PARAPLEXED

There are two well established ways to avoid the glare of publicity. One is to go exclusive, and expensive, in some barely inhabited, luxuriously appointed, and thoroughly protected super-rich hideaway, possibly in the Caribbean. But this runs counter to the quiet and informal nature of this family wedding (it was not, after all, a State Occasion). The other approach is to go down market and anonymous, to blend in with the hoi polloi, in short, to slum it. So it came as no surprise to learn that Room 409 in the Paranormal has been booked out to a Mr & Mrs W Windsor for four weeks commencing April 30, 2011. It's a good choice. Security is tight- only hotel guests are allowed upstairs. Breakfasts are wholesome- masala paratha with pickles and cucumber raita. Kate can spend many happy hours browsing the shelves of Shoe City, while William picks up a few bargains across the road in Al Ain Computer Centre. And as long as they stick close together, they'll be left well alone in J

..has declined to attend the nuptials. Bigger losses. Have a good day.

The trouble with putting a 'popular posts' gadget in a blog sidebar is that after a few weeks it stops changing and becomes static. This is because, by its very existence, it is promoting the posts that are already popular, making it ever less likely that any unfeatured items will ever break into the top ten. For that reason, I've replaced it with a 'random posts' selection. So far so good. It means that on every visit there's something new on offer. Much more fun and far more in the spirit of the Paranormal. Just imagine if Jockey's girls were the same couple of dozen, day after day, forever. That would soon drive you to the Rattlesnake or Seaview. I rest my case, again...

Renaissance In my usual fashion, I've left it to the last minute. The London train's leaving in half an hour and I haven't packed a bag. No problem. Clean shirt, socks, underwear, toothbrush. Chuck them in the bag and - whoops - what bag? The case I brought back from Qatar is far too big for an overnight. The one I need is three thousand miles away. Plastic bags look wrong in meetings. Inspiration! My old brief case, still tucked away under the stairs. Blow the dust off, bin the contents (anything I've not needed in eight years can't be important) replace with aforementioned essentials and set off at a moderate jog to the station. Reminiscence Off-peak train travel to London through the Cotswolds and the upper Thames Valley bears no resemblance to the frantic commuter scramble suffered by so many. A couple of hours of peace, comfort and gently rolling countryside, grey-white with frost, sometimes sparkling to a low slanted sunbeam. Time to relax, contemplate an

Great Malvern Priory, with rainbow, from my window Paraglider is enjoying a short break back in UK, where it is still possible to see the occasional rainbow, as above. Other delights include unaffordable petrol (which troubles me not a bit, as a confirmed walker) and affordable real ale with names like Doom Bar, Kinver Light Railway, Black Pear and Bishop's Finger. Offsetting these are the frequent appearances on TV of some Cameron bloke telling us that everything's gonna be all right. When I want to hear that message, I'll listen to Cap'n Bob. No more believable, but at least he's in tune. Normal service (from Qatar) will be resumed on Sunday...