After flying 10000 km from the UK for the briefest of time, Justin was gone. It was lovely to see him, even if it was short, and it made me realise just how much I do miss home. From London, Justin is flying onwards to Spain, two back to back holidays in a two-week period. There would have been a time when I could have done that myself, but these days I would rather not!

Since leaving the UK in 2015, Justin has visited us in Spain and the far east, and he has always been a tremendous source of support. Don't get me wrong, we have had our ups and downs in life, but we have always been there for each other. I have said this many times before and will say it again, I do have the deepest respect for Justin and for all he has achieved in life. His successful career is a tenotomy to his hard work over the years. Both of us have had periods of inactivity, but we have got through the worst life can throw our way and have become the success we both are today — well him more than me, but who's counting.

I am of course sad to see him go, but life goes on and we both have our own lives to lead. I'm sure we will all see one another again in some other part of the World, until then we have the memories to take with us on our journey!

With Justin safely on his way to London, Darrell and I spent a relaxing last full day in Singapore. We made our way to our favourite part of this great city, China Town, where we browsed around the many stalls and shops, buying yet more stuff to take home with us. We, we do have a 30 kg limit each, so why not fill it. 

Darrell and I have a lot of collectables from our travels all over the World, sadly most of them now lost, as we moved countries three times over the years. In some respects, I think I collect stuff, because of the items I lost over our 30 years together. The nature of our relationship is such, that we have never stayed in one place too long. Consequently, we haven't been able to establish ourselves in one place long enough, to accumulate the things most people have built up over many generations. Having said that, I am giving it a good go now though. I do love things around me, it does make me feel somewhat secure in my surroundings. Australia is still, even today, unfamiliar to me, so I am doing all I can to settle into my new home; buying items on our travels helps create memories and connections with our recent past — important when you are building a new life! 

China Town is such a down to earth place and despite not loving Singapore as much as I would have liked, I do adore this area. I am not a pretentious old Queen, who loves designer brands — I like a bargain, something cheap and cheerful that lifts my mood. China Town offers bargains galore in a relaxed setting away from the super rich side of Singaporean life.  Yes there is a lot of money, in this low tax ex British colony, but there is also the normal side of life, with people doing their best to survive in this harsh money making environment.

Having said that, there is a harder sell culture in this area. With money tight, street vendors do fight for every customer, which does make it very difficult to relax and browse, without being hassled to buy something. I am pretty easy to give in and buy anything, whereas Darrell isn't. He will walk away, I generally won't.

After China Town, we made our way towards the city centre, where we stumbled across a huge hawker centre on Cross Street. Now why is it, you always find the best place to eat on your last day. This vast centre is full of different stalls serving a cosmopolitan array of food, from all over the World. The smells as you enter this place are unbelievable and really does play with your senses. This large building is impressive, and I just wish we had found it earlier.

The prices here are also unbelievably cheap. On our first night, we had a meal on Marina Bay, which cost about S$200 for two of us. It was nothing out of the ordinary, although the food was good, but I mistakenly assumed that this would be the price we would pay throughout our brief stay. However, in this popular hawker centre, we paid S$17.00, yes S$17.00 Singaporean dollars for two of us. Now that is impressive, and the food tasted great as well.

If we do return to Singapore in the future, this will be a first port of call for us, as we navigate the World's most expensive country. For all my criticisms of Singapore, the hawker centres and China Town make up for the overpriced, designer, pretentious side of this place, which I absolutely hate. 

Tomorrow we leave for Australia and the end of another interesting few weeks in Asia. As is usual with me, it hasn't turned out in the way I would have hoped. After getting another infection, I have had to adjust my itinerary to cope with my change in circumstances. Nevertheless, I have been delighted to do all I have done and hope to learn from the mistakes I made, returning to this special part of the World in the future!

Well it wasn't the start to our stay in Singapore I wanted, but after arriving at Chiangi Airport, I was noticeably worried about the wound on my arm, which was showing serious signs of infection. Now look, I have been here before, so know what I have to do. The difference this time, of course, was the nature of the injury. If I had left it alone in the first place, after the fall, it probably wouldn't have got as bad as it did. 

