And it's not about being here for the end of the Ashes or being in a bette time zone to keep an eye on the Eagles well and truly stuffing the 49ers. It's all about money.

Having not worked that much while away (I did some but don't tell the tax man) there's tax rebates to be had. The joys of filling in forms and trying to account for where I've been for the last 9 months. These people don't like the idea of someone not working. They're happy to take money and reluctant but willing to hand it out when I'm not working but pay tax and national insurance for 10 years then just stop and don't claim any benefits and people get worried, alarm bells ring and when you re-appear questions are asked.

Quite how to prove my innocence and show I was away is pretty easy though. For a start there's 2 nice stamps in my passport, to go with the other two from last year and the stapled bit of green paper which the American's so nicely left in there. (On a note, quite why the American's can't just use a stamp like the rest of the world is beyond me.) Then there's this site although that's open to question since in theory all this could be made up and I might not actually exist.

Maybe I don't really exist at all. Perhaps I'm just a figment of somebody's imagination. If I am then they've got a weird sense of humour.

With a bit of luck there will be some free money to look forward to in the near future. Tax isn't funny but it's always nice to get some back.

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