I know you thought you had got rid of me.

And I thought I had got rid of you.

But the gods were conspiring against us.

We left Taipei to board a 23 day Crystal cruise from Manila to Tokyo, and the first 10 days were uninspring, so I decided to end the blog on a high note, a third of a mile up in the sky at the top of Taipei 101.

But then we spent an overnight in Incheon, South Korea, where the gods were waiting for us.

Well not exactly gods –

The twelve Chinese zodiac animals.

And that led me to look up which of the zodiac animals Gordon was born under.

And, dear readers, imagine my delight when I discover it was the Year of the Rat!

YES!!

Gordon is not quite so delighted. Maybe my laughter isn’t helping

Note the forced smile!

I had always thought that a rat was a rat, but it seems that is not so. A little more research shows that because of the year of his birth (something which I would be happy to reveal to you all, but Gordon not so much!) Gordon is actually an Earth Rat.

And what, I hear you ask, are the qualities of an Earth Rat?

I can’t wait to tell you!!.

The main quality of an Earth Rat (aka Gordon) is that he is “financially thrifty, careful with money, and often appearing frugal” .

Those Chinese are wise and wonderful people. They absolutely nailed it!!

Those of you who follow this blog, might remember the time when I was forced to clamber on to a San Franciso tram with all my suitcases, rather than catch a taxi to board the waiting cruise ship – a cruise ship that just happened to be a Crystal Cruise Ship, one of the most luxurious cruise lines.

Gordon, as you will also know, is my editor, so maybe none of the above comments will make it to the final cut, so I need to mention some other qualities of an earth rat. He is also, according to those wise Chinese, steady, reliable, and friendly.

In other words boring!

Actually – whatever else he might be, Gordon is never boring.

Anxious to turn the spotlight on MOI, Gordon rushes to look up my Chinese Zodiac Animal.

Imagine his delight when he discovers that I am a PIG!!

There does seem to be a resemblance!

So Gordon quickly looks up the traits of a Pig (aka MOI!). And here is what he finds:

“While they possess a strong, fun personality, they can sometimes be impatient, which can stem from their high levels of energy and ambition”

Well, it is fair to say that nobody would ever suggest that I have a high energy level or that I was ambitious. So I decide to double check Gordon’s research.

And low and behold, Gordon was not being truthful. I am not a pig (whatever others might think). I am actually born in the year of the dog! I missed being a pig by two days!!

“People born under the Dog sign are known for their loyalty, honesty and friendliness, making them faithful companions, and well-regarded in social settings”.

Those wise Chinese have nailed it again!!!

But Gordon refuses to take a photo of me with the Dog.

He prefers to remember me as a Pig.

Well, that’s a Rat for you!!