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Day 5 - look-back .... "Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime." - Mark Twain  Santa Barbara Zoo. The city is the most philanthropic in the the USA and the zoo is privately owned, is non-profit, is on "prime" real-estate and the animals there have the most superb views that they could wish ... over the Ocean! Lucky lions ... giraffes (who I got to feed) and this lovely fox who I got to play with! He was a nippy little fellow ...  This MUST have been one of the most fun evenings we had last year! After a hard day filming on the South Island of New Zealand, VICTORIA SHAW from Eichardt's suggested we went for a drink to celebrate our last night in Queenstown. Well, as you can see, we did more than have "a drink" ... GMs please note - we DO like to party!  For the Santa Barbara & San Diego shows, we had two vehicles - the luggage and equipment mule and this wee nippy convertible. Although I did have Sat Nav, I didn't have a DJ, so wee Jimmy obliged and ensured that the 3.5 hour drive was not only fun but filled with good music!  On one evening in LA, I was lucky to be joined by two of my favourite people in the world - Darling Jen from Beverly Hills and Baby-G from Santa Barbara. We managed to creep into a club called "Home" in Downtown LA and this is us with "Mr Brick" the bouncer ... he was a total gentleman ... I am not sure I would want to meet him if he was angry though! Weather: Cold and Bright
Day 4 - look-back .... “Rivers know this: there is no hurry. We shall get there some day.” Winnie the Pooh  I had a wonderful suite overlooking Camps Bay while staying at the 12 Apostles. Tim ( cameraman) took this photo with a low-hi- HD-up-res-thingy-me-jig ... camera. As you can tell I know very little about camerawork ... all I remember is that he and Jimmy hung off the balcony for hours taking this most excellent photo of the setting ...  Ah yes - San Diego ... and The Lodge at Torrey Pines. In 2008, this course hosted the US Open and I got a chance to play it! I did excel on a Par-3 with a rather snazzy birdie ... the rest was not that good. Fabulous course!  As yesterday's look-back ... Dromoland Castle in Ireland and one of the birds at The Falconry School decided to sit on the camera lens! While Tim was NOT impressed, he was too scared to argue! His weak smile you can see, his knocking knees you can't!  Tim is a VERY innovative cameraman! This whole look-back is all about him! Here at The Peninsula in Chicago we had "issues". We were trying to a film a 5-minute piece to camera with no breaks ... and here in the pool I was moving from the gym to a massage. We are close to water (no electricity), not enough room for a proper track AND I am "lower" than Tim. So, he sits on a camera box - films, moves and records the sound all at once ... genius!  Finally, back in Cape Town ... I got to drive these rather fast cars round an ex F-1 track ... it was fast. The weekend is here and I am closer to my holidays .. yay! Song of the Day: Arielle Dombasle - C'est si bon!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqLUK-dCI5YWeather: Calm
Day 3 - look back ...  Dromoland Castle in Ireland. Of course, there's the "hotel", golf course, spa, restaurants ... and a falconry school! I took a lesson, in the rain if remember correctly! The bird was HUGE but very well-behaved! I managed to release and retrieve in just an afternoon's training! Yes - I was a wee scared as the talons and beak were very sharp! Pity the rabbit ...  Over to San Diego now where I "skippered" a REAL Stars n' Stripes America's Cup yacht! I spent a wonderful afternoon - in the sun - sailing around the Bay and just into the Ocean at great speed. Dennis Connor - the America's Cup specialist named all his yachts Stars n' Stripes and this one - now for tourists - was used in an actual race ..  This is San Diego from the sky! I hopped into an old biplane and zoomed around ... it was a hair-raising but fun experience!  I LOVE Hawaiian shirts! These are three of my favourites as modelled by two of my best buddies Del and Tim ...  One of my most enjoyable trips of the year was to The Four Seasons "Tented Camp" in the Golden Triangle of Thailand. Here, I loved in a luxury tent and learnt how to be a "mahout" - an elephant guide. My dear friend "darling" Jen from Beverly Hills sent me a small oak elephant which I sent onto Thailand. The above picture is of Michel Volk - the Tented Camp General Manager - putting my elephant in the shrine ... a part of me will always be there from now on ...
