independent. I also appear to have found myself in a minority in that I supported the coalition, respected Cameron and Clegg for their bravery in going for a coalition, agree that tuition fees were inevitable, generally support the need for huge public sector cuts, am in favour of the change to the voting system, like the positive effect the Lib Dems are having on social policies and will still vote Lib Dem in the May local elections.

But this week both Cameron and Clegg seem to have got things horribly wrong. Clegg's comment that he had forgotten that he was in charge in Cameron's absence was a crassly stupid comment. And Cameron's absence, particular helping to promote arms sales in the Middle East, which a crisis was developing in that very region, was a huge misjudgement. And William Hague once more seems out of his depth.

For me all of this is reminiscent of my evacuation from Iran in 1979 when again the British Embassy and British Government reacted very slowly to the developing crisis hence putting me in some danger. I remember the day we were supposed to be evacuated when we were told to get to the British Embassy at 6am and 'keep a low profile'. When we got to the embassy compound, the gates were shut because the Embassy staff had not finished breakfast. So 200 expats were stuck in the streets of revolutionary Teheran trying to 'keep a low profile'!

So let's hope Cameron and Clegg get their act together real soon and sort out the Brits still stuck in Libya.

Off to see the Wizard

Andrew and I were given tickets by Visit London to see one of the preview showings of The Wizard of Oz at the London Palladium. Of course this is the Andrew Lloyd Weber production starring Michael Crawford and Danielle Hope, who won the BBC 'Dorothy' series of programmes.

We went last night and we had a good evening.

Firstly we had a meal at Silk, a restaurant just along from the Palladium located in the actual courtroom where Oscar Wilde was tried. Not a bad meal but not a great one either.

The show was enjoyable, the performances were fine, the staging was amazing. But in the end there was a lack of emotion. Somehow, the expensive (£6m) staging overwhelmed the story and the performances. So whilst there was nothing wrong with the whole production, somehow it didn't quite grab me in any deep way. It remained rather superficial. Worth seeing, but not likely to remain embedded in my memory.

Nothing much to report

So why say anything?

I guess I just feel that if I have a blog, I ought not to leave too much time between blogs. But the past weeks have gone past without major incident and with no great highs and no deep lows.

Partly this is because I have been really busy at work. January is always my busy month because we have a December year-end and, being the finance guy among other things, I have to get the year-end figures out. Also this week I had a lot of other issues to deal with as well as chair a UKGEOforum meeting and then introduce the annual UKGEOforum lecture as part of the RICS geomatics series. Not something I enjoy doing. But it went okay and we had a good dinner afterwards.

On Sunday I played 3 sets of tennis and on Friday I played 18 holes of golf. Both were great for clearing my head and giving me some much-needed exercise - albeit in freezing temperatures.

And on Tuesday evening we were invited to the Oakham Gallery in Mayfair to attend the opening night of their 11th annual exhibition of Scottish Art. I enjoyed the evening. Loads of free champagne and some interesting paintings to see, so what's not to like? My b/f liked it so much that he bought a painting. An oil paining of Coul Bay in Islay painted by Chris Bushe, a well-respected contemporary painter who studied at Gray's School of Art in Aberdeen. We will have the picture shipped out to Spain and hang it in our flat in Malaga. There is a blank wall there, waiting for something to give it a focal point.

And now I have to do my tax return. I have left it until the last minute as ever. I put some money into my pension fund this year, so I need to so a tax return in order to get the tax benefit from that. So that is most of the rest of Saturday taken care of.

As I said - nothing much to report. But it fills a blog post.

New Year in Malaga

And here, again belatedly, are some photos taken during our New Year break in Malaga.

Christmas in Scotland

Beleatedly, here are a few pictures I took over Christmas in Keith in the north of Scotland.

It started so well

During last week I had porridge for breakfast, veggie soup for lunch and steamed fish for dinner on most days. By Friday I had already lost 3 lbs.

Then came the weekend. A glass of wine, then another, then another. Chocolate biscuits mid-morning. A large dinner. And the weight has gone back on again. It's just that I tend to feel hungry at weekends and also I want to relax after the stresses of the week.

Back to square one. More willpower needed.

Resolutionary Fervour

My sedentary lifestyle plus an excess of food and drink have taken their toll. This was exacerbated in June last year when I sprained my foot. I had to stop playing tennis and golf for many months. I did less exercise that usual. But I continued to eat and drink at my usual rather excessive rate. Recent visits to South Africa, Scotland and Spain have not helped.

