Nine Million Bicycles
Twenty finger puppets (from Puno, Peru)
One person
You
Can change the world....

There is a wonderful serendipity about life as evidenced today.......

The Hand of Friendship ...looking for something today to take to Chinese children on my trip, I came across Elena in High Wycombe market, a Peruvian selling hand-made woollen finger puppets knitted by the people of Puno, next to Lake Titicaca, on the border of Peru and Bolivia.

A very poor place - she runs the Peruvian Orphan Childrens Fund - see link (--->)
Every Saturday she's in the market -please support her and her charity.

Extend a helping 'finger' puppet to the world...

Thanks also to Arturo and Leyla and Oscar and Hugo, their two kids for listening and spending a little time with me.

Also many thanks to Irish Anne..... and to you all -your donations, your thoughts, your time have helped make the world a better place for Deaf people.

It has been a pleasure to meet with you all.

Now, I ' got to start packing.....where did I leave my Chinese phrase book....?

oops... I nearly forgot , the title -click to listen to Katie Melua, singing 'Nine million bicyles in Beijing' I heard this song once on a Chinese website -didnt know the artiste..

Well standing in Woolies in Wycombe, waiting for one of the sales people to find me some Magnetix for little Mikey , my son, this song, came drifting in over the ceiling speaker,..

There are nine million bicycles in Beijing
That's a fact,
It's a thing we can't deny
Like the fact that I will love you till I die.

I'll drift away and write to you after I come back from Beijing...may the sun shine warm upon your face, the rains fall soft upon your lawn/window box and, until we meet again may God hold you inthe palm of His Hand.

Gerry go for it .......

It's all down to an an Irish gentlemen called Gerry to take us over the finishing line.

God bless you Gerry and your family. Gerry did in fact take us over the finishing line.
i hope Leigh Ann is recovering after her operation.

Many thanks also to the KASKA dojo , Miss Harper senior instructor and all the students from Hombu (Leighton Buzzard) who after a strenuous Friday evening session, i now know the difference between Fudo-dachi and Sochin- dachi -thank you Sensei Reid and students.

Training times: High Wycombe Dojo - Monday 7 - 8pm Handy Cross Sports Centre
Wednesday 7.00 - 8.15 pm Flackwell Heath Community Centre.

The Age of Unreason

The little things of life which matter most ....Charles Handy (author of The Age of Unreason) inspired me years ago (1989) with his thoughts.


" .......we may not, individually, be able to make their (our children and grandchildrens) world safer from nuclear war, or to preserve the rainforests better or to keep the ozone layer, but, as I argued at the beginning, it is often the little things of life which mattter most, the ways we work and love and play, the ways we relate to people and the manner in which we spend our days as well as our money. These things we can affect. We do not have to accept them as they are.


The Age of Unreason is inevitably going to be something of an exploration, but exploring is the heart of learning, and of changing and growing. This is what I believe and this is what gives me hope. "

Thank you for all your time, money and support.

We're almost there ...

Suddenly, like an athlete sensing victory and seeing the finish line, we are almost there. Without your help I'd still be on the starting block....

Watch this space ..

Three Men and a Blog

It's amazing who you meet on your way to achieving a goal or something that puts you outside your comfort zone.

Meet Billy - a 72 -year ex- Serviceman from Northern Ireland, his accent as sharp as a razor and his wit and humour just as steely. With a Northern Ireland man - an Ulsterman - what you see is what you get. Billy - I salute you for your contribution.

Meet Jimmy, an 80-something gentleman from North London, met him on the street one day , said he stared running marathons at 66. Yes that's right 66.

You younger blokes out there, there is hope for us. Jimmy - I salute you for your inspiration.

And finally, meet Mr Pang, an elderly gentleman, mid 80's from Shanghai, who goes by the nickname of Mr Nine O'Clock. The first person I ever spoke to in Mandarin, who kindly offered to coach me. And I told him the time in Chinese at the local Waitrose in North London. Thank you for coaching me. 谢谢您

See you all soon.