Song of the Day: Wishing (I had a photograph of you) - Flock of Seagulls
Weather: Dry ... and Cold ...
So - to Day 2 of my own "look back"show ...  And first up, Ireland. It was here - just a few miles drive from Dromoland Castle that I rocked up to learn how to do dressage! The people at Clonlara were just brilliant with me and yes, I learnt how to basically move a horse about without falling off or it throwing me! It was great fun and gave me a real urge to learn how to ride horses properly. Sadly, I have not had the time ... yet!  Ah! The South Island of New Zealand and Queenstown! I met up with Choppy Patterson who helicoptered me to The Hills golf course and to the top of The Remarkable Mountain Range to whack some golf balls from 1-mile up! It was great fun and by the way, the balls are made of dog biscuit!  Ah! Temecula ... Santa Barbara ... where I was taken in an enormous hot-air balloon and I floated over the wine-region. It was superb ...  Staying with aerial experiences and it was off to Thunder City in Cape Town. Here I got to fly a Buccaneer at great speed! Flying a jet is an awesome feeling ... one that I will never forget ... I saw Cape Town, the ocean ... the whole of the Western Cape at great speed ...  Finally for today, the North Island of New Zealand and Cape Kidnappers where I met the world expert on the kiwi bird. We went into the reserve and found "my" kiwi - called Bonus - woke him up and measured & weighed him! John McLennan was very careful with little Bonus ... now that was a memorable day too!!! Song of the Day: Seven Days to Die - David Bowie Weather: GRIM
I have 64 photos that look back at a most incredible year in my life. Over the next few days, I am going to re-post them here ... There is no particular order - but each has a story. Maybe people in my life that make me smile & happy, maybe a feature we filmed, maybe even the odd indulgent puppy or two ... What a year it has been ....  Lucky & Shadow - the two gorgeous ones from the Sonora Resort in Canada. This place holds some of my fondest memories - the staff, the place ... the pups! One of the greatest resorts in the world ...  I am so pleased that the show gets such international coverage ... including ...  The Western Cape of South Africa ... and I met this ostrich ... he was not a happy fellow! Maybe because I had chomped on one of his cousins earlier that day at The 12 Apostles when I had a YUMMY ostrich kebab!  Ah! One of my favourite people - Kristy Karlovec from The Montage in Beverly Hills ... she is THE highlight of the hotel ... not only because she has ALL the phone numbers of ALL the Playboy bunnies on her cell-phone BUT because she is a totally delightful person too!  Ah - Claridges in London with Pepita, Philippe (The General Manager) and Monsieur Archie LeWoof. This hotel is one of my homes in London ... and I am always looked after extremely well ... I must revisit soon ... Song of the Day: New York State of Mind (Part 2) - Alicia Keys
Weather: ATROCIOUS! Rain, Rain & MORE rain! Yuk!
 It's been a long, long day that has seen us finally putting the latest series to bed. We spent the day scripting, voicing and editing the "look back show" and the Food & Wine special.  At lunchtime, I met with Brad Packer from the Four Seasons in Bora Bora! I am DEFINITELY going there next year! While I had lunch with Richard in the editing suite - Brad had lunch at Cecconi's and sat next to Paul McCartney! Hmmm ...  Dinner for me was at the The Club - Bar & Dining ... the original site of the Sugar Club ... the food was not brilliant but "happy hour" whisky shots was fabulous! The day ended on a sad note -- some dear friends lost their faithful pup of 9 years - a black lab called Winston. He was a good & happy boy ... and will be sorely missed. Song of the Day: Ain't No Sunshine - Bill Withers Weather: Dry ...
Sunday ... walk in the park ... fresh air ... cider in the pub ... wine at lunchtime ... wonderful lunch ... now that's what I call a weekend! Two days of editing to come! Song of the Day: Len - Steal My Sunshine!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KM2TwP2_PxsWeather: Brrrrr but hmmmmm yes, there really IS a place called ...  cider! yum!
