A VIEW IS NOT ENOUGH...

Home safe and sound. Been on honeymoon going around the world in 38 days. Twelve different locations, loads of brilliant memories and wonderful friendships rekindled or started.

Thank you to everyone who helped us do this great journey and for the gifts along the way. It was a beautiful time.

US – Chicago / San Diego / Los Angeles
FIJI – Suva / Nadi / Drawaqa
NEW ZEALAND – Rortarua
AUSTRALIA – Yandina / Hervey Bay / Brisbane / Sydney
CHINA! – Hong Kong

I’ll be creating an overall fact sheet to explain the journey, so you can see if you’d like, we only missed out on a Harley ride and somehow there wasn’t ime for me to jump off the Sky – Tower in Auckland this time. Such a shame that…

Funny though for me coming home, after being on the road for that long, a life filled with people and places, working with Christiane to sort, ‘What’s next.’ Only one fall out over the period - we do work well together – I always new we would.

Well, I’ve come back into my beautiful workspace and the environment I’ve built for my office, superb view over the sea, great surroundings, no commuting stress and….

Well I don’t like it. It’s not good being alone (even in a beautiful space), which is how I work a lot of the time. I can and have done this working from home for years, building ventures with partners, working on projects, but I’ve seen I want to have a community to work with now. Strange to me how I was used to how things were. Being away for five weeks is long enough to see other models.

So I’m going to change my model of working so that I have a more social workspace. Don’t know how yet but it’s a goal to be sorted. People make the place for me, that is the main thing I learnt from my travels.

Other than that I come back to address the projects I’m developing. Bit frustrating that some still need time to finish. Prioritising ‘the big rocks’ to be accomplished first. Making some new projects that have great potential move forward too.

But.. some people do one job and get by fine on that, I think I’m giving myself about seven jobs to do at once, creating loads but things take time. Funny that. My Napoleonic tendencies of building an Empire whilst not having the block secured may be kicking in - but watch out when the Empire emerges... in my dreams anyway, and who's to say I'm wrong? The intenet is the key.... I hope! Or maybe I'm delusional, too much coffee can do that to you I've heard.

Books to be completed, shows to be finalised – one show booking in now into theatres in the UK is great, others now in the pipeline to create the ongoing SHOW BUSINESS I have envisaged and been working on, partnerships developing in various areas as I seek to expand the capability of what I'm doing and work with great people. I'm vey lucky that I've found some great people to work with.

MUSIC… I have 200 lyrics and 30 songs. I often forget what I've done (out of sight and out of mind) and then I read my lyrics from the two lyric files I have and think - they're good - I always have a "Did I do that?" crazy moment. Yet which ones to produce and still the 'How to master my Oasys keyboard to produce the sounds I want?" are issues. I’m getting there, its starting to fly but it is a challenge. Sometimes I think its a bit mad to be looking at the format of lots of songs. I see the model is bring one album out, focus on that, sell loads and then bring another out in the next album cycle. I want to make more than nine songs a year. Well i might have to break the rules when I get going... Or publish them under diferent nom de plumes!

I was amazed the other evening though, there I was creating the orchestrations and the lyrics and overall production – at the same time! Would be nice if the Korg actually enabled some note recognition without having to export or notate by hand but hey – as long as it songs brilliant - I can live with it.

Met Jason Gardiner at Al Murray's TV show screening the other night. Sounds grand, and was. He has one track doing very well and another coming out in January - "Just pick the best one" was his advice. Sound advice.... I need to choose! But I love loads of them - arghhh... We also met Henry Cooper, John McCrirrick and his wife, Holly Willougby and Dan her hubby and her mum and dad along with Patsy and Morris Martin. Henry and Morris reliably told me that we were robbed of the try in the wold cup finals. I thought so. It was a great show, talented man is Mr Murray. Anyway back to the blog.

I’m sure that there will be a tipping point when things flow. I can feel the possibility – I just get frustrated that I can’t write, orchestrate and produce songs in 15 minutes. But then it takes people longer than that normally! Takes longer than two weeks to write a book too! 250 thousand words so far, but do they make sense?

