January 2026

The final two months of 2025 were their usual pattern overlaid with a flurry of Christmas events.

No fewer than two book launches by friends, former AO Gordon Jones at the HK Club, Sally Thompson (wife of Jim) at Tai Kwun. Read the latter start to finish.

Pelton came for 10 days for his customary catch up holiday, also Anthony Griffiths for a rare sojourn.

No fewer then three visits to Hong Kong Disneyland, once for the handover of the managing director post, Michael Moriarty getting a promotion back to stateside, once each with two different friends.

My usual weekly radio show on RTHK continued, with a number of extra shows over the Christmas period to cover colleagues holiday arrangements. Fortnightly SCMP columns continued, though for only the second time in 15 years the Op Ed editor did not like one of my drafts and declined to publish. Anyone who would like to read it is welcome to contact me privately.

A memorial service for Helmut Sohmen at the Academy for Performing Arts – and we all had to sing Climb Every Mountain at the end ! the annual dinner of the English Speaking Union. Frank Ching and Anna Wu’s Christmas drinks at their son’s restaurant. The annual dinner for the Indochine Starfish Foundation, a cocktail for the China Coast Community, Jim Wardell’s Christmas lunch at Shek O. What a programme.

Everywhere I went during the two months people had seen on YouTube the interview I gave to a Singapore-based Russian freelancer which racked up over 100,000 views. At least some must have found it interesting.

Tiffany did not make it back for Christmas, but we do have plans to see her in Japan in the New Year. Alex went back to UK briefly to wind up operations there and is now firmly back with us in Hong Kong and has prepared to start work!

Onward and Upward!