On Monday it will be February (where did January go?) and by the end of the week, a year's work will finally be over. Yes, the entire series including the Food & Wine special and the look-back show will be all done, dusted and ready for broadcasting! In one way it feels like the filming year has flown by, but in another it seems a seriously mind-boggling long time ago that the year began in Singapore. When I think of how many places we have visited in the space of 11 months - fine hotels, wonderful sights and sounds, fabulous people, amazing experiences ... it exhausts me! Anyway, so pleased it's the weekend! Yay! I am in Oxfordshire ... near a place called Christmas Common! I had lunch in "The Crooked Billet" ... a wonderful pub with delightful food ... apparently it's where Kate Winslet had her first wedding breakfast! I now have a whisky in my hand ... ahhhhhh! Song of the Day: Sexual Healing - Marvin Gayewww.youtube.com/watch?v=0bAekG9VwQcWeather: Clear & cool!
I have been quite busy today but have found time to listen to our ex-PM Tony Blair explaining the Iraq War ... it's quite depressing actually ... he just can't say "sorry" for anything. On a lighter note, a reminder of an old TV show I used to love (Yes, Prime Minister): Jim Hacker (PM) :“Don’t tell me about the press. I know exactly who reads the papers. The Daily Mirror is read by people who think they run the country. The Guardian is read by people who think they ought to run the country. The Times is read by the people who actually do run the country. The Daily Mail is read by the wives of the people who run the country. The Financial Times is read by people who own the country. The Morning Star is read by people who think the country ought to be run by another country. And The Daily Telegraph is read by people who think it is.” Sir Humphrey Appleby: “Prime Minister, what about the people who read The Sun? Bernard Woolley: “Sun readers don’t care who runs the country, as long as she’s got big ...” (The Sun is reknowned as the "topless" newspaper"). I think most countries have newspapers and readers like the ones mentioned above. So pleased the weekend is here ... fun with friends in Oxfordshire! Yay! Song of the Day: Annie, I'm Not Your Daddy - Kid Creole & The Coconutshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PRwT2HjdJoWeather: Hailstorms! Sir Humphrey, PM and Bernard  Kid Creole and some nice coconuts ...
Spent much of the day looking through old copies of the show ... comparing/ contrasting/ taking notes for next series! I look like a Muppet ... Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime - Mark TwainSpent a little of the day rescuing baby birds from naughty cats ... Hmmm ... Song of the Day: You win, I lose - Supertrampwww.youtube.com/watch?v=jMUdlT7I2C4Weather: Cold spot the difference?
Not much to report today ... lots of driving ... lots of writing ... I need a holiday ... oh, I have booked one for February! Yay! Song of the Day: American Science - Duran Duran
www.youtube.com/watch?v=dG_WPF1qW04Weather: Dry & Cold heaven!
 the living wall at The Athenaeum hotel on Piccadilly... i LOVE this feature. it feels like the hotel is "breathing" ...  in reception there's a pooch with a bowl ... moo was NOT pleased that it was empty ...  so i took her for a walk in hyde park! she loved it!  she looked VERY small and gorgeous and cute! don't you think? from there i went to a "luxury marketing council" drinks at The Fleming which my dear friend and PR Julia Record helped to organise. my new diet precludes champagne and canapes ... i did have a duck roll ... but stuck to water! missing bread, sweets, ketchup, Coke ... the list goes on ...
i was meant to see my dear friend Rupa who has two new chihuahua's called Rambo & Simba ... but sadly they couldn't make it! boo ...
anyway - sleep ... LONG day tomorrow ...
Song of the Day: Addicted to Love - Robert Palmer
Weather: Clear and cold
Monday! Monday! Monday! I LOVE Monday's because I get so much done. Today, I wrote two articles on golf, finished off a VAT return, ordered some secondary double glazing, chopped fire wood AND I have yet STILL to eat ketchup, sugar and bread/potato products! Life is good ... Tonight, UK only, 9 pm, Travel Channel, Sky 251, Inside Luxury Travel - south island of New Zealand show! Song of the Day: Brilliant Mind - Furniturewww.youtube.com/watch?v=1JeEXP717T0Weather: Perffffect! memory 1  memory of THE series??!!
