My return to Great Britain. Will it be the picking up of an old life or the beginning of a new one?

• Robjstaples's Profile
• About this blog

About this blog

The curtain falls on a year abroad and I head home towards the White Cliffs of Dover. Three months of total freedom to travel and live as I chose have been and gone and will be missed.

Family and friends await, although it's dawning that I have no idea what else to expect. Everything has been about getting to this day with no thought of anything beyond. It's just a case of wait and see who, what, where, why, when how...

• 1

  Life on the Holo-deck   London, United Kingdom on Oct 4, 2005 0 pictures 0 comments
• 2

  This Great City   London, United Kingdom on Oct 7, 2005 2 pictures 0 comments
• 3

  Going mad after 24 hours off work   Ashford, Kent, United Kingdom on Oct 10, 2005 0 pictures 0 comments
• 4

  I love my backpack!   London, United Kingdom on Oct 13, 2005 0 pictures 0 comments
• 5

  The sweet taste of humidity   Singapore, Singapore on Oct 14, 2005 0 pictures 0 comments
• 6

  Into the mad melee   Chang'an, China on Oct 15, 2005 0 pictures 0 comments
• 7

  Hanging out in and peeing on Kowloon   Hong Kong, Hong Kong on Oct 17, 2005 0 pictures 0 comments
• 8

  The truth about ticketing   Hong Kong, Hong Kong on Oct 18, 2005 0 pictures 0 comments
• 9

  Motorcycles everywhere   Taipei, Taiwan on Oct 18, 2005 0 pictures 0 comments
• 10

  Rockin Rollin Ridin out along the Pacific   Hualien, Taiwan on Oct 19, 2005 13 pictures 0 comments
• 11

  Exploring the typhoon's aftermath   Hualien, Taiwan on Oct 20, 2005 11 pictures 0 comments
• 12

  On top of the World in Room 101   Taipei, Taiwan on Oct 21, 2005 0 pictures 0 comments
• 13

  Don't take travelling for granted   Hong Kong, Hong Kong on Oct 22, 2005 0 pictures 0 comments
• 14

  24 hours in the Wild West   Dongguan, China on Oct 23, 2005 0 pictures 0 comments
• 15

  Lounging in luxury   Chang'an, China on Oct 24, 2005 0 pictures 0 comments
• 16

  Casinos and Cultural Heritage   Macau, Macau on Oct 25, 2005 0 pictures 0 comments
• 17

  Do you ever tire of HK?   Hong Kong, Hong Kong on Oct 27, 2005 3 pictures 0 comments
• 18

  Back home again!   London, United Kingdom on Oct 28, 2005 0 pictures 0 comments
• 19

  Tuned in to the surroundings   Hereford, United Kingdom on Oct 30, 2005 17 pictures 0 comments
• 20

  Coming down - hard!   London, United Kingdom on Nov 1, 2005 0 pictures 0 comments
• 21

  Touching on our mortality   Long Eaton, United Kingdom on Nov 4, 2005 0 pictures 0 comments
• 22

  Do Something, Anything...   London, United Kingdom on Nov 7, 2005 0 pictures 0 comments
• 23

  Back amidst the Bonhomie   Glasgow, United Kingdom on Nov 10, 2005 0 pictures 0 comments
• 24

  Feeling Autumn   London, United Kingdom on Nov 15, 2005 0 pictures 0 comments
• 25

  Life in the slow(er) lane   London, United Kingdom on Nov 20, 2005 0 pictures 0 comments
• 26

  The dream pipe   Glasgow, United Kingdom on Nov 22, 2005 0 pictures 0 comments
• 27

  Late because of Lara   Glasgow, United Kingdom on Nov 25, 2005 0 pictures 0 comments
• 28

  The Kingdom of the Moors   Granada, Spain on Dec 2, 2005 26 pictures 0 comments
• 29

  Looking forward....to Christmas?   Glasgow, United Kingdom on Dec 6, 2005 5 pictures 0 comments
• 30

  Paris Therapy   Paris, France on Dec 10, 2005 10 pictures 0 comments
• 31

  Trying to Manage   Glasgow, United Kingdom on Dec 15, 2005 0 pictures 0 comments
• 32

  The pleasures of dog-sitting and xmas shopping   Ashford, Kent, United Kingdom on Dec 17, 2005 0 pictures 0 comments
• 33

  A very Merry Christmas   Ashford, Kent, United Kingdom on Dec 25, 2005 14 pictures 0 comments
• 34

  Almost a White Christmas   Ashford, Kent, United Kingdom on Dec 27, 2005 3 pictures 0 comments
• 35

  Hogmanay in the Harbour   Oban, United Kingdom on Jan 2, 2006 12 pictures 1 comment
• 36

  Reuniting with (considerable) trepidation   Bangor, United Kingdom on Jan 12, 2006 0 pictures 0 comments
• 37

  Don't look back because....   Bangor, United Kingdom on Jan 16, 2006 51 pictures 0 comments
• 38

  The British Legal System   Glasgow, United Kingdom on Jan 18, 2006 0 pictures 0 comments
• 39

  Through the kids' eyes   Lincoln, United Kingdom on Jan 22, 2006 15 pictures 0 comments
• 40

  Getting the Blues   Glasgow, United Kingdom on Jan 26, 2006 0 pictures 0 comments
• 41

