It’s the season for reviews and compilation of lists. Top ten books. Top ten films. Contenders for personality of the year. Top ten presents to be bought for under a fiver that won’t disintegrate within 10 seconds of being opened. There are reviews of the news events from over the last 12 months, reviews of people who hit the headlines and our personal favourite here in ICA, the review letter s– typed – that come with the Christmas cards. You know the ones. It’s the ones you get from the family members / friends with whom you don’t have an enormous amount of contact with, who are pleased to tell you of the various successes that have been witnessed over the past twelve months. These can include anything from how the children are getting on in schools / universities / jobs / global back-packing to how the hydrangeas are doing now they have been moved to a more south facing aspect!

We have decided to join the band-wagon on the “if you can’t beat them” premise. So without further ado, here is the list of countries and cites that ICA has visited during 2012 along with some interesting facts.

Australia - Sydney and Melbourne

Singapore

Oman - Muscat and Nizwa

UAE – Dubai and Abu Dhabi

Saudi Arabia – Riyadh

Jordan – Amman

Lebanon - Beirut

Russia - Moscow

Kazakhstan – Almaty

Romania - Bucharest

Bahamas - Nassau

Poland - Warsaw

Malaysia - Kula Lumpur and Labuan

Republic of Ireland –Dublin

Hong Kong

Indonesia – Jakarta

• Number of miles that has been travelled visiting these destinations:  137,410 miles
• Amount of time we have spent in aeroplanes: 417 hours
• Coldest temperature experienced: -22 (Moscow)
• Hottest temperature experienced: 44 (Oman)
• Most unusual dishes presented to an ICA representative: turtle soup (Singapore) and horse penis (Kazakhstan)
• Most flamboyant award ceremony: Moscow (brilliant rock band!)
• Most exotic location visted: Nizwa (Central Oman)
• Most useful token of appreciation: Russian hat complete with Russian emblem and ear flaps that can be tied under the chin
• Most unusual token of appreciation: Yudistira- Barata Yuda Shadow Puppet (Malaysia)
• Most interesting qualification launch: Malaysia (mysterious 'agent' delivering briefcase to conference podium to the Mission Impossible theme tune!)