I think I eat relatively healthily. But I recognise that I eat too much. I don't often get really drunk. But I recognise that I drink too regularly. Most days I have a glass or two (or more) of wine when I got home from work. I often eat a chunk of cheese, possibly washed down by a final glass of red wine, just before I go to bed.

Enough is enough. Indeed too much is too much. Time to change.

So on Tuesday morning I weighed myself. 13 stone 5 lbs. Ouch. Some of that weight has to go. Not through a crash diet, but through more sensible eating and drinking coupled with more exercise.

My goal? Difficult to decide. OK, here goes. To get down to 12 st 0lbs by my birthday 20 May. By my reckoning, that is approximately 1lb each week.

It won't be easy. I need to put on some muscle, and muscle weighs more than fat. The main weight loss area needs to be around my tum. At my age, getting rid of weight in that area will be tough. I don't ever expect to see a six pack. I just want to look and feel better. And hopefully have more energy.

So yesterday and today I have had some bran flakes, tea and brown bread for breakfast, an apple mid-morning, vegetable soup for lunch and fish for dinner. And no alcohol. My weight is now 13st 3 lbs.

But I suspect that losing the first few pounds will be relatively easy. Then weight loss will become progressively harder. I have got to start some sort of exercise, even if it is just walking. My foot is still too sore to start running.

Will I succeed? I honestly do not know. Watch this space.

2011 - looking forward

In many years past, I have drawn up a long list of New Year´s resolutions. It is arguable whether they were kept or not. Just one aim for the start of this year - to improve my appearance. Not necessarily in a narcissistic way. I just need to lose weight and gain a better shape. So more exercise, less food, less alcohol and a better diet. It will be a gradual process. And maybe some clothes shopping!

2011 is the first year of the rest of my life. Yes I know that I could have said that about any year. But this one feels a bit more like a watershed. I need to make better use of my time, find time for friends, sort out my finances etc etc. And use the fact that I now live in a new flat to explore the area, join the local tennis club, go to the local swimming pool, get out the bicycle etc. Not exactly New Year´s resolutions. Just a desire to have more energy and more quality time, for myself and for others. I want to live each day in a unique way, not live one day 10,000 times.

2010 - looking back

Whenever I do a retrospective of a year just gone, the tone of the retrospective tends to be influenced not by the qualities of the year in question, but rather by my mood at the time of writing.

So here I am looking back at 2010 from an internet cafe in Malga having had a relaxing Christmas and New Year. It is consequently easy to forget the trials and tribulations of the year just gone. It was not a great year, to be honest. I made many trips to Scotland to visit my ailing father, I went to funerals of friends who were my age, work was often a real hassle, I injured my foot and had to stop playing golf and tennis, I put on weight (not unrelated to the previous comment) and generally the year passed quickly and without many positive triumphs.

I did move home though. That was achieved, not without stress, but without undue delay. And that gives me a new base from which to approach the new year. Andrew was supportive as ever. We did some memorable travel, especially to South Africa. And I hope I was nice to people and helpful when needed.

So goodbye 2010. Another year of experience on the hopeful path of life.

Scotland and Spain

We made it to Scotland for Christmas. Three trains and a bus - we were only an hour late in arriving in Keith despite the heavy snow. I enjoyed Christmas, even if looking after my father was challenging. We had a good Christmas lunch in the Royal Hotel in Keith, and on Boxing Day we dug out the car and drove to Spey Bay and then back via Buckie and Cullen.

Then on Monday we took the train to Dunkeld to see Andrew´s uncle and aunt before heading onwards to Glasgow for an overnight stay prior to our flight to Malaga. And now we have been in Malaga for three days. Yesterday we drove to La Herradura for lunch at a beach bar. Today we went to my favourite part of this area - the lakes at El Chorro. We had a fantastic lunch at the Oasis restaurant. It was also good to be able to visit Reg and Gloria in Fuengirola on our way back.

And now it is New Year´s Eve. We have our Cava and our 12 grapes and will proobably head for the Plaza de Constitution in Malaga for midnight.

Happy New Year to all. Retrospective of 2010 and thoughts for 2011 to follow in a day or two.

Heading for Scotland (maybe)

On Thursday, Andrew and I are booked to go from Hitchin to Keith by train. But with all of the snow and travel disruption, that now needs to be seen as speculative rather than certain.