My overcautious approach was born from previous experience. I have contracted two very serious forms of Staphylococcus on the last two holidays I went on, so the panic that followed my tumble on the boat on the second day of our holiday in Bangkok, was noticeable! I wasn't prepared to go through the IV antibiotics I had in the past, and tried everything to stop any infection before it started. It is likely I did too much, way too much, and should have left well alone.

While Darrell made his way to our riverfront hotel, I took a taxi straight to Raffles hospital in the centre of the city. I had a particularly funny conversation with the driver, who accidentally took me to the world-famous Raffles Hotel. He looked confused, when I said 'No Raffles Hospital'! This was a first for him, taking a visitor straight to hospital, but he was good-humoured and deeply apologetic. Only I would end up in hospital on arrival!

I was in the 24-hour Acute and Critical Care unit for a good few hours, while the wonderful staff poked, prodded, examined and dressed my wound. This plush hospital was first class, and rushed me through as quick as they could. I was prescribed a high dose course of antibiotics, and I was told in no uncertain terms, that I couldn't drink with them at all — that's no more alcohol for me on this holiday then.

After I was officially declared fit to go, I was directed to the desk to pay the bill. Now I am well aware of how expensive this place is, so I was expecting a few thousand dollars, but to my surprise I was told it was just S$300. I breathed a huge sigh of relief. With my health being top of my list of priorities these days, I would have paid anything to make sure I was well enough to resume my travels, so this was a small price to pay. After being given a fit to fly certificate, I was sent on my way, by some of the friendliest medical staff I have ever come across — and the welcoming nature of Singaporeans didn't end there!

As I tried to find a taxi for my journey to the Furama Riverfront Hotel, I was approached by the young concierge, who went out of his way to do all he could for me. He explained about the app I should install on my phone, and how it would make getting around Singapore much easier. After arranging a car for me, he then waited with me for fifteen minutes, checking I was OK and chatting about his life in Singapore.

Like other Singaporeans I have met, he was looking at a future away from his country of birth. The cost of living, house prices and lack of opportunities were big factors in why he wanted to leave. He did feel sad because he loved his home, but he just didn't see a future for himself. He also asked about my life living in Australia, a place he also hoped to travel to one day.

When the taxi arrived, I promised to pop back and say goodbye before I left, and he thanked me for taking the time to talk to him. Asia is a very friendly part of the World as I can testify, but so far, the locals in this tiny south-east Asian nation have been exceptional. Suitably impressed, I waved goodbye and he did the same. I actually really felt like I had made a connection with someone new. I know he was just doing his job, but I could tell he just wanted to talk and get things off his chest, while I was there to listen. Sometimes, a friendly face is all it takes!

The Furama hotel isn't the Aira Hotel, it is in a completely different class. This Singapore hotel is a bog-standard family establishment that is vast. Catering for hundreds of guests, it doesn't offer the luxury we had in Bangkok, but with hotel space here at a premium, we were lucky to get rooms that were big enough to cater for our needs. This is a perfect place for a few days and has all the facilities we require, so despite it being a little shabby in places, it will be fine for our brief stay!

At the hotel I finally met Justin after ten years and that was a rather emotional reunion! Justin has proven me wrong on so many levels over the years, and I am so glad to see him doing so well in his career and new home. Our lives fourteen years ago, when we first met, were very different, with partying and living in the moment, at the forefront of our thoughts. Today all our priorities have changed, but it was good to see that Justin remains the life and soul of the party, as he always was!

We made our way down to Boat Quay in Singapore, where we had a few pints in The Penny Black, a pub I had seen on the internet and a place I had wanted to visit for a long time. This old traditional English style pub, was everything I expected and more. Like all of Singapore, however, it was very expensive, with two beers costing me S30. This wasn't too much of a shock, however, this is probably the most expensive country in the World and certainly a place I couldn't afford to visit too often.

With Justin feeling worse of wear, and the rain pouring down, Justin made his way back to the hotel, while Darrell and I had a typical Singaporean meal at Tian Tian Fishermans Restaurant on the Quay. The food was delicious, but at a cost of S$200 for the two of us, it wasn't cheap. It was well worth the money nevertheless. Both of us thoroughly enjoyed sitting on the terrace, looking out across the river. With the skyline lit up, it really was a beautiful place to chill, eat, chat and talk about the future.

We both decided to walk back to the hotel after the rain cleared. I don't think I have ever felt safer walking through a city at night. This was a magical experience and probably the first time Darrell and I have truly relaxed this holiday.

