Ayubowan.....welcome. hello. good morning......friendly word of welcome accompanied by a warm smile and hands held together in front to signify that you are truly welcome to Sri Lanka. Awoke early considering yesterdays epic journey. Started the day with a substantial breakfast in the hotel restaurant which overlooked the pool and garden areas – lovely and peaceful – just have to stop the birds taking your food!!. Then I did a wander about the ground...

Early start this morning as I had leave at 0530 to ensure I could get a taxi in Nanjing. All worked out with the pre-booking which is a new concept to the Chinese. For the first time I was able to get a taxi to come to my door and not have to bail one up in the middle of the street…a good start to the holiday. Through some stroke of luck I managed to book myself Business Class all the way for much the same cost as economy so started the day checking out th...

Its that time of year when we seem to see life in extremes. In my home country - Australia - they have been ravaged by fires and floods. both extremes along a continuum. In my current residential country - China - we have been ravaged by snow and smog. Well at least they like to call it "smog" but in fact it is plain old air pollution which unfortunately we are having had the highest levels for many years. Beijing seems to have been hit the hardest with levels ov...

Since Christmas I have celebrated, or should that be endured, another birthday. Had a fairly quiet day but went out for a lovely dinner with Shirley to celebrate anyway. Went to my favourite Italian restaurant as a break form Chinese food is needed every now and then....besides they also have some rather nice Italian wine with which to celebrate!!! Present wise I was given a wonderful fruit basket, some chocolates and an engraved pen with my name on it so that wa...

Well it is absolutely freezing here at the moment and is actually snowing.....not settling on the ground as yet but snowflakes are wafting through the air!!! The past few weeks have seen me attend a few Christmas celebrations despite it not being a recognised holiday here in China. It is a normal working day for the Chinese people (even had the nerve to ring me about work!!) but that hasn't stopped them grasping the commercialism and hype surrounding Christmas a...