It's 1am. Just arrived at my amazing hotel, paid for by my hospital's in house charity, the St Stephen's Aids Trust. Thank you. Dr Arias, his wife and daughter came to pick me up and told me first that Venezuela is a relaxed country unlike Spain (mm hmm) and I need to loosen up, and instead of saying thank you to Mrs Arias for the lift, they just say it with "un besito". Great I thought, I love relaxed.

Then the bombshell. "Pues, Farhad, yo vendre a cogerte las 6.30 ...". Relaxed, and 6.30am ward rounds... don't quite go together. Happy birthday Farhad ;-) better get to bed.

Farhad