“My name’s Michael, thanks for coming .... you know you guys will always be special to me [cue slight unease in small group of complete strangers, straight off a mini bus from Aberdeenshire] .... I was a farm visit virgin ... and I’ve lost my virginity to you ... [cue unintentional but creepy smile from Michael].”
Some things sound a lot better in your head before departing from your brain, stopping briefly at your vocal cords then finding their final destination in a vast lonely expanse of open air and in the tangible discomfort of fellow human beings.
It was the first time I had a group come and see the sheep though. I spent most of the time saying they weren't very good, even though I think they are. I talked for over an hour about the sheep, how I started, what I do, what I feel and about the people I met during my Nuffield trips. The Nuffield part of it might have been forty minutes of blether but it had to summarise eight and a half weeks of travel. It focuses your mind on what the main issues have been. Obviously, I admitted in front of grown men (and women) that I almost cried speaking to other grown men (and women) about Cambodia. I then proceeded to get a bit emotional about it all over again. That country gets me going every time.
No one fell asleep this time. Largely because they all had to stand ... in the cold ...
Notes to Self:
- Pursue mild forms of enforced discomfort on any future audiences to prevent them snoring
- Man up re. Cambodia, for goodness sake!!
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