I style myself as an Ox or a Bear or any other animal whose physical strength and gentleness are both cherished; I have one achilles heel, my damned constitution! I spent Monday night and most of tuesday in bed with the most horrendous stomach bug. I'd been to the splendid island of Gozo and had tasted Maltese fish soup and fresh swordfish

All that was soon in a bucket on the balcony! Tuesday I spent in bed until my brothers girlfriend discovered she had some holiday sickness pills in her suitcase, what I would have given for her to have found them earlier! Though still feeling quite rough, I made it back to Paceville (pronounced Parcher-ville) for an evening of shisha, cisk and larking about with my new found French friends. I will miss them.