Blog

7.30 on a Sunday morning. Last night was the first time after all the travelling that I got a good night’s sleep only for the fire alarm to go off at 5.50. Hundreds of people cascade out on to the … Continued

Well, my first day in London. Arrived last night after a 13 hour flight from Signapore with a 7 hour time shift so upgraded my room (I always forget how small London hotel trooms can be) and went to bed. … Continued

Gradually succumbing to American Touritis as the airports, taxis, hotels, meals turn into a blur. But there are lots of differences here in Malaysia. For the first time since I left Auckland there’s a full blue sky even if it … Continued

Last full day in China and off tomorrow for Penang for a dinner, a conference, a lunch and two nights sleep before setting off for the UK. However, I’ll be with seven much more important people – the Vice Chancellors … Continued

Today, Peilin, Paul and myself visited Chrystal and her husband Steve in Pudong, the East side of Shanghai which has grown from nothing in 1990 to a city in it’s own right. Chrystal works at Yi-Fu Polytechnic who have had … Continued

Soggy Sunday in Shanghai. Looking out of the window, the tops of the buildings in Pudong – the newer area over the river from downtown Shanghai – have disappeared under clouds. Normally they disappear under smog! You have to put … Continued

In Shanghai, with some spare time at last, and the hotel has a very sophisticated online service so at last I can do another blog. Staying at a very posh hotel – Le Royal Meridien – overlooking the centre of … Continued

Now I’m in Shanghai I’ve got some time (it’s the weekend) and my notebook is working at last so I’m trying to catch up, city by city. It’s all a blur – 4 cities in seven days but each city … Continued

My translated proposal regarding the future of the paths was put before the local council, at their meeting last week, by Kostas Skouras, the political representative for the KKE party. By the time they got to my item, it was … Continued

I’m playing truant from the most boring conference in the history of conferences even taking into the account its in Chinese and English. I don’t even get the chance to see Beijing as tomorrow I’m off to Tianjin. We came … Continued