What a hectic and exciting twelve months it has been! Just twelve months since my first Arts Society (former NADFAS) Directory Day and I have been delivering lectures on art and architecture from bonnie Scotland to the sun-kissed shores of Spain! I was amazed last year to receive so many requests to speak, and have been even more amazed at the response since, with every single venue so far re-booking me for either 2019 or 2020! Popular subjects have been the Art of Romanov Russia and Nordic Impressionism, but by far the best seller for North West England has been "Manchester, when Cotton was King" with two societies booking whole study days on this fascinating topic! We take our northern cities for granted, but there really is some terrific architecture if we know where to look. Really thrilling has been the repeated request to do a follow-up walking tour - though it is such a shame that that the wonderful Manchester town hall will now be closed for the next seven years! Fortunately Manchester has several excellent alternatives, not least Chetham's and the John Rylands library. Best of all has been the recent news that I have been asked to do a lecture tour of Southern Australia (Flinders Arts Society circuit) in September 2020. Needless to say I have accepted! Now, where's that travel guide....?