This morning, I could not even get from Hertford East to Liverpool Street. The 0739 train did not depart until about 0800. So I was cold before it started. The heating was not functioning. I got colder. Then after a slow journey to Brimsdown, we stopped there for 30 minutes. I got colder. The driver then announced that there was a defective door and the train was being taken out of service. (Why can they not just empty that carriage and then continue the journey?). 500 people pitched out onto Brimsdown station. I got colder. The next announcement was that no trains were currently going in towards Liverpool Street. I stood for 30 minutes on Brimsdown Station. I got colder. Then I saw a bus going to Broxbourne. I took it. And at Broxburne there was a train going back to Hertford East. I took that. I was still cold.So I got home to my flat just over 4 hours after I left having been unable to get to work.

I was in Hitchin on Saturday and went for a walk in Herford on Sunday. Which is where I took these photos. I like snow as long as I do not have to rely on the UK transport system to get around. So I am looking forward to getting to N. Scotland on Thursday. But am not exactly confident that I will.

South Africa - Cape Town

After our time at Londolozi, we took a small plane to Mpumalanga and then on to Cape Town where we spent 6 days. Some of the time was organised (superbly) by Rhino Africa and some of the time was free time.

On the organised days, we did a wine tour of Stellenbosh and Franchhoek and also a trip to Cape Point - both really interesting days (thanks, Graham). On our free days, we took a train to visit a friend in Simon'sTown. visited the District 6 museum, spend some time on Clifton No 3 beach and went by cablecar to the top of Table Mountain.

We also were invited to a couple of parties and visited a number of hotels to check them out for AMRO Worldwide. Memorably we had dinner at the 12 Apostles watching the sun set over the sea.

I would love to write a travelogue detailing our trip at some length, but I simply do not have time. Suffice to say that we were hosted by Rhino Africa who were fantastic. Thanks to Billy, David and all of the Rhino Africa team. I hope we can bring business your way. I enjoyed this visit to South Africa much more than my first visit a few years ago. Maybe that was because the weather was better, the accommodation was out of this world, the people we met were so friendly and the scenery is breathtaking. Yes of course one cannot go to South Africa without realising the difficulties ahead for that country and the huge task still facing the government in balancing the needs and aspirations of all its people. But certainly we will be back. And I would urge others to visit as well. These are just a few of the photos I took during our visit.

South Africa - Londolozi

At the start of our trip to South Africa, we spent three nights at the Tree Camp, Lonzolozi in the Sabi Sands - on the edge of the Kruger. It was amazing.

Firstly Londolozi was luxurious - our accommodation was larger than my flat in London. I loved the outdoor shower and outdoor plunge pool. It was weird but exciting to be soaking naked in the plunge pool overlooking the African bush with, in one case, a herd of elephants only 100 yards away. The food was also amazing and the wines were on the top order.

But of course we were there for the game drives. We did 5 drives and they were exciting, humbling and just wonderful. We saw lions, leopards, elephants, rhino, buffalo, giraffe, zebra etc etc etc. Byron, our guide, and Judas, our tracker, were tremendous. Their spotting was unbelievable and Byron was so helpful in his commentary.. All in all it was a great experience.

These are just a few of the photos I took.

Rhino Africa

We have now returned from an amazing visit to South Africa. I will get round to posting a blog about this. In the meantime, our hosts at Rhino Africa have got in first. Here is their blog. Thanks guys.

In South Africa

We have been to Londolozi game park are are now in Cape Town. We are having a wonderful time. Sadly I don't have time to report in detail- rushing off to dinner now. Back in London on Monday and I hope to report then.

We have sent back some photos for Amro Bear's facebook page.

More soon.

Heading for South Africa

In the summer, Andrew and I went to the IGLTA annual convention in Antwerp.

Whist there we met the guys who run 'out2africa' a luxury travel company in South Africa aimed at the gay and lesbian market. They mentioned that they might be able to put together a travel-professionals educational package for later in the year. Well it has happened and both Andrew and I are going.

I am slightly apprehensive because I feel that having two people from the same travel business does not really add value for the out2africa guys, but I guess that since we stay in the same rooms having two of us will not add too much to their costs. We will certainly do our best to sell their holidays upon our return and will put together information for the Amro Worldwide website.

We leave on Thursday 2 Dec and spend 3 nights at Londolozi game lodge in the Kruger Game Reserve followed by 6 days in Cape Town at the MannaBay boutique hotel. It all looks wonderful and I am looking forward to it immensely. Further reports here in due course.

Autumn (2)

Here are a three more photos taken within a few hundred yards of my new flat in Hertford.


This first one is a view from my balcony looking towards the weir and the leisure centre beyond.


















The second one is the River Lee just along from the flat heading towards Ware.
















And the final one is looking back towards my flat from the Meadows.

