I like history and stories. In my field, metallurgical, it is quite an interesting period in history at the moment. This year for example, is the 100th anniversary of Stainless Steel. This little invention basically changed the world and in 2013 we celebrate this significant milestone. Anyway, so I pop off to the website to look at the 100 years of stainless steel video and nearly cracked a rib laughing. They have Jeremy Irons telling the story of "iron". Oh my word...did somebody do this on purpose! I think it is hilarious.Well that said. Perhaps a bit subtle as a joke, but I found it funny.
On Thursday I am off to Kazakhstan for a conference where I am due to present a paper. Not going to bore anybody with the technical stuff, but it is quite a trip. So I will come back and be able to say, I saw Kazakhstan and due to a 15 hour lay-over each way, also quite a bit of Istanbul. First trip with my Canon on my hip so hopefully I can come back with fantastic photographs too.
Unfortunately, thus far, I don't have my passport yet. The said passport is still in London due to travel to SA today (Tuesday) and reach me, hopefully, on Thursday morning. By the way I fly on Thursday evening. So tight. Not at all due to poor planning on my part. Silly passport's been in London for 2 months, the Kazakhstan visa process is just somewhat slow and the red tape is....uhm...well very troublesome.
I will report back shortly with highlights of Kazakhstan and Turkey.

Video of 100 years of Stainless Steel for the curious ones