And hello from...

New Zealand... yes kids, that's right, I am home, safe, finally, it's all over... well not quite all over, I still have a fair bit to cover blog-wise which I will get to before too long, there are plenty of anecdotes and fill-in bits still in my brain which I will share with anyone keen to keep reading my waffle. 

For now I am glad to be back and catching up with everything and everyone slowly... at least it is slightly warmer than a Shanghai winter, although the good old NZ rain is still hanging around, reliable as ever. It is always a bit surreal coming back to the world after time away but at least the culture shock was not quite like it was six years ago. After a couple of days of eating and drinking all the things I missed and lazing around I am pretty much back in the groove again, although the pollution-stuffed chest I have had since Bangkok has finally jumped into a full blown flu or something. It could be the SARs, we shall see.