It's all a bit manic in my flat right now - I leave at 4.15 tomorrow morning for Tenerife, from where I'll be helping to crew a tall ship for a week. So while everyone else is quaffing the champagne over New Year, I'll probably be stuck up the rigging, or swabbing the deck, or some such. The kit list includes plenty of scary stuff (stout shoes, thermal underwear and so on) but I have packed my shorts and bikini just in case. I'll reveal more when I'm back on dry land...

At last! I have joined the twenty-first century and have a real, live blog. From now on you'll be able to read up-to-the-minute (well, up-to-the-week at any rate) news about where I am and what on earth I'm doing there, look the pictures, and even add your own thoughts and comments. What more could one ask for for Christmas?

My next big activity (after Christmas with the family) will be a week sailing a tall ship off Tenerife. I'm not quite sure about the on-board blogging facilities (and in any case, I may be too busy swabbing the decks) but just as soon as I'm home and dry I'll regale anyone who wants to read all about it with tales from the high seas.

Till then, have a very merry Christmas.

(Oh yes, and the picture? That has nothing to do with Christmas, or with Tenerife, I just thought it would make my blog look prettier - though perhaps that's open to debate. It's an entirely random shot of me and my mule. If your curiosity can bear no more, you can read all about it in Fried Eggs with Chopsticks.)