Winter

In truth this should have been updated some time ago as my son informed me on the phone from Sacramento. The strident impetuosity of youth is, in limited doses, a fine thing though one feels rather that the son/father relationship becomes blurred as he in structs me on my shortcomings of which I confess I have a few. Of course when he is older he too will discover that such blemishes on one's character are simply to be regarded as ideosyncracy !

The mature reader may be pleased to know that my five Jordan trips starting on 22 February are almost fully booked - out of 60 places that were available 1 remains while there are only 2 for Syria. Like her majesty The Queen I have a limited interest in certain aspects of the modern world but unlike her majesty I do not have a secretary to do my Facebook and Twitter but work (If it can truly be called that) seems to be going rather well.

Speaking of age/time I must say I can't wait to get back to Palmyra. As the sun starts to sink over the oasis and a soft, pink glow settles briefly on the cobbled avenues that were once the hub of this great city of the Roman Empire life seems magical- as if one has gone back in time. Palmyra by evening is quite devoid of people, the only sound is that of my breathing and Dire Straights as I jog passed temples and the emptyness of the Syrian desert.

I hope to keep this up over the next few months but with 6 trips almost back to back I may not - don't forget adventures await in Bukhara and Bu Agai Dagi - more later !