Many thanks to old pal CB for stumping up for dinner last eve at our favourite Italian eatery in Clerkenwell. 

Visiting from Hong Kong, he's looking to set a record for the amount of IKEA flat pack furniture you can get into a modern flat in Kensington - and doing well by the sound of it - as he settles his youngest into art college.

As Big Mike said, 'It wasn't like this, when I was a student'.

I was in good company, with both of them being past Chairman of the MG Car Club of Hong Kong, needless to say the conversation was pretty much autocentric.

Which is a good thing after 8 hours of 2007 budget planning.