Hi fellas

Just a short note to let you know that I arrived in Brussels safe and sound on the weekend. Still no internet at home, although the ADSL modem is now physically in the flat, so probably maximum a month to get it connected up. I have a full set of contact details now, they are;

phone; +32 2 344 9893
mobile; +32 4995 30798
Address;
100 Ave Winston Churchill
Uccle
1180
Brussels
Belgium

I offered up my bottom services to the firm in HK and have 2 thingies on in the next couple of weeks, one in Austria and one in Paris or Lyon (not confirmed yet). I have tried to sell myself as "the bloke you trust in Europe" on the basis that it would be cheaper to send me to Austria on a glass inspection than someone from HK. This sounded like a good idea at the time but it has quickly become clear that it might be more difficult than it at first seems. See; it cost 7,000 HKD for me to fly return from Brussels to Hong Kong. A flight from Brussels to Austria is, wait for it, 700 Euro, or exactly the same price. The train costs 350 Euro and takes 12 hours each way, for fuck's sake. I'm going to need to find a cheaper way of doing this or my flow of work won't last long. Paris is no stress, 50 euro or so and an hour and a half on the train but if you want to mix it up with the Krauts, get your cheque book out. Out of the UK a lot of this is pretty do-able, because of all the discount monkeys operating. Out of Brussels, there are far fewer choices, though. In fact, the cheapest way might be to transfer through Stanstead. Satying overnight in that town will be a laugh...

Brussels is fun so far. TONS of beer, which I intend to start covering in a weekly beer spot, and LOADS of bands. The Magic Numbers play tonight, Stereophonics and Fun Lovin' Crims later this month, the Stripes, Starsailor and Oasis in October. This is roughly the volume of quality live music that I have experienced in the whole of last 12 years rolled into a 6 week period. Even better (how could it be better, I hear you gasp!); ticket prices are generally around 20 Euro, about a third of what you'd pay in HK for the same thing. Work? who needs it?!

Bomber out