I was packing my case this morning when I got the news that my friend Ivor had passed away in his sleep last night,  so sad but also relieved to hear that he is no longer suffering. I think he left this world for the next while sleeping which is not a bad way to go. 

I was lucky to have a video call with him a week ago and he told me then that he was fed up hanging around the hospital because he could feel his body slowly shutting down.  I asked him at the time if he could hang on till I arrived in just over a week and he said he would try but could not guarantee anything. 

A few days after this call Shirley sent me a picture of Ivor and I was shocked to see the difference in him.  The cancer was gaining momentum and it was getting the better of Ivor.  The spark of life I had seen the week before was almost out and so when I got the message this morning I was not surprised.

Ivor will be laid to rest on Tuesday but I’m not sure of the details but I’m glad that I will be able to pay my respects to him and say goodbye. 

Just now I’m sitting in Pudong Airport in Shanghai and my flight leaves in about 2 hours.  This trip is for my visa run as I have spent another 3 months in China which is hard to believe. I decided to return to Australia to check up on my house and see some friends and just escape the chaos that is China.  But I will return in a few weeks and I look forward to my next 3 months in China. 

But for the moment I have to sit for 10 hours on a plane to Brisbane, I just hope there is some red wine I can sup on to help me sleep.