Hong Kong diary

I arrived in Hong Kong yesterday morning - sadly missing by a couple of days the Hong Kong Sevens which was won by New Zealand against South Africa (and I was told among the sold-out crowd was our former PM, John Major). I was met by Pan Macmillan Asia's Managing Director, Daniel Watts, who drove me to the Landmark Hotel. The hotel staff could not have been more charming or welcoming, but my room has among the most inconvenient bathrooms I've ever experienced. In the middle of the room is a circular bath in which 6 people could happily go for a swim, and which I doubt is ever used from one year to the next. It takes up so much room there's hardly any space left to shave or simply clean your teeth. But despite not being able to sleep because of jet lag, it's been tremendous fun and extremely well organised by Janet Chan and her team.

The two days here have been hectic: 5 speeches - at The China Club, The University of Hong Kong Libraries, at a Dymocks Literary Dinner, a lunch today in Happy Valley with The British Chamber of Commerce (where the audience was an interesting mix of Chinese and British businessmen, and where Chris Patten is remembered with great affection and the British with respect), and finally tonight at The Foreign Correspondents' Club where we are going to discuss British and American politics. En route I'm going to visit the winner of the best bookshop display competition, Kelly & Walsh. I've also done 9 interviews and endless signings, but as I head off now to my final engagement in the city, I've just been told that A Prisoner of Birth has gone to No.1 on the South China Morning Post bestsellers list next Sunday.