Autumn

On Sunday, I went for a short stroll in the area close to my new flat. Which is a good excuse for posting a couple of photos I took, both taken within a few hundred yards for my flat. I loved being able to do this walk stright from the flat without having to either take the car or walk along any pavements. I was back in the flat 30 minutes after I started.

The first day ....

...of the rest of my life.

Yes I know this can be said of every day. And I have already had over 20,000 of these in my life. But then, as someone once said - have you lived 10,000 days or lived one day 10,000 times? Sadly, I think it has often been the latter.

But today feels a bit different. I have been in my new flat for nearly 6 weeks now. But during that time I have been unpacking, have helped run a conference in Stratford-upon-Avon, have been in Spain for 10 days, been up to Scotland and generally been a bit distracted.

Now, though, I have a whole month ahead of me in the new place without any trips away and I want to start to feel that this is a turning point in my life. I will investigate the local area, go for walks, join the local gym and pool, manage my time better and generally look forward to many years living in Hertford and hopefully a new focus on the enjoyment of life. I will not, though, stop watching 'Coach Trip'!

I will also drink less alcohol, especially midweek, and eat more healthily.

I guess it is a bit like having a New Year's resolution but two months early.

So here I go. The first day of the rest of my life.

Political shift

I have become the person I hoped I would never be.

At university, I was very left-wing in my views and was outside the mainstream of all major political parties.

Then I because a member of the Labour Party and was generally happy with their political stance on most things.

At the last election, however, I could not bring myself to vote Labour. I cancelled my membership, gritted my teeth, and voted Lib Dem.

I now find myself, not disappointed in their coalition with the Tories, but admiring of their political courage in not being afraid of grasping power and taking tough decisions. Nick Clegg continues to impress me.

So whilst I know that many Lib Dem supporters are horrified, I maintain my support for the Coalition and the Lib Dem role in this. They have helped temper the excesses of the Tories. Of course they have had to compromise but, hey, they hold less than 10% of seats at Westminster. They are punching above their weight, doing it in the national interest and doing it sensibly.

Have I simply become a realist or is self-interest starting to drive my political views? I hope it is not the latter. But I have certainly shifted my political position. And, strangely, I am entirely comfortable with that.

I hope for some form of proportional representation, for gay marriage, for support for a multi-cultural Britain, for assisted suicide, for rehabilitation of prisoners, and for resistance to faith schools. I remain socially progressive. But I am becoming economically prudent.

Maybe it's an age thing.

Spanish therapy

We have just returned from 10 days in Malaga. It was a very relaxing break after months of stress both at work and with the move. I don't think I had realised how stressed and tired I was until I slept for about 12 hours on each on my first couple of nights in Malaga, got up, went to the beach and promptly fell asleep again!

Andrew had suggested that I go into the local travel agent just down from our flat in Malaga and see if we could go somewhere for a few days while we were there. Delphin, the agent, speaks no English, so I was quite proud of myself in explaining what we wanted and understanding what she was proposing. I booked a 5 days cruise out of Malaga stopping at Portimao, Lisbon and Tangier on an all-Spanish vessel with ibero Cruceros.

It was a really good cruise and amazing value. We paid £240 each and this included the cruise, all port taxes, all food and, amazingly, all drink. We certainly took advantage of this latter offer with our champagne cocktails and copious quantities of quality wine with dinner. I had booked the cheapest lower deck inside cabin; we were upgraded to a higher deck superior outside cabin - I know not why! And I loved Lisbon.

We finished with four sunny days in Malaga, mainly relaxing on the beach, though we did go into Torremolinos for a huge gay exhibition of holidays, clothes, furnishings etc etc. I cooked my usual Zarzuela one evening and we had a couple of meals in the superb Vino Mio restaurant. I read some books, watched some DVDs and generally chilled out. Just what I needed.

A stranger in my bedroom

I had asked for a fitted wardrobe to be put into bedroom 2 before I moved. But Weston Homes said that because of the short timescale between exchange and completion, they would have to do this after I had moved in. So I gave them a key and they did it on the first Wednesday after I moved in. A painter was then due to come to cover up the work.

On the Friday at 6 a.m. I was lying in bed when I heard someone come into my flat using a key. He walked down the corridor and came straight into my bedroom. ¨Hello´, I said (sadly I could think of nothing more original to say. ). He immediately jumped back, very startled. I turned out that this was the painter, who had been told the flat was empty and had decided to do the work early.

I have to say it is not often that a complete stranger walks into my bedroom at 6 a.m. uninvited.

Honest.

Tired but content

I am exhausted.

