Hope we're all surviving?

As I write, I hope that each and everyone of you is surviving the Siberian conditions that are gripping much of Europe and the Eastern Seaboard of North America. Friends in southern Portugal have reported unprecedented levels of snow, and my team in Central Siberia are experiencing temperatures averaging -58 degrees centigrade. Now that's definitely cold. For those of you in the UK who have struggled to cope with the onslaught of driving snow, take comfort from the fact that the temperature by and large hasn't dropped below -18! Small comfort I know, but something nevertheless.

Today marks my sister Sveta's birthday, so I'd like to wish here many Happy Returns for today, and look forward to her buying lunch in the not too distant future... For everyone else who may be celebrating a birthday today, I hope that you have a most enjoyable day.

Welcome to 2010!

A very Happy New Year to you all! As we usher 2010 in, I'm looking forward to a busy and hopefully fun packed year. There's plenty to tell you about right now, but the folks in my team have asked me to keep tight lipped about much of what we have planned for the start of the new decade.

One thing we have announced, is my planned charity drive from London to Ulaan Baatar in Mongolia. Details of this fantastic and slightly daunting challenge will be made available over the coming weeks, and you'll be able to help sponsor my efforts to raise much needed funds for children's charities along the route.

Here's to 2010 being a great year for one and all, and please remember that in Britain there's a General Election coming, don't waste your vote MAKE IT COUNT!