Off the A4074, 2nd September 2012

So where on Earth is this? This is a very random stretch of road somewhere between Oxford and its Kassam Stadium, and I had been dropped "near" the latter by a cabbie who wisely advised us he should go no further. He was right - the traffic on the approach to the stadium was nose to tail and at snail's pace, and we beat the drivers hands down. It was the first match of a new season in rugby's Premiership, and we'd trekked out of London to see Leicester play London Welsh. The latter are the new boys, playing here for the first time, and I was supporting them as I'm from London, and, well, I'm half Welsh. My companions are from Leicester, support Leicester to an extent that makes a mockery of my newfound affiliation, and would bleed green, white and red if you cut them (not that I've tried). 

I'm not a great believer in omens, so the sight of a balloon in proud Welsh red (I can type goch better than I can say it) didn't fill me with thoughts of an upset. And so it transpired - a lacklustre Leicester duly trounced the exiles, and we departed two-thirds happy. On the plus side, we magicked upon a taxi immediately on leaving, which had us back in the city centre in seconds. Oxford has been kind to me before with balloons, and so it remains.

From Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago, 25th August 2012

I was sent this beautiful group by Luna, who released the yellow one closest here. It is always a joy to receive them from afar, and these tell a story:

"The balloons are released to honour and celebrate the lives babies lost through miscarriage or just after birth. Each balloon represented a baby. This year's emotionally charged but beautiful event was held on the rooftop of an eight storey building with a gorgeous view of our capital city and the Caribbean Sea beyond. It was a cloudy, windy and warm evening. After a short ceremony and prayer our balloons were let go. Within moments they were tiny blue, pink, green, orange and yellow dots against the clouds. We all faced the west. Toward the sun which was now peeking out from behind the white cumulus clouds as our balloons carried our emotions away. A high flying flock of birds seemed to chase after our balloons and I imagined them as guardian angels guiding our little ones, and us, to peace."

Which is quite humbling compared to the discarded ones I sporadically see on the streets. Thank you!