After moving home I had to prepare for our annual conference and then go up to Stratford-upon-Avon to help run it. I was responsible for the quiz at the pre-conference icebreaker event and for the AGM. I also was room monitor for a number of sessions and of course available at all times to answer questions.

But it all went very well and was a successful three days in terms of organisation, content and finances.

I got home last Thursday and was up at 4 am on Friday to get to Luton for the flight to Aberdeen. I am now in Keith to try to look after my Dad and sort out his future. I return to London tomorrow.

We then have a big Executive meeting on Wednesday which needs a lot of preparation.

Then we head for Spain and hopefully some relaxation. Much needed.

Busy busy busy

Last week I wanted to enjoy my new home. Indeed I just wanted to unpack. But I had to go in to work every day. And now I am gearing up for our annual conference this week in Stratford-upon-Avon. And getting stressed about it. Immediately after the conference, I have to go to Scotland to see my Dad whose health is declining. So I have no time to relax. I am finding this very difficult. I'll be glad when we get to next Sunday, though even then I have a work deadline of 6 Oct to meet and no real time to do the work involved. Pressure & stress. It is not much fun.

Moved in

Yep. I am now in my new home.

Yesterday was not without last minute hassles. My solicitor had not received the signed copy of the lease that I sent on Friday same-day recorded delivery. Then they found it. My buyers solicitor sent £100 less than expected; transpired that they want indemnity insurance on garage repairs carried out 10 years ago and expect me to pay for that. Which I have had to do. My solicitors wanted a closure document from my bank. That took time. My removal men took away my vacuum cleaner so that I could not give the old flat a final clean - probably not important as the buyers are ripping up the carpet anyway.

But finally at about 2.30 p.m. we had completion. And the removal guys started to put my furniture into the new place.

So here I am. Now living in Hertford. Surrounded by boxes.

I enjoyed a half-hour in the evening sitting on the balcony, glass of wine in hand, watching the ducks on the river below and the sun setting in the distance. It was wonderful.

Sadly I am at work today - and the first train I tried to catch from Hertford East, the 7.39, was cancelled! And I am really busy. So it will be the weekend before I can get rid of most of the boxes and start to feel really relaxed.

But hey - I have moved. And it feels great.

D-day minus 1

I am surprisingly nervous and apprehensive. I keep thinking of all the things that could go wrong. I am especially concerned that my buyer may not have the money ready with his solicitor for tomorrow morning and hence delay the move. I feel that perhaps my stuff will be in the removal van but not get clearance to start unloading at the other end.

However I need to try to just focus on the last-minute things today. The final clearing and cleaning. Making sure all my stuff for moving is in boxes. And making sure that I am calm.

Okay, time to get on with it.

D-day minus 2

It's all coming together. The money is with my solicitor awaiting completion on Monday. I have done another trip to the Council tip. I have given three wardrobes and two chests of drawers to Ann, the Irish girl who came for my cooker - a random act of kindness which at least means that someone will make use of them. So my bedroom is looking bare. I have cleared most of the stuff from the garage and now most of the stuff from my kitchen. I have done my final washing.

A few more things to do today, then tomorrow I clear up the final few things and give the flat a good clean. Then, I hope, I move on Monday. Please.

D-day minus 3

I have packed most of my stuff in boxes. My money is with the solicitor. I have signed all the documents. And so I am close to moving home. Still some final clearing to be done, but I am ready for the move. Bring it on.

Yes sometimes it has seemed like one step forwards two steps back. I feel I am reinventing the wheel and meeting obstacles that so many others have faced but I am getting there.

I am excited and apprehensive in equal measure.

Getting closer

Today I exchanged contracts on my purchase. So suddenly it is all legal. I have sold and bought a property.

The last few days have been frustrating. At the last minute I found that under the Chancel Repairs Act of 1932, I might be liable for the cost of repairs to the Chancel of the local parish church. Not something I had envisaged when I decided to but a new-build flat. I have taken out indemnity insurance against that possibility.

I would love to go to sleep for a few days and simply wake up in the new flay. But instead, I have a lot of work to do in clearing the old flat, getting rid of furniture, and preparing for the move.

And then the start of a new life.

Moving on

Monday was such an emotional roller-coaster. My sale was off. Then it was on. Then the buyer's solicitor had a major problem. Then he didn't.

Suddenly at 5.30 we exchanged contracts. So now I have sold my flat. Huge relief. Completion date is 20th September.

Mind you I have not exchanged contracts on my purchase. The local authority searches have not been received. So either I exchange without these or I could be homeless on 20th September.

