I was invited to an intimate dinner last week with, it seemed, three thousand others at the Hilton to mark the inauguration of Ansett Airline's air service between Sydney and Shanghai. I was disappointed not to be offered a free ticket, but I did get to see a favorite pop singer of mine from Australia, little Johnny Farnham, give a performance. I thought he was very good, all things considered, but he resisted my suggestion that he sing his song about Sadie. What a shame. Next time, Johnny, please???!!!

Meanwhile, the Babylon on the corner of Yuyuan Lu and Huashan Lu, one of the first of the Beerhouses in Shanghai, appears to have also succumbed to what are known as market forces. I was talking to the former German beermeister there who tells me has moved on. With Paulaners doing such a roaring trade, it's difficult to see how Babylon could put up an effective fight. Ah well! Change is good! In fact, I might suggest to Mayor Xu next time I see him that we should make that Shanghai's city motto, what do you think???

Soames Hines, the doyen of the Shanghai advertising scene, is leaving town and had a wonderful party at which we all celebrated his departure!!! The scene was a villa in the western suburbs, the weather was magnificent, the company colourful, the food exquisite. All in all, my sort of do. I couldn't resist surrupticiously helping to push a couple of tuxedo-ed gentlemen into the pool towards the end. Such fun! And Soames -- a special thank you, kiss and "Byeeeeeee" from May-May!!

I'm not much of a day animal, as you know. I prefer to emerge somewhat later in the day for a tentative coffee and orange juice, read the Xinmin Evening News and start preparing the itinerary for my gadfly nocturnal rounds. But I was invited to the opening ceremony of a new water fun park last week, and decided to go along. The opening was thankfully in the Huating Hotel, recently de-Sheratonised, rather than in the park itself which I'm told is half way to Hangzhou, and I had a wonderful time. The park is called Dino Beach and with Disney and Steven Spielberg charging a little too much for usage rights, it uses as its mascot a uniquely cute little dinosaur named Allan. They played the most attractive theme music, and the dancers I thought were just gorgeous, if a little thin. Water sports can be fun, and many people have commented on how attractive I look in a wet T-shirt!!!

You remember my comment a couple of weeks ago about the Banana and Egg Club? I mentioned that my eggs were widely admired, and several people who may have misunderstood my comment sent me rather salacious messages. In order to clear up any misunderstanding, I asked my trusty photographic assistant, who is with me nearly every minute waiting to document my every move, to photograph a pair of my eggs. And here they are!!!

Byeeeee!!!!