Like, I suspect, most families of which at least one parent is Chinese, food has always played an important part in my life. My Mum and sister have always been wary of some of the more exotic foods my Dad would cook or order for us - "what is it?" we would ask; "if you like the taste, don't ask" he would tell us. As I grew older I became more and more interested in new tastes and, even if I disliked them, I would never regret trying them: jellyfish, chicken feet, pig's intestines, the ovaries and eyeballs of fish, the meat on a chicken which surrounds its anus. When I moved away from home at the age of 17, most of the money I saved from my summer jobs was spent on eating out, and The Ubiquitous Chip was one of the first very fancy restaurants I ate in. I was unaware then of its illustrious history or international acclaim, but it became my favourite restaurant, and it still is. Many significant meetings or celebrations in my life have taken place in this restaurant, and it is where I had my graduation dinner. Since he had never eaten there before, I took Kenny there as a birthday gift, and it didn't disappoint: in fact, the food seems to get better every time. I had scallops and black pudding followed by pigeon wrapped in bacon with risotto and a rich game sauce. It was wonderful, and it is best described by quoting Lloyd Grossman, talking about another of the Chip's dishes, when he says "an outstanding play of contrasting flavours and textures in which none of the ingredients was devalued or overshadowed." Keen as I am to try some of the other desserts on the menu, I can never leave without having some of The Chip’s Famous Caledonian Oatmeal Ice-cream with Fruit Compote. I could go on, but in short: if you visit Glasgow and only visit one restaurant, make it this one. There aren't many restaurants in this city that I can think of which are more expensive, but there are none I can think of which are better or more beautiful, and it's worth every penny. Glasgow, 2010.

Family on the Steppe - This nite all 5 of us (Trav, Kas, Gans, our driver and myself) slept in the family's Ger. There were 2 single beds on each side of the Ger, the parents slept in one bed with their baby in between them. I slept at the side of their bed on the floor, our driver had the other bed, and Gans, Trav and Kas also took the floor around the stove. Very intimate, but unlike 5 strangers sleeping in my bedroom, there was no sense of intrusion and a great sense of hospitality on their behalf. Before the nite was out they cooked us a mongolian lamb (which is traditionally mutton half mixed with fat, not the stuff you find in your chinese restaurants) and we and had a great nite using a small battery generated light playing a mean game of cards over a drink