I am hoping that now, we can finally enjoy our last few days in Asia together, with Justin, and we can pick up our friendship where we last left off ten years ago. It is good to see a friendly face, when you live on the other side of the World, and Justin has visited us more than most. Singapore offers the chance to reconnect in a setting that we could have only dreamed of a decade ago. I hope that we can form the lasting memories that make us the people we are, before we, once again, go our separate ways — until we meet again in another part of the World!

For once, I've had a pretty quiet week. There have been no health problems, anxiety or stress, so as the video above explains, I am feeling practically stress-free. Now that is a first for me!  I am feeling that good, that I don't have any IBS symptoms, and I am actually sleeping well; better than I have done in years. Despite the nasty weather in Perth at the moment, I have absolutely nothing to complain about, now that is a shocker for me and probably you as well.

With all my health issues more or less cleared up, I am beginning to look forward to our holiday in Thailand and Singapore. This is where my mind is right now, and I am starting to feel excited about our 30th anniversary trip. I am of course making preparations to hopefully avoid contracting an infection this time around, and I am doing what I can to stop any future staph infection, from manifesting while we are abroad. Interestingly, after much research, I have discovered that probiotics could be key to beating this god-awful disease. 

Normally I take a probiotic every day, but on holiday I don't. There is no real reason why, rather, I just don't take them with me when I am travelling. In Asia, I do suffer from infections, and yes, you guessed it, home in Perth, I do not. I am hoping that by taking a strong capsule daily; while touring Southeast Asia, I will be able to stop any nasty bacteria in its tracks. Here's hoping anyway! I am well aware of how destructive staphylococcus Aureus can be, so anything I can do to avoid it for a third time, is worth a try!

Just one other thing to mention, before you check out the video, and it's about a person I haven't seen in eight years. Dawn, was a fellow expat, and close friend I knew, while living in Gran Alacant, in Spain. She just happened to show up in my store in Midland a week ago — just out of the blue. She was visiting a friend here in Australia and was passing through, before travelling onto Africa.

Dawn was part of The No Wives Club in Spain. All of us, who were close at that time, had our respective partners and husbands working or living abroad. We formed a close bond, during difficult times. Sadly, we lost touch over the years and I never believed I would see her again. For Dawn to just pop up, unexpectedly, over the other side of the world, was extraordinary, but extremely lovely. It was a joy to catch up, even briefly. Sadly, I won't be able to see her again, as our paths once again take different directions. However, it was a precious moment that brought a much-needed smile to my face. Of course, I wish her all the best — and who knows, we may bump into each other again one day.

That's it this week, short and sweet — enjoy the video!

This week has been another challenging one, as I discovered yet another friend had passed away back in the UK. Giles, had been a friend for about twenty years and once again, I am totally devastated at losing yet another person in my life. Coming so soon after, I discovered my dear friend Myra had died, a little over a month ago, I am wondering what will happen next!

Despite only finding out Giles passed away just a few days ago, I discovered he actually died last year. I had been so busy and preoccupied with building a new life down under, that I hadn't spoken to Giles, in a year and a half. Awful isn't it; I had literally been too busy to care, and I couldn't feel more guilty. In truth, this was the relationship Giles and I had; we would sometimes not chat for long periods of time, but when we did, we just picked up from where we last left off!

​A few nights ago, I had a dream about Giles and immediately woke up in a cold sweat. That doesn't happen too often, so I knew I had to check his social media, to make sure he was OK. As soon as I was fully awake, I started to scroll through his Facebook page. At first, all seemed well; there were the usual Birthday messages from friends, but I soon realised, these were no ordinary messages of congratulations, these were tokens of affection from friends and family, remembering Giles on his Birthday. For a moment, I just laid there in bed, mouth open wide, in shock. It couldn't quite believe Giles had gone. I was immediately overcome with guilt, realising I had missed his passing. Aghast, I was literally overcome with emotion, as happens all too frequently these days.

Since moving to Australia, I have become so wrapped up in my own life, that my dearest, closest friends, have taken a back seat. It was a horrible feeling, thinking, maybe, I could have been there or done something to help. Sadly, I have no idea how or why Giles died, and I really don't think it is appropriate to delve further into the whys and wherefores of it. It won't do me any good to know what happened, and it certainly won't bring Giles back. I just need to remember him as he was and concentrate my efforts on reconnecting with others, who I haven't seen or heard from in a while.

