Whether it is bubbly, salmon, bread and butter, milk tarts for dessert and a luxuriant garden all around for lunch, candlelit suppers, simple salads with a magic touch, or even an overlook of Kalk Bay’s Olympia Cafe with creamy polenta on the way, these are the simple things I miss tonight, while broccoli steams dutifully and red wine tastes heavy on the heart and smoky on the palate.

Last lunch before the flight back, winter 2014

The good news is these are not lost for everyone. My ambassador travels through faraway lands, burnt hills and prickly jungles. Peace and love on Earth to humans of good will, north and south. We love you all. Especially you, you, you, you, you, you and you. And you.