Blog Update

I have to go up to Wales unexpectedly today, so I won't be around until early next week. Sorry! I'll backdate when I get back.

Before I go I just want to say that I am having trouble with email. Some older emails are sitting in my "to do" folder in my Inbox - those are at least a week old and require lengthy replies which I haven't had time to get around to. But others simply haven't reached me (people have been phoning me to ask why I haven't replied). If I haven't replied over the last several days then I haven't received your message. I have no idea why and am hoping that my ISP will sort itself out whilst I'm away. For the older emails in my "to do" folder I'll put aside a day for them when I get back.

Sorry about all this but I can't say how busy I've been.

Bloomsbury Summer School starts next week and I will be heavily involved in the running of it, so you will have to bear with me over the next month. Things are going to be somewhat chaotic.

A note on desert travel. My Canon 40D came back from repair at Canon yesterday after its traumatic trip to Egypt in March - where I dropped it, broke the lens attached to it (which I repaired after a fashion with parcel tape) and then managed to get its workings completely stuffed with sand. Never, ever expose your camera to sand if you can help it. The Canon bill for cleaning out the sand alone came to more than some mid-range digital cameras cost. Never mind a camera case - a zip-up plastic bag is a much better idea. I may do a feature on the practicalities of desert travel when I get back. It's just that once I start writing on the subject I may not be able to stop!

All the best
Andie