8.30pm It's like the shining. I'm walking down the long corridor to get on board my flight to Doha and the corridor is deserted. This is it. I am actually, self certifiably, clinically insane. I'm about to board a plane to go to a part of the world that 4 months ago I had no intention of going to in the near future because I felt like a change. Most people's idea of change would be going to the 'Flora' instead of going to the local 'Blackweir Tavern'. Not so ...

It's the night before I leave for Africa. It's 2am and I've lost my yellow fever vaccination certificate, one of my shoes and my passport as been MIA for about six hours. Apart from that the packing is going swell... Goodness, It's been a whirlwind of a few days. On Friday morning I woke up at 6.55am to find the all the lights downstairs on. I thought this very strange as I had made a concerted effort to switch them all off the night before (and had thought mys...

This is my first 'blog'... and I've not even got there yet! I apologise in advance for any future postings as I am not a great writer, I often write in the same manner that I speak which will cause obvious confusion. Those that care enough to carry on reading will I'm sure be acclimatised to my constant babbling by now and find themselves able to cope with the drivel that is to follow over the next eight weeks... I would also like to re-name my 'blog'. 'Blog' is...