Being that I am quite useless in updating my blog, I can only imagine that my readership (small though it might be) are quite unaware of my recent travel arrangements. That is, with the exception of those 79-or-thereabouts who follow me on Twitter.

Representing a relative departure from my usual travels, I am currently aboard flight KQ0117. This will take me into Nairobi from where I shall onwards to Uganda and Entebbe. Usually attracted by the bright lights and expensive restaurants of the West and, more recently, the East, I have never found much appeal in Africa, venturing only once to Egypt with my parents a number of years previous. Now, with a friend (as all newly trained doctors seem to) serving out his medical elective in the town of Kiwoko, I find I have cause and my recent departure from my job gives me oportunity.

I shall endeavour to catalog the events of the next few weeks in coming posts which, I expect, will reflect the usual mélange of emotions with no shortage of culture shock as oft experienced during travel.

Returning to the UK, one inevitably flys into Heathrow and then takes the Heathrow Express onwards into Paddington. Despite the all-too-common feeling of sadness brought about by the conclusion of a journey, I still find the fantastic Victorian architecture at Paddington a reminder that there is something special about Britain.

On Friday last week, I tried to capture just a little of that grandeur:

Much has happened since my last weblog (considered) posting so this collection of comments is by way of a summary of some of those events.

February took Junko and I to Hanamaki, the home of Miyazawa Kenji, for some rest and relaxation. It proved wonderfully slow and middle-aged place with a little snow remaining from the winter.

Since returning from a second trip to Japan this year, I have now decided that it’s time to leave Symbian (now Nokia) and move to pastures anew. It’s currently unclear where this will lead me but I certainly hope to tidy up a few personal software projects on the way; there are at least a couple of iPhone applications in the works and the Android Dev Phone 1 is sitting patiently on the side.¹

The last few months have been a fairly unsettled and over the last year and a half I have lived in more hotels than I care to consider. For the time being however, I have found myself space with Alan and Mike and enjoying feeling a little more grounded. Cheshunt is a gorgeous little commuter village outside London and the recent weather afforded me a collection of photos².

¹ More details coming soon.

² Anyone looking for photos hosted on MobileMe will be sorely disappointed. After far too long trying to maintain more than one system, I’ve finally given up and given my allegiance to Flickr.

Last Monday, after much waiting, I finally jumped aboard a Virgin Atlantic flight and made my way over to the windy city of Chicago. It’s been a pretty turbulent week so far but, fortunately, one which has afforded me the opportunity to enjoy some of the fantastic sights the city has to offer and I’m certainly looking forward to the chance to celebrate a victory by a certain Illinois senator.

I’ll try to put together a complete photo album as-and-when I have time.

The past half a year has been an extremely busy time for me and, now that I am back in Britain for a short while, I have been trying to sort out a little. One thing I have been trying to address is the horrible mess in which my photos have found themselves.

While there are a couple of albums still remaining to be sorted, perhaps these few will help shed some light on what I have been up to during the last 8 months:

Chinese Spring Festival

The Chinese Spring Festival, or New Year, falls towards the beginning of the Western year. Fortunately, for us, that was a week after the beginning of our assignment, giving us ample opportunity to take a look around:

• .Mac Gallery (Fast Computers)
• Flickr (Slow Computers)

The Great Wall

Visiting the Great Wall obviously forms part of the mandatory explorations in and around Beijing. If, however, you are foolish enough to go on a guided tour, you will be taken to Jade Factories, Cloisonne Factories and Chinese Medical Centres before finally reaching your intended destination:

• .Mac Gallery (Fast Computers)
• Flickr (Slow Computers)

Hong Kong

Not long after, visa woes mandated the first of many weekend trips to Hong Kong and other destinations:

• .Mac Gallery (Fast Computers)
• Flickr (Slow Computers)

Beijing Botanical Gardens

The Beijing Botanical Gardens are a fairly common destination for both foreigners and local tourists alike. If you manage to get through the crowds and traffic queues, they’re beautiful, especially in the blossoms of Spring:

• .Mac Gallery (Fast Computers)
• Flickr (Slow Computers)

Caves, Beijing

While I don’t remember the name of these caves, they provided for an amusing day out with members of our Chinese language school (BCLS) and some of their charges:

• .Mac Gallery (Fast Computers)
• Flickr (Slow Computers)

Hong Kong

Yet again. For yet more visa renewals. Yet still, an absolutely fantastic place, providing a wonderful combination of a true metropolis with small Chinese fishing islands:

• .Mac Gallery (Fast Computers)
• Flickr (Slow Computers)

All in all. A wonderful experience.