Trotting, in a global manner

OK. So. Yes.

We’ve been away for a month: Canada, UK, Hong Kong. If you’re reading this then you probably saw us somewhere along the route, for which we are both very grateful.

I’ll put up pics asap. However here’s a run-down of the highlights:

1) Canada.

Vancouver is a lovely city with the mountains looming over the compact centre. Lots of lovely eateries and a good pub – what else do you need? A large statue of local notable Gassy Jack, that’s what.

Victoria is a pretty place on Vancouver Island, where we stayed in a preposterously posh hotel and hung around the second-hand bookshops in the grottier end of town.

On to Banff for Christmas, which is a gloriously located ski resort in the Rockies. This was the highlight of Canada for us, seeing glaciers eroding away furiously on snow-covered mountains, and keeping an eye on the thermometer in the hire car (record: minus 18 celsius). The Banff Springs Hotel is impossibly glamorous, far too fancy for the likes of us, but we enjoyed it. Canasta, sleigh rides, more food than you can eat = top time.

2) UK

First we zipped down to Brizzle to see my family and do the “Christmas on the 28th” thing. Then a lovely dinner in Chelmsford catching up with old mates before a flight to Edinburgh to see family up there and count in the New Year. Next up a quick trip to Durham (more family stuff) before returning to London and haring round the place catching up with all our lovely mates. This was all so much fun, lots of beer and lots of baby talk, it all seems a bit blurry already, but we had a blast. Now how many people will we get to Sidders this year?

3) Hong Kong

Dropped into Honkers on the way back to see Rob and family, in particular the newest addition, the gorgeous Thomas. Relaxing on Lamma Island is always a good way to spend a couple of days.

So now we’re back in Godzone, back at work, and feeling none the better for it. Samuel Richardson turns out to be good and Elmore Leonard over-rated. Arsenal become rubbish while England become good at cricket – the world seems like a different place. Were we away so long?