And voice? I’ve not been singing recently, been writing and I need to focus on the singing to bring the songs to life. In fact I also need to link up all the great kit I have in my studio to maximum effect. I have superb capability now....

I don't think Christiane will let me out the house to sing if I can’t deliver the songs well. Well she might let me out of the house, and to be fair I might just go sing anyway but it will make her nervous if I'm not working more in this area before I come out to play! She’s an angel as a singer and has a great ear, I wing it, so I’m planning in when – realistically - I can start the music part of my work and build from that. Thinking about 2021? Ahh well that takes the pressure off.

Got to be careful I don’t procrastinate – a deadline always helps me deliver!!!

Funny how writing is different to singing (duh) and I can only do one thing at a time! Must be a guy thing….

Anyway - back to the view, the big rocks and the next seven things to be done. Today, now let's see - publishing is the business I'm in - let's get these books moved ahead….

Have a great day. Thanks for reading.

Love

Nicky

Australia - Yandina - Hervey Bay - Brisbane...

Today in Brisbane - walking the South Bank and reminding Christiane of the card she sent me years ago. The card is still on sale and has a pretty girl with dark hair walking on the side of the South Bank. I though she was calling out to me from her travels when she sent me this. Apparently this was not the case - but deep down I bet she wanted me really! She says I'm dreamming. Anyway the dream has come true as I walk with the pretty girl along the same stretch and now we're married and bump is enjoying the journey too. Amazing.

YANDINA
Stayed with Christiane's Brother and his family in Yandina - brilliant time. HIs sons Ryan (nearly four) and Patrick (one and a half) are lovely - when they're not angry overtired or having atantrum that is! We were learning parenting skills from Ang and Anthony. I was also given some great - How to be a dad books! Funny, scary and inspiring in equal measure.

Visiting tourist spots, wave surfing - I only got bombed out once - although I swallowed a lot of sand with the sea water. Here's me out with Anthony at the edge of where all the body surfing guys were coming in. What I didn't compute was that we are first for the sharks! Anthony was thinking as there were another two guys near us we were fairly safe. A one in four chance of being eaten alive. Comforting to be told this afterwards!!!

Saw kangaroos in Anthony's back garden and crept downstairs and out into the garden to get pictures of them. Ryan, standing on the balcony, shouted at me to stamp my feet - gives the snakes times to clear! Not quite the same as Brighton.


I've endured snake stories, shark stories, spider stories and I was very brave to go into a friends back garden - well I thought I was brave.

Just brilliant to have a good chunk of time with Anthony and Ang and to be welcomed into Christiane's side of the family that resides in Australia.

Anthony took us all over and up to Hervey Bay where I met Christiane's Aussie mum Sharon. She was very welcomming and pronounced 'You've passed' as I left. Thank goodness for that!

We had a shock though as a good friend of Christiane's - Sue - had discovered her partner had committed suicide just two days before we arrived. So we went to see her and her two offspring Harley and Lizzie. A time of tears, laughter and... well... it was ---- can't think of the word ---- somehow very good to be there and to be able to see her and offer support at such a time.

Sue has a Harley - and we haven't made our Harley ride yet on our trip. I didn't get to ride it but we did power it up and it felt just like I thought it would. The Harley ride is definitely on the list of things to do.

Where are the flies? Just not the same as Perth where I was overloaded with them. Better here.

Had an authentic Australian experience drinking an ice cold beer on the veranda of an old pub/hotel as the locals chatted around in the centre of town. 1891 the pub had been been moved on skids to a new location nearer the railway. It worked and it's still there. Surreal to have a betting shop at the end of the bar counter but practical?

BRISBANE
A few days getting to know new friends in Brisbane. Steve and Emma have three boys, Keelen, Kristian and Toby - the boys are stars all and it's another insight into parenting to see how a 9,7,4 year old can get on... Steve lets them do stuff - like my brother does with his boys. As Keelan climbs up the stancheon of a motorway bridge we were walking under his dad explained to me that he was calm about it. Keelan was only thirty feet up so I suppose I can understand! Actually it's a tremendous insight and a privilege to meet new friends that Christiane has known for years and see how people in other countries make their lives work. Inspiring.