Nothing is easy in property sales/purchases in England.

So I just keep my fingers crossed.

And this weekend I will be busy clearing out the old flat. Charity shop and Council dump, here I come.

Hitting a snag

I am feeling a lot of stress. Partly this is because September is a busy month at work culminating in the annual conference in Stratford-upon-Avon at the end of the month. Partly because AOL is playing up and I am not always able to get an internet connection. Partly because I am having problems topping-up the money on my pay-as-you-go phone. But mainly there are two causes of the stress.

I have just come back from Scotland. My Dad's health is deteriorating and I really do not know whether I should start the process to put him into a care home. His eyesight is failing, his walking is more difficult, his prostate problems are interrupting his sleep and he is generally very lonely. And I live 600 miles away.

The biggest problem, though, is that my flat sale has fallen through. I think. My prospective buyers wanted to knock down a couple of walls and build an en-suite. The lease states that this requires the approval of the other residents. They have witheld that approval. I will find out tomorrow for sure if the buyers are pulling out. If they do, then I will likely lose my purchase. And we will be back where we were over a month ago apart from the fact that I will have incurred around £1,500 in lawyers fees.

And my b/f is currently away in Gran Canaria so I do not have a shoulder to cry on.

So I am stressed.

Moving Home (fingers crossed)

So far so good, but I don't want to tempt fate.

I have told my solicitors, my buyers solicitors and the estate agent that I want to get to exchange of contracts by 31 August. Only then can I really start to look forward to my new home, throw out old furniture, plan the removal etc.

I have answered all of the solicitors queries, signed all the forms, and agreed to make all the payments. My buyer has had my flat surveyed and been round with a builder to ascertain the work he wants to do. And there have been no negative comments from that.

I guess the local authority searches are on-going and a slow local authority (is there any other type?) could slow things down. And, worryingly, I understand that my buyers mortgage is not quite finalised. So things could still go wrong.

And of course I occasionally have second thoughts. I have been twice to the Council tip with stuff I have thrown out. I have twice been to a charity shop to give them staff that is still worth something. I have put some stuff up for sale on Gumtree. However I still have a lot of items that I won't have room for but which I do not want to throw out. Some are old photographs. Some are old papers. Some are pictures and ornaments that I have collected on my travels over the years - plates from Iran, paintings from Siberia, carvings from India etc. I worry about not having a garage.

But generally I am really looking forward to the new home, to swimming in the local pool in the morning before work, having a shorter walk to the station, joining the local tennis club, maybe joining a drama club, cycling along the banks of the River Lea, taking walks to new places, sipping a Pinot Grigio while sitting on the balcony etc.

Scary and stressful. But also exciting.

This photo shows Hertford with my flat shown in the middle of the photo near the top, just past Tesco and Hertford East station. My balcony, facing away from the camera, overlooks the river and the Meadows beyond. Maybe, just maybe, I could be living there by this time next month.

Moving home (2)

So far so good. My prospective purchaser has had a survey done on my current flat and has come round with his builder to ascertain what work he wants to do before moving in. Apparently he wants to put in an en-suite. He remains keen to buy.

The solicitor has sent me a wadge of documents to complete, which I have done.

Weston Homes, the builder of the flat I am hopefully moving to, have agreed to put in a fitted wardrobe into bedroom 2 as well as fit vertical blinds to all windows, all within the purchase price, which is good.

And I have started to try to tidy up. I have made one visit to the municipal waste disposal area with a load of junk, and have also taken some stuff to the local charity shop.

And I have alternated between huge excitement and sheer panic. Which, I guess, is to be expected.

As I said, so far so good.

Moving home (maybe)

A week ago I had not even had my flat valued.

Since then the estate agent has given it a suggested value, I agreed to put it on the market, I received (and accepted) an offer within 24 hours, and finally I agreed to buy another property. Wow. A busy and eventful week.

I don't have to move. I quite like living in New Barnet - it is handy for the station and for my tennis and golf clubs. My flat needs some work doing to it, but I could have arranged for that to have been done.

But I have never really liked my flat or the block I am living in. And I would like to be further out into the country. I also want to live in a property that I could see myself living in for the rest of my life (which I hope will still be a long time).

Initially I had thought I would like to move to Welwyn Garden City. But then I discovered Hertford. Over the past few days, I have viewed a number of properties. Some were bigger than others. Some were older than others. Most were flats; one was a house. A decision had to be made. It came down to two properties - a terraced house in Welwyn Garden City with a garden and loads of storage space or a new-build flat in Hertford in an ideal location with views to die for but almost no storage space. Head or heart?

