Grains of sand

It's four o'clock on a dull, windy Friday and I haven't taken a single photograph today. Looks like an indoor Blip again, though it's been a while since I did that. So I thought 'Books' and my eye lighted on the three volumes of Michael Palin's diaries. I've always like Michael, from 'Monty Python' through 'Ripping Yarns' to the wonderful travel series beginning with 'Round the World in Eighty Days'. 

I've always enjoyed his brand of humour and he comes across as one of those genuinely nice blokes with no 'side' to him. He began keeping a diary in 1969 when he was 25 - I'm glad he did as now we have this wonderful set of three diaries, taking us up to 1998. I suppose another one is due sometime - I hope he doesn't leave it too late as he's now 74 - or maybe two more!

He says - "When I was travelling I always used longhand to jot down the day’s events in my notebook. Looking back at those notebooks now is more exciting than reading any typed transcript. Grains of desert sand are stuck between the pages and wine-stains and the smear of a crushed insect bring back powerful memories." I bet they do!

Just in case you're one of those unusual people who've not heard of Michael, there's a great Hunter Davies interview with him here, admittedly back in 1993.