After a welcome quiet start to the year (predominantly spent in the UK and in my trumpet-making workshop) it was great to get back into the swing of performing and travelling again: I left the UK on Sunday evening, explored the streets and market in the Ciutat Vella (old city) and rehearsed on Monday, and walked along sandy beaches in 21°C sunshine in El Cabanyal (a fishing district named after the fishermen's cabins which once lined the coast) before the concert on Tuesday evening (after which we enjoyed a traditional Valencian paella). By Friday I’ll be in Vienna where it is currently 0°C!