In the end, Heart won. With a late goal in extra time!

I have plumped for Hertford. I like the idea of new build. This flat has a balcony with views over the River Lea to meadow land beyond. It is a dual aspect flat which would get the morning sum in the lounge and the evening sun in the bedrooms. I will see the sunset from the balcony. It is very close to Hertford East station from where the train goes to Liverpool Street station, which is close to where I work. There is a Tesco beside the station. Hertford is a quaint historical town with unique shops, a theatre, a Saturday market, many places to eat and a good selection of pubs. The River Lea is right outside the flat; there a bicycle and walking trails which go for miles beside the river to Ware and beyond; there is a canoeing base opposite the flat, tennis courts a hundred yards away and a gym and swimming pool also a hundred yards away. And if we end up living in Spain, I can let out the flat for at least £1,000 per month which would be useful ancillary income.

Yes I am going to be challenged in the fact that I will have to seriously cut down on things I currently have because space is limited. I will need to throw out old ornaments, old golf clubs, clothes I haven't worn for ages, etc. etc. But I want an uncluttered life and I think that physical uncluttering can help mental uncluttering. And I love the thought of sipping a crisp Chardonnay sitting on the balcony watching the summer sun set over the fields beyond. Or being able to go for a short walk into the meadows along the riverbank. And if I am fortunate to still have years ahead of me, this flat will still work even if my walking abilities are curtailed.

This is what the block looks like -






I realise that the property moving process is still fraught with uncertainties. I now rely on my buyer to stick with the process. So, with fingers crossed, I am excited and feeling really positive about the next phase of my life.

Funeral

Yesterday I attended Brian's funeral. A very sad occasion. It also gave me the opportunity to give thanks for Brian's friendship and to celebrate his integrity, his goodness and his gentleness.

And of course such sad occasions make me realise that many of the things that I think are problems for me are in reality fairly trivial things. It made me realise my good fortune in having reasonable health, and has given me the impetus to ensure that I use that good fortune to be a kind and supportive person to others.

The service itself was very high church; a full Catholic Mass in the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Farm Street, London. Since that church meant a lot to Brian, it was entirely fitting that it should be there. However for me the service was too far removed from its central purpose. It was about a general affirmation of faith from the congregation and little about the person whose passing we were marking.

I just know that Brian was taken from us too soon and I hope that he Rests in Peace.

Immobile

A couple of weeks ago I played 4 competitive games of tennis in 4 days. As a result of which, I hurt my foot.

Bit sore, but no big deal.

Then on Tuesday, the eve of my 5 day golfing visit to Wales, I was just walking to work when 'Owwww'. A pain shot up my leg. Now I have a severely sprained foot and can hardly walk.

The trip to Wales had to be cancelled and I have spend 5 days immobile in the flat doing little but watching the British Open on TV. And still my foot is sore.

I managed to go to work today, but that was a mistake as the foot is more painful than ever this evening.

It is all deeply frustrating.

The Lottery of Life (2)

A few months ago, I blogged about the random nature of life and luck. I thought about this again this week. At the start of the week, an elderly relative died. In the middle of the week, a good friend, roughly my age, was found dead in his flat. And at the end of the week, another relative was killed by a car.

The first death was of someone who was 89 and had been ill. So was not really a surprise nor could really be said to be a tragedy.

But the second person was my age, was someone I had worked with and had not been ill. He had been made redundant from the SouthBank Centre 5 years ago, as had I. Whereas I was lucky to get another job immediately, and had viewed my redundancy as an opportunity to get out of a job I was increasingly hating, he had difficulties getting suitable work and had grown increasingly bitter about the forced redundancy. I do not yet know the circumstances of his death, but it reminds me that, whenever I get a bit down, I am still very fortunate.

To compound the feeling that life is a lottery, the person who told me of that death, also someone of my age, revealed that he has recently been diagnosed with cancer.

And the third death was very ironic in its circumstances. A relative, living in the USA, who had recently retired after 50 years working in the Salvation Army. Someone who was deeply religious. He died when he was hit by a car - in the church car park! Just when he was looking forward to retirement.

On the other side of the coin, over the weekend I was in Ipswich with a group of friends, again most of around my age, and some of whom have been able to retire early with no real worries about money. Someone I played tennis with last week, has a new expensive car and a huge house.

So what is the lesson of all of this? I suppose it is one of acceptance of the cards which life has dealt, keeping envy at bay when others seem to have been dealt a better hand, but awareness that still others were dealt much worse hands.