Giles was always there, especially at the most difficult times in my life. Giles, or 'Barge Queen' as I knew him, was a wealth of knowledge and experience and always gave me advice when I needed it. Without him, my life would have been so much poorer.

A former drag artist and costume designer and creator, Giles worked with many celebrities over the years. He often wrote for my blog, especially at Christmas, detailing his designs for the latest pantomime he was a part of. His social media was always a positive happy place — full of happy, wonderful, smiling photos of him and the people he worked with. He would frequently tell me stories that would make your hair stand on end, but was a huge part of our friendship together and always made me laugh. His routine was so far removed from my own, that his pantomime tales were always a welcome break from my own trivialities of life and of course, a big part of who Giles was!

Giles was proud of whom he had become, and I admired him greatly, for his amazing sense of humour and ability to make you feel good about yourself, even during the darkest of days. Not only did he write for my blog at Christmas, but he also took part in 'Photographs of Hope', during the pandemic, when readers of Roaming Brit, send in photos of 'things' that gave them hope for the future, 

It was always a joy being around Giles. I last saw him in 2022, when he visited me at the pub where I was working in Portsmouth. He was down working at The King's Theatre in Portsmouth, a place he loved with all his heart. Despite living in St Helen's, he, like me, was a Portsmouth boy, born and bred and never forgot his roots, always relishing a return to The Kings at Christmas.

This is of course another sad farewell to a beautiful soul, who is no longer here. It is difficult believing he has actually gone. Seeing him in my dream a few nights ago, was a sign from him to me, that I truly believe, no matter what others may say. This is also a time for me to reflect on the unique character, who was a part of my life for so long and remember the amazing friendship we had, even if it was mostly from a distance. Giles will always remain in my heart as a friend like no other and, like all those I have lost over the years, I will make sure he lives on in the memories of all of those who knew him. Goodnight my lovely, you will always be in my thoughts!

Well, as I'm sure you are aware by now, this week's blog, is about toxic people, a subject I have plenty of knowledge about, after working for the most toxic charity in the United Kingdom, for eight, long, years. If I am perfectly honest, I am sat here exhausted and feeling particularly debilitated. No, not because of my job, but because of 'TOXIC PEOPLE' who have made my life a misery this week. I am so thankful it is the weekend right now, and I am able to recharge, after such a horrible seven days. Sometimes, I think I am too old for having opinions and speaking my mind — maybe it is time, to just settle down and live a peaceful life?

Every Sunday, I like to blog; this is the moment I can really sit down, think about the ups and downs of the past week and finally relax. Since an altercation with several people online, I haven't been on social media and so far I don't have a desire too. To think, the way I am feeling now, is all because of a complimentary comment I made towards, a rather famous comedian, after commenting on how wonderful they looked. Usually this would be an acceptable way of expressing one's thoughts towards another human being, but because this comedian is transsexual, I have experienced a crescendo of abuse, like you wouldn't believe.

I was attacked verbally online by a person I do not know, much else, ever met. They decided to stalk me across all my social media pages, and describe in graphic detail, how I should be strung up and publically hung in the street. This individual said plenty more that is unprintable and would go against my contract with Google, if I mentioned it today, so I won't. That person caused me enough pain and upset, without Google cancelling my account as well.

The person in question was a Reform Party supporter; it was emblazoned across his social media page. In his words, when Reform wins the next election, people like me will be dealt with. As a gay man, who grew up in the 1970s and 80s, I am well aware of what discrimination is and feels like. Darrell and I have been discriminated against all our lives, and I really thought the World had changed. Clearly, from the tone and behaviour of this far right supporter, nothing could be further from the truth, and I still feel shocked to the core at the language he used.

After thinking about it, I responded to his diatribe, by sharing a post about Reform. I suppose it was to make me feel better and just get the anger off my chest. I literally thought nothing more about it, until several friends also started to verbally assault me for posting it. One of those has been a friend for over thirty years, and we both are polar opposites politically, so I accept his comments, as I always did in the past. His friendship is far too important to me to do anything else.  The observations he made were neither offensive, nor over the top, and certainly didn't cause me any upset. The other guy, however, was a volunteer, who I employed whilst working for Oxfam — I have no such loyalty or attachment towards him, and am totally flabbergasted by his outburst.