Terry and Rosie are Emma's mum and dad. Their hospitality too has been lovely - I could get very fat here! Except that Steve - who has a body like some kind of model and is super fit had me swimming this morning at 7 am. He did 25 minutes of crawl (freestyle) I have to stop for a breather after every one length....

Went to amazing church last night. Very humbling. The service was held in a crpyt beneath the main church and a lot of homeless or - how to explain? - let's say marginalised people attended. It was beautiful and real. We sang a mix of hymns and - 'If I were a Butterfly' and 'What a Wonderful World' type songs. It moved me deeply and reminded me of how much I have and how lucky I am.

Sydney tomorrow and then on to Hong Kong - around the world in 38 days. I'm having a suit made in two days in Hong Kong. Apparently it takes a lot longer than that normally - brilliant - just have to decide the style, colour, cloth, finish etc.. Which could take me two days anyway? No pressure then.

To Sydney tomorrow - off to walk around the South Bank and see the modern art gallery - it's a tough job but someone has to do it...

Love

N & C

Auckland - New Zealand

An hour before our flight in Auckland Airport.

Around the world in 38 days continues.... We had a fantastic time in Fiji. I wrote a song on the beach of a desert island - Drawaqa - with Jim - and we performed it for our group in the evening. It's called Paradise Island and is destined to be a hit. By being in the place, and writing with a Fijian, firstly your vocabulary changes then the tone of the song as you become used to island rhythms. Great fun.

I was designated chief of our band and had to 'be chief' on another island we went to facing the chief and his band in all their regalia - a bit daunting. Drinking the cava was an experience - numb tongue then numb everything if you keep going... apparently, I didn't by the way.

We went on a large sailing ketch and had storms and sunshine, the whole island experience.

Swimming in the coral was gorgeous, cut my arm and back a bit swimming under Christiane though. Trying to be smart.

Suva and Nadi on Fiji seen and lots of memories and vistas.

Sketching the boat at 6 am as the sun came up from our desert island home being one of those.

Had a great time meeting Malcom, Katie and Holly and going back to Christiane's school for a Peace Day morning event in Suva.

NEW ZEALAND

I love it. England plus a bit of San Diego. So clean. Three days not really enough to get the feel of the whole country but Maori village yesterday and trips around Rotorua brilliant.

Watching the ALL BLACKS perform when you're in their country is definitely a different view. I supported the Fijians in Fiji, the All Balcks here so it will be the Australians in Oz next.

To Brisbane today. Never been will be great.

Not got it together to get videos and shots up as we go yet - this is a recce though - we'll be going around the world again I'm sure.

Just bought an English paper here. Britain looks a disaster area against the view and culture I see in New Zealand.

Mind you this is only after a few days here..... maybe I'm missing something?

Love to all in blighty.

Nicky and Christiane

San Diego

Staying with Bruce and Julie. Lovely condo. Swam this morning and sat in the hot tub in the garden - what a life.

Dinner last night was focus of our visit over here. Wonderful time at Crab Catchers at La Jolla Cove. Christiane had crab I had the daily special. We had the best seats in the house and the pelicans put on a great show for us as the sun was setting. A glass of champagne to start, great conversation, a truly beautiful woman alongside me, all was right with the world!

Seven years ago I sat a couple of tables along and enjoyed the sunset but had no girl - now I have the girl - thank you God. And thank you to our kind friends who treated us to dinner last night on our honeymoon.

We have been going to ice rinks to see what is available here in San Diego.

The San Diego Ice Arena - I called spoke to the admin lady - went along, arrived 15 minutes later than I thought and she was in a meeting. To be fair she said she would be. But, she couldn't come out to say hello to visitors from England - 6,500 miles to visit and not a minute available to say hello? Same happened when I came and tried to reach the Skating Director seven years ago. She never returned my calls and then didn't turn up for a meeting - you kind of get the vibes of a place. Battered signs outside, torn insulation in the roof, lack of kindness and flexibility of at least saying hello. Good to see though. I always feel that an ice rink has a personality and it can be gleaned from the welcome and the overall feel of a place. I may be right but it's always worked like that for me in the past in any place in the world. My summation of San Diego Ice Arena is that it's every man for himself and the management is not welcomming or open to entrepreneurial developments. Of course I could be wrong but the facility is a million miles away from the look and feel of Chris's in Chicago. Anyway, don't want to be based there at any time thanks. Good to see Eric Millot's face on the coaching board - he's a guy I new from commentary. No doubt they have some good skaters at the rink if he's on the staff. Don't know the other names on the board...

