Missionary Work, eagerly undertaken

That nice lady decorator wanted to read yesterdays missive where I wrote, in my opinion, complimentary things about Yorkshire and our refugee house guests from that county for the weekend. It is possible that my view of the word complimentary may differ somewhat from others, particularly perhaps from those from up north.

The very fact that she wanted to read it is, of course, a worry as I am always nervous about her reading this column for obvious reasons. She even suggested she should subscribe to it, if you click on the subscribe button then each days column is emailed to you. She tried this but some reason (thank the lord!) It would not load on her blackberry, so she claimed that it was because her phone knew she would not like it. She is not often so right.

So those excited Yorkshire migrants arrived, and were wide-eyed with excitement as we sat in Valbonne square in the sunshine and to the incredulity of our guests and their children, we sat outside and had lunch. Thereafter, important global business in Nice took me there on Currencies Direct business where I met with the co-founder of Internations, and new affiliate Gudrun from Remax-Cannes.

Gudrun is from Iceland, so I thank her for the two biggest things that Iceland has given the world in recent years, a failed banking system and a mountain of volcanic dust. She says it could have been worse, Iceland could have been Japan, and she has a point. This must surely be the final nail in the nuclear power debate?

At his request I also attended the Internations event in Nice thereafter, where much was learned by the assembled delegates from me, and from where I took this not very good photo.

Boscolo Plaza Hotel in Nice, champagne anyone?

The Boscolo Plaza is a very nice hotel, but the open terrace bar on the 6th floor offers a wonderful panorama looking down across immaculately kept park land on to the Mediterranean.

Internations is a quickly growing international networking group, active in 176 countries, who stage regular networking meetings. In the western world, these mostly involve taking over a bar, drinking alcohol and talking to anyone, so it clearly fits in to my normal daily routine seamlessly. It also presents me with enormous possibilities to carry on with my missionary work with Currencies Direct and indeed, there were several pretty young female delegates with whom I would have been more than happy to assume the missionary position.

Today, after having to get up almost before I went to bed, in order to collect my newly repaired car from Cannes, I will journey (rather ironically by train) to Monte Carlo for the super car show called “Top Marques”, now featuring smaller fast boats and watches as well. I am the guest of Type-41, the most interesting super car club and If I am really lucky may get to drive a limited edition Ferrari around part of the Monaco Grand Prix track.

Thereafter I believe there is a plan to take a late lunch on the beach at either Juan Les Pins or Cannes, I have not yet decided, however the more cynical amongst you may guess correctly that I have not been told witch yet. Peter Lynn is at this moment about to email me about what he thinks is a typo in my last sentence, but is it a typo? Do you see now why it would be dangerous for that nice lady decorator to read this column regularly?

A quiet weekend would have been my choice but with excitable and excited short-term renegades from Yorkshire over running our household until Monday, desperate to enjoy rarely seen sunshine, and able to remove their animal skins for the first time in months, I fear that I may yet find myself once again enjoying myself by the seaside with a glass of wine in my hand. Such are the downsides to missionary work, but I will not be down hearted and shall make the best of it uncomplainingly, as is my want.

Chris France