There wasn't an ounce of empathy, and he couldn't care less about my feelings. There was no understanding at all. His behaviour was pure toxicity, and I was in no mood to take any of it. I replied several times, when I decided to just block him and get on with the rest of my life. Judging by previous experience, this is the only was to deal with someone like that. 

Trying to put this kind of thing to the back of my mind, can be difficult for an insomniac like me. Over the last few years, my sleeping patterns have gotten steadily worse. Some nights I only have 4 hours sleep, others a bit more. I sleep a maximum of six hours, and I am wide awake at 4am every day, ready to start the day. Believe me, I have tried everything to solve this, but to no avail. Today, I just live with it and hope it gets better.

I strongly believe, my insomnia is a result of the severe anxiety I suffer with. I no longer wear my Fitbit to bed to monitor my sleep, as I believe it has made my sleep anxiety worse. I have also started to switch my phone off several hours before sleeping and make sure the bedroom is as dark as possible. Luckily, Darrell and I have a three-bedroom house and I can sleep alone when absolutely necessary, which helps us both in the long run.

As a nervous individual I do not cope with anxiety and stress very well, so when anything happens, that upsets my wellbeing and sense of balance, I can not sleep at all. What happened this week has just tired me out. I know I should learn to ignore the haters, but I do have a voice and an opinion, which I am entitled to express. No one should try to silence anyone. I believe in mutual respect and understanding and would never attack someone for their views.

After this blog today, offloading all the hate, I will not mention this incident again. The therapeutic nature of blogging is such, that I will never need to. I can, however, look back at this entry in a few months time and hopefully learn from the hurtful comments, growing stronger because of it. Yes, at 54 years old, I am still learning and will always continue to, until the day I die. I like to think I am better than all the hateful people in the World, especially at the moment, and look forward to a time, when we can all live together in peace and harmony once again… Until then, I guess there will be many more episodes like this, but each one is a reminder to do better, strive for more meaningful friendships and above all, rise above the fray!

It's been a bit of a strange week for me, as I come to terms with that possible Glaucoma diagnosis. As you would expect, I have done a lot of research into the subject, and rather than make me feel more anxious, I am actually feeling rather philosophical about the whole thing. This isn't a condition I can change, so I just have to live with what may happen in the future. There is a lot they can do for me, should they need to, and I am as confident as I can be for the future.
​

On Monday, I burnt my hand, while making dinner. After cooking Carrot and Thyme soup on the stove, I began to ladle it into the blender. After blending up the ingredients, I noticed it was leaking from the bottom. Lifting the jug up from the unit, hot, molten carrot soup, poured over my hand and down my leg. Bloody hell, did I scream!

I ran into the shower, jumped in and stood there naked, keeping my hand under a cold shower, for what seemed like hours. Meanwhile, poor Darrell, cleaned up the mess and ran out to get some ice, telling me to put my hand into ice-cold water on his return. As I know now, that was a mistake and undoubtably caused more damage to my skin.

In the end, the pain was so bad, I went to urgent care here in Midland, where my wounds were dressed by a nurse. She explained that the ice would have caused more damage to already damaged skin, and not to do it in future — that's highly unlikely, since I will never be making soup again! It seems that by running from the kitchen to the shower, I left the hot liquid on my skin for far too long, once again causing more damage. On top of this, I have lost the feeling in my thumb, as a result of nerve damage. This may or may not come back, all dependent on how deep the burn was.

Nevertheless, it seems to be healing neatly and thankfully looks a hundred times better than it did. I am hoping it will be more or less healed in another few days — fingers crossed.

​In my vlog today, I am discussing my feelings of loneliness and the difficulties I am experiencing as a gay man of a certain age. I am no longer the youngster I once was, and moving all over the World since my mid-forties has caused me to feel more and more invisible. Today in Australia, I have very few friends that I can talk to and confide in, relying heavily on friends back home in the UK.

Western Australia is a beautiful place, but the people tend to be rather insular and making a meaningful connection with anyone is hard. Currently, Darrell and I are on our own and have to rely on each other. When you receive difficult news from the Doctor, need a chat about issues you are experiencing on a daily basis, or just need a friend to have a drink with, you find yourself looking for the impossible; they just don't exist.

