We’re all still getting daily new updates about the scale of the disaster (earthquake) in China’s Sichuan province but much less frequently about the disaster (cyclone) in Burma. Both are truly horrifying. There is a sense of collective hurting here in China which is finding its expression in a lot of motivation to help in what ever way possible.

For some first-hand accounts from Chengdu in English have a look at Lost Laowai’s series of posts from some expatriates who are in Chengdu assisting with the relief effort.

If you’ve not already done so you may want to consider making a donation to the relief projects in Burma and Sichuan. It is possible to make a donation to both projects on the British Red Cross website.

So since we last spoke the sun span on its axis and arrived back for the 10,958th time at the same point it was at when I entered the world. If you prefer, the earth returned for the 30th time to the point in its orbit of the sun that it was at when I entered the world, i.e. based on a fairly arbitrary counting system I turned 30.

It fell on a running club night so I celebrated by running 20k (clinging to the 20s) and then a few beers. It was a good birthday.
Unsurprisingly I don’t feel very different. Maybe a little fitter, maybe my level of fitness was OK for a 20 something but good for 30 something…