Lots of news this month, but start with the first diet failure: after three months of successfully shedding 2.5 kg per month, April’s target was to do the same and get down to 90 kg. Alas the best I could do by weigh-in time was 90.3. So near and yet so far. A gallant effort but rules are rules, that means no wine until I am back on track. But I will moderate the target loss to a more reasonable 1 kg per month from now on.

Meanwhile plans for overseas travel have moved up the agenda and taken shape. I will go by myself later this month to UK for the wedding of my brother Tim’s younger daughter Faye. I will start the week by flying out at midnight on Monday 21 May and being met on arrival on the Tuesday morning at Heathrow by my best friend from school, Gerry. Together we will go to Kew Gardens to check on the condition of the bench dedicated to the memory of my Mum and sister Lynda, then on to Beaconsfield to spend the night.

Wednesday by train to Hatfield to stay in the excellent Beales hotel near Tim’s place. In the afternoon I plan to visit my best friend from college Ken, who alas is incapacitated. Dinner that evening with Tim, his wife Ann, and Ken’s wife Lynda, probably in the hotel.

Thursday by car with Tim and Ann to the wedding venue. The ceremony (private, immediate family only) will take place that day following which we will all stay in some cottages nearby bracing ourselves for the big reception scheduled for Saturday. Back to Heathrow Sunday, returning to Hong Kong Monday 28 after a whirlwind seven days.

Plans for Thailand and Russia, both in June, have also firmed up, more next time.

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