Injections

After locking my bike to a lamppost outside 99 Harley Street, I rang the big brass bell and was immediately let in to the clinic. The receptionist asked me to fill in a health questionnaire while I waited for the doctor and ushered me in to the "waiting room", which wouldn't look out of place in the Times Luxx magazine. Rather than a tatty copy of Hello magazine or yesterday's London Lite, she gave me an artwork catalogue to lean on while I completed the questionnaire.

Where are you travelling to?
Poland
Russia

How long will you be there?
3 weeks
2 weeks

What is the purpose of your trip?
Teaching English
Discipleship and evangelism

What type of travel is it?
Hostel
Camping

The doctor's office was suitably impressive, and she made a few notes while talking about my trip. And then gave me the first of two TicoVac injections to vaccinate me against tick-borne encephalitis, a disease that is as dangerous as it is hard to say. In southern Russia it's all the rage apparently.

The best part about all of this? For some reason this clinic offers the cheapest TBE vaccinations in London - 30% cheaper than my local clinic in Holloway, which has letters hanging off its sign and safety-glass windows. Unless I need botox treatment it's doubtful I'll be back in Harley Street after the second shot of vaccine in 4 weeks, but in mission one has to learn to take the rough with the smooth...

I backed Boris

Ken out; Boris in. As predicted by YouGov, backed by the Evening Standard (who were pretty ruthless towards Ken) and voted for by 1.1 million Londoners - including me.

What were we thinking? Isn't Boris just a gaffe-prone buffoon with a line in funny TV appearances? The BBC has an interesting bio this morning, and includes this quote from a friend of Boris's:

"The bumbling quiz-show host isn't the real Boris at all. I suspect he's tired of that clownish persona and wants to show us the real Boris - orator, leader, heavyweight thinker. Those qualities are there in his personality; they just don't come across on telly" - journalist friend Lloyd Evans

It is of course true that Boris might mess up. Given that he's a human being it's inevitable; and as a politician the halcyon glow will not last more than a few months. It does feel good to have backed the winning man in an election, and I look forward to London's success being built on the three core values of economic freedom, justice and comedy for all. Go on Boris!

Boris wins!

Boris Johnson is the Mayor of London.

Let me come back to this in the morning...