Happy New Year 2016

Happy New Year one and all. And thank you to all who take the time to read my blog. I appreciate your effort and I will try not to bore you with cancer tales, of which I have many, and which sometimes cannot be avoided.

I started this blog in 2006, so I'm now entering my tenth year as a blogger. My first post was in 2006, not quite ten years ago, but who's counting. Much has happened, many travels, in the intervening years, the travels being the original point of it all.  Looking back over those years there is nothing I would change. Maybe the odd mistake here and there that could have been avoided and one or two false leads taking me to dead ends. But really substantially nothing I would do differently.

I have published 575 posts, plus a few more I didn't publish for one reason or another. My blog has been read 27,419 times which impresses me no end. Not the millions some folk get for one stupid tweet, but a quality audience. I feel I know everyone who reads my bletherings. My spell check is working today and seems to think that blethering is already plural. I beg to differ. Most readers are based in UK, USA and Peru, not surprisingly.

But I've had readers all over the world, so I can't honestly say I know you all. I have readers in Spain, Germany, China, Japan, Singapore, France, Pakistan, Colombia, Ukraine, Ireland and other spots. I know someone in all these countries. There are other countries featured from time to time such as Taiwan and South Korea where I don't know anyone or at least cannot recall. Maybe you are a troll or what's the word again for bad people messing with things online? Spammers or bastards?

I've had many messages, emails, texts of one sort or another. I've had a beautiful email from my friend Flor in Lima who continues to work with the young people of Lima though now with a different organisation, but still government based. Had things worked out for me I would be with her now, sharing more good times. Flor, I aim to be with you this year. I won't be fit to work with you and the kids, but we might take them to the cinema again and have party.

I've had a message from Claudia, my Spanish teacher over the years, in Cuzco. Now back in her home city of Montevideo, Uruguay. I hope to visit her there. If I make it back to South America I will. My good friend Yuri has sent me a lovely message from her home in Japan. I had meant to visit Yuri in Japan, but that seems unlikely to happen now. Yuri hopes to be in Edinburgh this year so I look forward to that.

Thank you to everyone else who has sent me messages and cards. I can't list you all, but you're all important to me. I feel blessed to have so many friends around the world. I've had the huge pleasure over the festive period of meeting up with some old friends, many of whom I had not seen for years. You know who you are. Thank you for being there.

I must mention my friend Jane, who is now in hospital and bravely facing an uncertain future. I know Jane won't like me using the word brave, but there it is Jane and it's the best word I can find right now. So you know you're in my thoughts. No getting bevied in hospital now Jane!

Finally I read the other day that Henry V did not say " God for Harry, England and St George!". Apparently he said "Fellas, let's go!". That Will chap making things up again.

And finally, finally, as I may have said before I'm very happy to be here still able to write and aim to be here on New Years Day 2017. Fellas lets go for it.