Why do Americans go abroad?

We were sitting in a cafe in Stresa, Lake Maggiore, and nine Americans came and sat at the next table. 'Do you have root beer?' 'Do you have Sarsaparilla?' Well no, of course they f*****g don't; it's Italy, it's Europe, they have half litres of red or white wine to go with pasta.

So the Americans mostly had Diet Coke! Can you believe it? And these are from among the 5% of Americans who have passports, the Americans who actually get up and leave their country to look at other places. But why not experience those places when you've gone to all that trouble?

I think some of the blame is due to them not drinking until they are 21; they don't get a taste for it (so they do drugs instead - or am I getting a bit prejudiced here?).

You only get one life...

47 weeks to go

I think photography is going to be one of the big things I do in retirement. I did a shoot with a model Emma in Huddersfield last weekend. The beauty of photography is that there are so many different aspects to it: practise in operating the camera so that it becomes second nature, using apertures and shutter speed to get different results, learning about different lenses and when to use them (and saving up to buy a better one, as they are expensive but you need good glass at the front to get better images); there's the artistic side of composing the shot, balancing the picture, adjusting the image afterwards to produce a really good photograph - I love the balance of science and art in this activity. And then there's the people side; there's no way, when I retire, that I want to be in the youngest couple on a coachload of 85 year olds. At work, you meet people of all ages, which keeps you up with what;s going on, and - I'll miss the girls. You need youngerer girls in your life - well, I do. So, I've taken up hiring models, and I enjoy these sessions so much. They are very challenging, as I have to work the camera, manage the lights, meet a new person and work with them to get good shots; challenging, enjoyable, and just worth it. They add a lot to my life. I'll try and put up a shot or two from my recent shoot if I can.

Retire at 60? Nah...

I always thought I would retire at 60, which will be the day before my birthday on 12th August. It doesn't seem a very good time to give up work, as the days are getting shorter and winter is starting, and you just spend more time indoors. It feels a lot better to stop working in the Spring. So, I'm going to work full time until 1st October, take a day a week off until Christmas, and then work a three day week - with a reduction in pay - from 1st January until 31st March 2010. And then stop.

49 weeks.