Canada to Patagonia at a Worrying Age

Left picture above is me and Tine at start of last night (well 11:30pm) – the first new picture after our friendly Colombian host had managed to wipe the first 10 days images off my memory card! Still it created more space for the night’s pics. On the right is me with the bottle of rum I’d just bought at the night club Andy took us to – which is the middle of God-knows-where, and I can never take you there. Other John bought a bottle of hooch to go with it. We left about 2:45am and as the taxi dropped me off by my hotel I popped into my local for a nightcap. Luckily it was last orders…

Thanks to all who were there (I’d essentially hijacked a Spanish school outing, but everyone sang Feliz Cumpleanos). It really was a special start to the birthday.

Thanks Clare for waking me up just in time for breakfast. It was perfect timing. Really good to talk to you, Mum, Dad and Isis. I’m sure the card will get here eventually.

By some mad quirk of happenstance I never got to go to the mysterious beach at La Boquilla till today and I’m so pleased I waited until my birthday. The people in the picture are Tine, Greg (from Texas) and Delia from Switzerland. Thanks you three for a day that was ‘Just Right’ in every way – you know what I mean.

We have huge and delicious meals in front of us. Bloody rip off at three whole pounds.* We stayed there for about 5 hours and I had a few dips in the Caribbean. Other visitors to Cartagena – please ignore Bocagrande and just head out to this place when you have a day with nothing to do. It’s great. (And Marbella looks pretty good to…)

Bus journey back to town was Just Right as was the fact that when I switched the tv on at the hotel it was to see Rooney’s majestic strike aginst Portsmouth. Shame about the Chelsea result. I’m still having a couple of bob on United, though.

And now I’m just getting ready to go out for the night for the end of the birthday. I don’t care if the night’s a washout, mind. The last 24 hours have been brilliant.

Thanks to all who have texted, emailed, commented and rang. Derm and Col, your message was waiting for me when I got back to hotel. They meant I was out.

What on earth am I going to do next year?

Happy Birthday a day late to Olly – trust you had a great one mate.

* Food and drinks provided by “Compae Pello” – Weddings, Birthdays, Reunions, etc.