​I have spoken to many people here about how I feel, and with such a high immigrant population in the west , the majority of them agreed — Australia is a really hard place to integrate.

Despite this fact, neither Darrell nor I will be returning to the UK anytime soon. We have built a good life here, have a beautiful home and are getting ahead in a way we could have only dreamed of in Britain. Feeling invisible does have its advantages too. You can live your life as you think fit, and you don't have to make time for anyone else. I know that may sound sad, but this is the first time we have been in charge of our own destiny. We are doing exactly what we want, travelling to amazing places, and want for nothing. There is of course the nagging feeling of loneliness, but it is a sacrifice we are willing to make to get ahead.

​Nothing lasts forever, and I am sure our outlook may change in the future. For now, we are just happy to be in a good place and not at the mercy of a system that seeks to thwart your every endeavour. Yes, we do feel alone in this vast country at the edge of the World, but that's a cross we will have to bear and a sadness we will have to endure!

This week I received a package from home. A friend I have known, since I worked at The Newcome Arms in Portsmouth, was chatting with me shortly after Christmas, about my new life in Australia. Gez was always a ray of sunshine — as I worked behind the bar, he often made me laugh and always made me feel welcome, included and appreciated, despite my rather dubious Bartender skills. He was, and undoubtedly still is, full of life, happy, and an absolute joy to be around. It's people like Gez I miss every day living in Perth, and one of the many reasons I still have a deep fondness for the country of my birth.

Gez was chatting about Christmas, and all the food he had to throw out, listing delicacies you can only find in Britain. Top of his list was good old 'Twiglets,' a savoury snack I have loved since I was a wee child. Apparently, according to my late Mother, 'Twiglets' are healthier than other similar treats, and I was actively encouraged to enjoy this acquired taste, in moderation of course.

Now, I have no idea if these are healthier than any other crisp, but they sure are tastier. Back in the day when I was young, these twig shaped Marmite sticks, were bigger than they are now. Apparently, health and safety deemed them a choking hazard; these twigs would often get stuck in my throat, so god knows what happened to other potential victims. However, I am digressing — Gez was explaining how much he disliked them, and just how many tubs he had thrown out, to my absolute horror.

​'Gez mate, No, don't do that, I love them. Rather than throw them out, send them my way!' Even though I can get Twiglets here in Australia, the packets are small, and they cost nearly $4.00 a time, and a tub of them is impossible to get. Consequently, I'd be more than happy to take them off Gezs' hands, despite being thousands of miles away.

To be honest, I didn't think anymore about our conversation, after my off the cuff comments, until Gez asked if he could have my address; he had something he wanted to send to me. Six weeks later, I received a rather large parcel at my parcel collect address here in Perth. For those of you who don't know what Parcel Collect is, let me enlighten you:

The postal service in Australia is particularly insecure, rather like it is in Spain. Having lived in both countries, I can't tell you how many times I have lost parcels in their respective postal systems, so having a secure address for deliveries is essential. Mail is normally delivered to post boxes at the end of drives, and these poorly maintained boxes are often broken into and items stolen.

The post office in Midland contacts me when mail arrives, and I collect it, mostly without a hitch. It had been six weeks since Gez sent his parcel, and I believed it had gone missing, as so many others do here. What with the floods over east, and the lack of tracking, there is any number of reasons why, but, when I picked it up, I could immediately see it was from Portsmouth, and I realised it was from Gez.

​Inside the box were four large tubs of 'Twiglets' and two jumbo jars of Marmite. Gez had remembered our conversation, and decided he would send me some provisions. He really does have a heart of gold and made my day. I haven't had British Marmite for years now, and although we do get 'Our mate,' which is the Aussie equivalent, it still doesn't taste quite the same; I was delighted to have some proper stuff from back home, and the taste is, well, glorious — if that's your kind of thing.

Living so far from home, you do begin to realise who your friends are. I was introduced to many new friends and colleagues while living in Portsmouth, and they are some of the best people I have ever met. Gez is an example of someone, who has quite simply left an indelible mark on my heart. When you meet the good ones in life, grab hold of them, keep them close and never let go — these are the friends who keep the memories alive, wherever I am in the World!