This must have been one of the best weekends for months as I did ... NOTHING ... I just let my beard grow, didn't answer the phone and only occasionally looked at my emails. Also my 5 week pre-filming diet has started ... 2 days so far without chocolate or Ketchup and tomorrow the no- carbs rule kicks in ... I have managed to slouch on my sofa and watch all the shows I have recorded over the past few weeks including the fabulous "Curb Your Enthusiasm" and this rather odd hotel movie "1408" ... I will ALWAYS look under the bed when I check into a hotel from now on! I can't believe that January is nearly over - some editing left in February and a holiday ... yes, folks, a holiday ... with no work, no stress and no Tim or James! Ha! Song of the Day: Crazy in Love - Beyoncewww.youtube.com/watch?v=G6HPJJjqvG0Weather: Clear & Brrrr 1408 - with John Cusack
 Larry David ... nutter!
Nothing to report today except I slept a HUGE amount! Song of the Day: Dolphins were Monkeys - Ian Brownwww.youtube.com/watch?v=j4L_9NdxeXE Weather: Clear & cold
 
Woke up with a serious case of garlic/snail breath! Departed from The Athenaeum into the rain & cold ... & misery ... boohoo ... sometimes I wish that the UK could float and that I currently resided in the Caribbean Sea ... OK - so in the first edit of the NYC show and it's looking fab. Will be sleeping the WHOLE weekend! Song of the Day: Come Rain or Come Shine - BB King & Eric Claptonhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4HACt_TqD4Weather: Rain AND Shine I love mornings ...  Another perfect stay ...  Need a cigar anyone?  Richard & I share a cocktail at The Peninsula in New York!
It's quite late and I am quite exhausted! Quite ... So - checked into The Athenaeum hotel on Piccadilly avec Madame Poochie. First up, a cigar at Davidoff with dear friend Eddie Sahakian. Yum. After a DREADFUL lunch meeting with rather entertaining company, I headed off to the Travel Channel studios and appeared as a guest on "The Holiday Show" ... presented by lovely Cocker-Spaniel-loving Ginny Buckley and Gareth Davis. Was painless ... but interesting to be asked questions rather than asking them! Dinner was at one of my favourite restaurants in THE WORLD! Poule au Pot ... French cuisine - reassuringly expensive food & wine - amazing escargot ... heaven and joy! Back to hotel for sleep - first cut of New York show in the edit tomorrow! EXCITING! Song of the Day: Mango Tree - Angus & Julia Stonehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUpPzVLBEbg&feature=fvstWeather: Cold the studio  yum yum yummmmmmy yum!
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Santa Barbara Zoo. The city is the most philanthropic in the the USA and the zoo is privately owned, is non-profit, is on "prime" real-estate and the animals there have the most superb views that they could wish ... over the Ocean! Lucky lions ... giraffes (who I got to feed) and this lovely fox who I got to play with! He was a nippy little fellow ...
This MUST have been one of the most fun evenings we had last year! After a hard day filming on the South Island of New Zealand, VICTORIA SHAW from Eichardt's suggested we went for a drink to celebrate our last night in Queenstown. Well, as you can see, we did more than have "a drink" ... GMs please note - we DO like to party!
For the Santa Barbara & San Diego shows, we had two vehicles - the luggage and equipment mule and this wee nippy convertible. Although I did have Sat Nav, I didn't have a DJ, so wee Jimmy obliged and ensured that the 3.5 hour drive was not only fun but filled with good music!
On one evening in LA, I was lucky to be joined by two of my favourite people in the world - Darling Jen from Beverly Hills and Baby-G from Santa Barbara. We managed to creep into a club called "Home" in Downtown LA and this is us with "Mr Brick" the bouncer ... he was a total gentleman ... I am not sure I would want to meet him if he was angry though!
My lovely friends!