Rink in the mall near La Jolla - simple single pad, nice welcome - no one there at lunchtime except girl in shop. Nice welcome though. Good lunch. Some new jeans for me - the one's I have have got past being ripped and trendy - they are wrecked so half price clothing (as it is here) was a bargain. Simon Hewitt just joined them - good luck Simon. You and Matt and loads of girls, looks like an opportunity for you.

Ray Kroc Community Centre - met with a smile by Brian on the desk of the ice rink, had a chat with the rink manager Mark - lovely guy, open to opportunities and met Woody too. A fantastic facility integrating ice, theatre, social and community action and a pool and a Christian ethos. I was excited when I discovered it on the web and in the openness of people including Lisa - Captain John Van Cleef's wife (he's the boss man) who was lovely. They are building another 40 such centres around the US. Brilliant - what a difference a smile and a warm hello makes. Inspiring to see the community action part of the work and a church on site too. Well it's a Salvation Army facility! I never new such a thing existed! On the way into the ice rink the arch over the entrance had the slogan THE DOOR TO OPPORTUNITY strong sentiments for the kids that enter - and I liked it too...

I'll be knocking on their door to see if I can link in my BAVIP and ice and dance and performance in some way? Who knows? It would be excellent to help kids develop and achieve their goals in life.

Driving here is like being on a race track - Christiane calling directions - me just going - you can't slow down or you're lost. Seventy, wizzing across lanes and making good time everywhere... Then dead stop at rush hour! On lady was going slow across some lanes last night and it needed Christiane to shout for me to miss her. I didn't expect anyone going slow. Exciting. Compact car is a contradiction in terms of size. Goes like a rocket and is big by UK standards.

Learning about life in America. Housing tax 1.2% of property value per annum - what is that about! Seeing Chicago suburbs and centre and now here is a great perspective enhancer.

To LA tomorrow seeing friends and going to a murder Mystery party tomorrow night. Will be great fun. Church on Sunday at Jill's (my US Pastor's) church. Prophecy time scheduled for that day at the church - now that would be good to hear what God has planned for us. We shall see.

Off to find a Harley to Hire. Then to the stadium seating for a movie tonight. Busy, busy! Loving the sun and American air. Pacific Beach here we come...

Love

Nicky

Chicago to San Diego

Great to be on honeymoon. Fantastic time in Chicago with my great friend Chris (Howarth) and his family: Bev, James and Jean. They spoilt us amazingly.

We ate - Cheescake Factory ribs were gorgeous. We had a drink up the Hancock Tower. We went on Chris's boat (brilliant fun) - I skied for the first time in years. Got up fine and crossed the wake etc - but I'm so unfit!

We went to the Art gallery and had a wonderful afternoon seeing Impressionaist paintings, my favourite, at the second largest collection after Paris. Monets, Picassos, Gaugins, Turners a wonderful Pissaro and some Van Goghs amongst many others - and you can take pictures of them! So i had a camera full of images to remind us of our visit.

We also saw the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and a tap dancer in the open air theatre in the centre of town. For free! How amazing is that - the sound was superb.

James and Chris alternatively tried to kill me on the tube that is pulled along behind the boat. A glorified yellow tire. I managed to hold on quite well before being wiped out.

I'm so proud of what Chris has accomplished and its great to see the house and the boat and the job (well three jobs he does actually - coach, skating director and assistant manager). He is living the American dream.

Met Susie Wynne Barth last night for first time in ten years - I tried to persuade her to skate with me when she was last over. She looked great and we had a laugh at Chris's.

Today San Diego then. Lunch at George's overlooking the Cove at La Jolla. Gorgeous.

Pictures up soon.

Love

Nicky