July 2026

The months of May and June each year tend to be dominated by grandfather duties and so it proved once again in 2026.

In late April Marion and I flew to Beijing to celebrate Dan’s 12th birthday on 2 May. As usual we stayed with Victor and Lisa at their apartment there. The party was held on the grass in a nearby great public park with a whole army of Dan’s friends and their parents. His favourite gift seemed to be my willingness to engage him in a snooker duel which he wins comfortably. The long walk to and from the park was a good test for my new knee.

Two birthdays in June for the Bangkok-based Rowse’s. Marion flew to Thailand in late May in preparation, I joined later to minimise disruption to the radio show/newspaper column work programme. Liora turned 13 on Friday 11, which makes all three grandchildren at that end teenagers. Grandpa took the tribe to dinner at the restaurant of her choice (Japanese food). Earlier in the day we had an advance celebration lunch for Alyssa (19 on 21st). You read that right: I have a granddaughter of 19!

Knee problem having been addressed, attention turn to the last outstanding issue: deviated septum. Finally summoned up the courage to book the operation which will take place mid-July.

To compensate myself for this demanding programme of medical care, I booked myself a holiday in Vietnam in early August. 10 full days to cover Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang and Hanoi. A country I have long wanted to visit and somehow in 50 years in close by Hong Kong never got round to it.

The other country in that bracket is Philippines. That’s going to be one for next year.