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.

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

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.

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

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.

As we’re only two thirds of the way through 2008, I’m looking forward to adding a couple more to the list before the year’s out.

F*ing Ladies’ Fashion

The Last Supper

Cannibalism

Murderous Pooh

This post is therefore going to be relatively short and — aside from noting that I’m currently in London — won’t even attempt to cast any light on what it is I’ve actually been up to over the last few weeks. I shall leave that for future ramblings.

It is time, however, to focus on the Beijing Olympics. Google’s logo is particularly close to my heart today:

In 2004, I visited China not long after they had been chosen to host the 2008 olympics. Four years later, I was lucky enough to return and see Beijing transformed, watch the finishing touches being put on the various stadia, trees being shipped into the city, and see Olympic fervour set in, championed by five somewhat unlikely cuddly characters.

Sadly, as I am now returned to London, I will be unable to watch the events live. But, I will — as with most of the rest of the World — be watching with great interest, hoping that everything goes smoothly.

China is no different. In fact, China offers more opportunities than many of the places I have experienced to-date. This seems to be the result of a strange historical and cultural combination whereby food is initially eaten through necessity and then continues to be eaten through that dogged Chinese determination that is ‘saving face‘.

It’s quite amazing what you can get ‘on a stick’ here:

I am reliably informed that all of the most expensive foods taste bad. Taste is — apparently — not the point.

Left-to-right, top-to-bottom:

1. Belkin NE-MS 12" Laptop Messenger Case (Website) – Recently purchased during a trip to Hong Kong.

2. Friendly Bunny – An as-yet nameless but exceedingly friendly bunny who recently found his way to Beijing from Taipei.

3. Shanghai Tang Writing Case (Website) – One of the few decent Chinese fashion brands out there, Shanghai Tang contribues one of the more garish things in the bag.

4. MacBook Air (Website) – A fairly frivolous purchase during my last trip back to Japan, the MacBook Air is now the prize jewel of the collection.

5. Sony Reader (Website) – Sony’s second attempt at an eBook reader makes a fairly good paperback replacement.

6. Ray-Ban Sunglasses – Slightly practical. Mostly for posing.

7. Victorinox – A seemingly more heavy-duty gunmetal equivalent of the Leatherman as made by Victorinox.

8. British Passport – A must when living abroad – "Her Britannic Majesty’s Secretary of State Requests and requires in the Name of Her Majesty all those whom it may concern to allow the bearer to pass freely without let or hindrance, and to afford the bearer such assistance and protection as may be necessary."

9. Shure SE310s – Using a pair of these is like hearing your music collection for the first time all over again.

10. Security Pass – Two RFID cards, an RSA keyfob and various other miscellanea.

11. Pen & Glass Marker – While it may be straight out of a scene in A Beautiful Mind, carrying a glass marker is perfect for anyone who finds themselves with an idea but without a whiteboard. Thankfully there is no shortage of windows!

12. Business Cards – No self-respecting business-man-in-asia should be without a set.

13. Wallet – A chinese knock-off bought in the Silk Market, Beijing. The wallet came with a choice of either Gucci or Armani branding. Less than 100 RMB and genuine leather to boot!

14. iPhone (Website) & Moshi iPouch (Website) – The battery life may be terrible and the telephony questionable, but I cannot cope without this one. The iPouch is the best I’ve found so far.

15. Seiko Watch – A 20th birthday present which has suffered more than its fair share of war wounds.

16. Mints – A box of ‘National Embarassmints’ sporting a picture of our good friend Mr. George W. Bush. Some things never get old.

17. Taiwanese Pebble – An exceedingly thoughtful gift from Junko, hand-picked from the shores of a Taiwanese beach.

Looking at the various offerings, it seems I’m not the only one with a bunny in the bag.