Don't assume this marks the start of daily posts!

[tokyo_mb]

Well, as promised, a brief post from the BA lounge at Heathrow as I start my journey back to the Tokyo mayhem that I'm sure will await.  I've had a remarkably restful few days away from all contact with a work computer, email and other distractions - which has given me some opportunity to recharge my batteries.  I'm convinced I'll need them all and more over the next month...

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A quick run-down of my festive season, would seem to be appropriate at this juncture.

• Arrived back in the UK on Sunday 19 December and travelled up to stay with my brother and sister-in-law in Hertfordshire (on a remarkably convenient, if slow, bus that runs direct from Heathrow to Harlow via Hertford North station).
• Worked for four days in London, doing a mix of working on Tokyo email before breakfast and then catching up with London colleagues in the office. This included making a connection with my mentor through the next promotion process (he's also a lapsed-mathematician with parents who were both teachers!).  I also got in four hours of one-on-one coaching with the leader of our Organisational and Executive Development group, discussing the development of a more effective leadership style that will work for others and me.  Interesting discussions - much still to process.
• On Wednesday night, I caught up with Nicole, a close friend, and listened to her tale of woe about moving in with her boyfriend - who wasn't quite what he seemed and seems to have an unhealthy attraction to a certain white powder.
• Christmas Eve was reserved for Christmas shopping.  Surprisingly London was quiet - with everyone who was more organized than me, I think, having already completed their shopping.  Found it difficult to feel very festive, and didn't end up buying much in the way of inspired Christmas gifts.
• Travelled up to my parent's on the Essex/Suffolk border on Christmas Eve and spent most of the evening wrapping presents and chatting to my parents. 
• Christmas was the usual family occasion, starting with Church in the morning with parents and Adrian and Cathy, the arrival of Aunt Susan in time for lunch, and then some Christmas presents, and games of Scrabble and the anniversary edition of Trivial Pursuit (with inter-generational teams to make it fair).
• On the 27th I travelled down to London, and onwards to lilitufire's mother's near Cardiff.  Travelling to London proved to be a game, with buses replacing trains from Witham and the police having cordoned off the access ramp at Stanstead (which we'd thought might be a quicker option).  An hour and a half in London enabled me to do a little shopping (Sports jacket from Aquascutum, Suit from Mark Stephen Marengo, and a couple of shirts and ties from Thomas Pink) before catching a train to Cardiff.  Even this proved non-trivial with the clerk at Paddington thinking Exeter was Cardiff...
• A day and a half in Wales, I think saw me survive the parental character assessment (though I'll await positive confirmation of that from lilitufire) and also get a guided tour of The Valleys north of Cardiff - which was educational and, in places, surprisingly scenic.
• Arrived in Edinburgh and watched the cats get bribed with Ambrosia custard(!) and then spent a very pleasant couple of days with Lisa.  These included the 'mince pie party' (which you can find reported elsewhere), shopping in the rain and dinner at The Tower restaurant (on top of the Museum of Scotland) (very good, though Lisa's main was a little disappointing).
• New Year's eve brought a journey to St Andrews, for the aforementioned New Year's party, preceded by a stop for a very pleasant lunch at The Peat Inn (in Peat Inn, outside St Andrews).  The Peat Inn is a very traditional sort of place - where menu's are consulted over aperitifs in the lounge (with log fire) and wines are decanted near the the cellar and then brought to your table (in an, in this case unsuccessful, attempt to avoid stirring up the sediment).

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All in all a very pleasant few days.  I've added a few new people to my friends list, and if other's I've met wish to add me, I'm sure I can reciprocate.  I will try to post more regularly this year with some observations from Tokyo - but cannot promise!