Haven't been able to blog since my arrival in Africa as it's horrendously expensive and you pay for 20 mins at a time so as soon as I have checked by emails and sent news home - there's been no time left.
Have a 5 hour stopover in Nairobi before flying to Heathrow leaving at midnight and landing at 6.25am! Paid a few dollars to sit in a First Class Lounge [only whish I was flying First Class] and hey ho - free internet.
My 2 weeks in East African have been phenominal if somewhat exhausting. Spent the first week in Tanzania on safari and we saw the BIG five - leopard, lion, elephant, giraffe and the elusive rhino. Was amazed ay how close to the jeeps they come and it's because they are so use to them. The Serengeti is vast, as soon as you reach one horizon, another appears.
Then onto Zanzibar for 5 days. Way too hot but managed to chill a little. How about this for noise abuse [see previous blog on this] - you are in a jeep, 7.30am in the morning, the sun is still rising and the sky is magnificent. Then you driver and ranger put a tape on of African Hip Hop and loudly!! So, so out of place that we asked him to turn it down, he turned it off and never played it again.
Have more 'bits' I want to post so will return after the jet lag has abated and I am safe on home ground.

This is my 51st blog, amazing considering that I wasn't sure if I would keep it up. Even funnier that I set the whole thing up as a journey through my music collection which I have kinda done but in no great depth because life and work get in the way! But I will persevere when I get back from my holiday.

I fly to Naroibi tomorrow for a 2 week holiday. A week in Tanzania in a safari across the Serengeti and then 5 days slobbing in Zanzibar.
I'm a little strange about holidays as I just love being at home really. Hate the hassle, the sorting and arranging everything before you go and then the packing! But I have seen some amazing things on my travels, Angora Wat in Cambodia, giving alms to the buddhist monks at 6am in Luang Pranbang in Loas. And I am sure I'll have some memories when I get back from this trip. It's my partner who pushes me to travel, thank goodness, I'm sure I would not go anywhere otherwise.

So I am just about to load a ton of CD's onto the ipod as we have long flights and and a couple of hours to wait in airports. Loading will be:
Want Two - Rufus Wainwright
Amarantine - Enya
Blue Street [5 Guitars] - Chris Rea
Demon Days - Gorillaz
The obligatory John Barry
...and anything else which catches my eye in the collection.

May try and blog whilst I am over there as a couple of the hotels have internet connection. Have sent meails from all over, Thailand, Vietnam - it's so cheap in the internet shops and I feel OK about being miles away if I can have some contact with home.

This is my beautiful cat Bronte, she is diabetic and we have to give her insulin twice a day but's she's a fighter and has survived a lot of stuff. God, I will really miss her over the next 2 weeks but my sis Jac is staying at the house so she and our other cat Ellis will have a lot of company.

So watch this space over the next couple of weeks and I'll try and post some stuff.

Got back late last night from the London Book Fair at Excel. At the very start of the Fair an announcement is made welcoming everyone etc., immediately after the welcome they placed some stirring piece of classical music. Apart from being utterly tasteless, the P.A. system was rigged for voice announcements only so playing music through it sounded like it was travelling through 50 empty baked bean tins!

In the hotel bar was a large flat screen t.v. constantly playing [what seemed to me] the same football match. The commentary was piped through huge grate like speakers in the ceiling so that you could hear it in the reception area as well.

There was 'light muzak' in the toilets and non stop 'pop hits' played in the restaurant whilst breakfasting.

ALL THIS AND NOT AN OFF SWITCH IN SIGHT. We are subjected to music not of our choice every day. Why? I love music but just sometimes no music is good plus I like choosing my own ambience.

So, this leads me to start a list of where you have heard music being played which has driven you nuts or is just plain stupid.

One of my fave hate spots is a multi storey car park in the town next to mine where they have tinnie little horn speakers in each corner blaring out another string of bake bean tin trash whilst you drive around 6 times to find your spot and then walk half a mile to get your ticket.

So I have the new CD - the debut album - like you knew I would have. Love her voice, her youth and it's good to have someone like this fresh on the music scene BUT she is going to be SO pidgeon holed by BBC Radio 2.
What is it with this station? I know it's the most listened to station blah blah and I appreciate they are promoting new talent BUT by the interview ysterday with her and the constant playing of PUT YOUR RECORDS ON they will put her in the Jack Johnson, Norah Jones school of fame.
Bailey Rae has a great singing and song writing talent but she will be papered over into the great, background, soft, 'easy' wallpaper category of music that, at this stage of her career, could even hold her back.
Yes, she will sell a stack of CD's and yes, everyone will know her BUT this Radio 2 style of promotion will undoubtedly force her into a category from which she will not emerge if she does not push the barriers.

Know what I mean?

God, is it really March?

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