  Seaside and Fish and Chips   Littlestone, United Kingdom on Jan 28, 2006 7 pictures 0 comments
• 42

  Travellers Pearls   London, United Kingdom on Jan 30, 2006 0 pictures 0 comments
• 43

  Who's in control?   Ashford, Kent, United Kingdom on Feb 2, 2006 0 pictures 0 comments
• 44

  Labouring hard   Utrecht, Netherlands on Feb 4, 2006 0 pictures 0 comments
• 45

  Glasgow's troubles   Glasgow, United Kingdom on Feb 8, 2006 0 pictures 0 comments
• 46

  Becoming a Grandfather   Hannover, Germany on Feb 11, 2006 0 pictures 0 comments
• 47

  Thomas The Tank Engine   Glasgow, United Kingdom on Feb 15, 2006 0 pictures 0 comments
• 48

  Outsiders aren't important   Glasgow, United Kingdom on Feb 16, 2006 0 pictures 0 comments
• 49

  Dream   Glasgow, United Kingdom on Feb 20, 2006 0 pictures 0 comments
• 50

  Goodbye Fred   Crawley, United Kingdom on Feb 22, 2006 0 pictures 0 comments
• 51

  Jerusalem   Ashford, United Kingdom on Feb 23, 2006 0 pictures 0 comments
• 52

  Getting mad   Ashford, Kent, United Kingdom on Feb 24, 2006 0 pictures 0 comments
• 53

  Why go to a funeral?   Crawley, United Kingdom on Feb 26, 2006 0 pictures 0 comments
• 54

  Shaping my future   Ashford, Kent, United Kingdom on Mar 6, 2006 0 pictures 0 comments
• 55

  Garden Therapy   Ashford, United Kingdom on Mar 13, 2006 0 pictures 0 comments
• 56

  Gettinng ready to go again   Ashford, United Kingdom on Mar 15, 2006 0 pictures 0 comments
• 57

  Grin and Bear it!   Pamplona, Spain on Mar 18, 2006 0 pictures 0 comments
• 58

  Returning to work   Ashford, United Kingdom on Mar 20, 2006 0 pictures 0 comments
• 59

  Cider Festival   Hereford, United Kingdom on Mar 25, 2006 0 pictures 0 comments
• 60

  What do you miss about home?   Glasgow, United Kingdom on Mar 27, 2006 0 pictures 0 comments
• 61

  Airport Stopover   Munich, Germany on Mar 31, 2006 1 picture 0 comments
• 62

  I love HK again!   Hong Kong, Hong Kong on Apr 1, 2006 27 pictures 0 comments
• 63

  Arriving in China   Dongguan, China on Apr 2, 2006 0 pictures 0 comments
• 64

  Happy amongst friends   Dongguan, China on Apr 5, 2006 40 pictures 0 comments
• 65

  Don't forget to eat...   Dongguan, China on Apr 7, 2006 36 pictures 0 comments
• 66

  This is Dongguan   Dongguan, China on Apr 11, 2006 28 pictures 0 comments
• 67

  Feeling Good   Dongguan, China on Apr 12, 2006 0 pictures 0 comments
• 68

  Taiwan's Doorstep   Xiamen, China on Apr 14, 2006 19 pictures 0 comments
• 69

  Doing the temple thing!   Xiamen, China on Apr 15, 2006 16 pictures 0 comments
• 70

  Signposts Ningbo   Ningbo, China on Apr 16, 2006 0 pictures 0 comments
• 71

  A Religious Experience   PutuoShan, China on Apr 16, 2006 22 pictures 0 comments
• 72

  A Slow boat to Shanghai   Putuo Shan, China on Apr 16, 2006 7 pictures 0 comments
• 73

  The Bund wakes up   Shanghai, China on Apr 17, 2006 24 pictures 0 comments
• 74

  Shanghai Mega Metropolis   Shanghai, China on Apr 18, 2006 0 pictures 0 comments
• 75

  Headed Home   London, United Kingdom on Apr 19, 2006 13 pictures 0 comments
• 76

  Thumb Twiddling   London, United Kingdom on Apr 26, 2006 0 pictures 0 comments
• 77

  Birthday BBQ   Ashford, Kent, United Kingdom on Apr 30, 2006 14 pictures 0 comments
• 78

  I know summer's coming   Ashford, Kent, United Kingdom on May 3, 2006 0 pictures 0 comments
• 79

  "The next station is..   Ashford, Kent, United Kingdom on May 8, 2006 0 pictures 0 comments
• 80

  The Joys of Work   London, United Kingdom on May 14, 2006 0 pictures 0 comments
• 81

  In my own time   London, United Kingdom on May 16, 2006 0 pictures 0 comments
• 82

  Cup Final   London, United Kingdom on May 17, 2006 0 pictures 0 comments
• 83

  Playing with ideas   London, United Kingdom on May 19, 2006 0 pictures 0 comments
• 84

  Why rotten weather's good   London, United Kingdom on May 20, 2006 0 pictures 0 comments
• 85

  The Giant Sleeps   London, United Kingdom on May 21, 2006 0 pictures 1 comment
• 86

  Why do we do it?   London, United Kingdom on May 24, 2006 0 pictures 0 comments
• 87

  Boats and Breezes   Portsmouth, United Kingdom on May 26, 2006 0 pictures 0 comments
• 88

  The end is near   London, United Kingdom on Jun 3, 2006 0 pictures 0 comments