Ths breeds a determination to make the best of the hand one has. I want to live the rest of my life as best I can, and as energetically as I can, being friendly and supportive to others, always wanting to learn and experience more of life, being able to give and receive love, planning for the future but not being constrained by the planning process. And trying to help those who need my help, whilst still forging out a unique path for myself.

Wow. That all sounds a bit serious, a bit restrictive, a bit analytical. Let's just get on with life and remember that life is for living and not for just existing; for being open to new experiences; for living 30,000 days and not living one day 30,000 times. Starting today.

Antwerp

I love Antwerp. It is a city of contrasts and variety. A city of art and culture. A city of diamonds and fashion. A city of bars and clubs. Hustle and bustle and lots to do - yet a quiet serenity on the shores of the river Schelde. And all takes place within a very walkable, manageable heart.

Last week, for the third time in three years, we were in Antwerp, this time for the annual convention of the International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association (IGLTA). Andrew, through his company, AMRO Worldwide, has been a member of IGLTA for 8 years. He is committed to working with IGLTA and to hopefully contributing to its success. I enjoyed the convention, though I do find the networking difficult. I not naturally gregarious and as both a Brit and someone who does not run a travel business, I felt that I was a bit of an outsider.

It was good to see IGLTA having a convention in Europe. They do passionately believe that they should be an international organisation and not perceived as purely an American one. We hope we can help them in this aim. However they do make some unfortunate errors in this regard. They instituted a new series of awards at this convention, the IGLTA Honors. I do think they could have chosen a word that did not have a different spelling on each side of the pond. Using the American spelling will reinforce the perception that they are fundamentally an American organisation.

Nonetheless, I wish them well. AMRO remains a huge supported of IGLTA and will continue to work with them and will encourage travel businesses in Europe to join IGLTA..

Another strange aspect of the weekend was that AMRO has a mascot, Amro Bear, with its own facebook page. So we had to take the bear to Antwerp to take some photos of it. And here they are. I did get some strange looks as I walked round Antwerp with a teddy bear taking photos of it!

The body in the garden (2)

This morning's Press and Journal carried the story of the body found at the bottom of my Dad's garden. But without adding much. Yes the body was found by the paper boy at 7.15 a.m. - about an hour before I arrived. The body has still not been identified. And the cause of death is being described as uncertain. Not suspicious, but equally not, so far, as natural causes.

Later in the day, I found out rather more. The deceased is Davy Leighton, a resident of the same sheltered housing complex in which my Dad lives. Indeed I have passed Davy Leighton's room each evening on my way to the guest room. As a further irony, I knew Davy Leighton from the time he was Secretary at Keith Golf Club. And had spoken to him when I was up in Keith at Easter.

The word in Keith is that he had been knocked down by a car on Friday morning but refused medical treatment. On Friday evening he went to the pub. And that is the last that is known until his body was found on Saturday morning. Presumably he collapsed on his way home on Friday evening. I left my Dad's house at about 10.45 pm on Friday. If I had been any later, I might have seen Davy Leighton returning home and might have been able to help.

It is all very sad. And a real example of how tenuous life can be.

The body in the garden

I am up in Scotland visiting my Dad who lives in sheltered accommodation in Keith, here in the North East. I am staying in the guest room in the main block.

This morning, as usual, I left the main block to go to my Dad's cottage for breakfast. When I got there, it was cordoned off with tape and the place was swarming with police. Immediate concern.

But I was eventually allowed to go through the police cordon. My Dad is okay.

But there is a body (I assume) at the end of his garden covered with a sheet. Difficult to just have breakfast.

Hey, this is Keith - these things do not happen here.

As the morning went on, we found out that the paper boy, having delivered the morning paper to my Dad, stumbled, almost literally, upon a body at the bottom of the garden. The police were called. And now there is huge activity, a tarpaulin sheet blocking the path at the bottom of the garden and a group of police officers all stating that they are unable to tell us what has happened. But apparently we will be told in due course. All very strange.

Now late afternoon, the body has been removed and the police have gone. We were not interviewed. Still no word about what has happened.

This afternoon I took my Dad to a concert in the main block for the residents. Part of the Keith Traditional Music Festival which is taking place this weekend. Strange to have this going on when someone has died just outside the window.

Still I guess we will find out what happened in the local press. Whatever it was, there was certainly a fatality and the deceased was presumably someone's friend, someone's relative. And someone is grieving.

The World Cup is going on, but I can't help thinking about the person who a few hours ago found themselves at the bottom of my Dad's garden and then died there. Of natural causes, I hope.

Whoever you are, Rest in Peace.