Why blog?

Now there's a question. In brief, the answer is
a) to give my narcissistic witterings to the world, whether or not the world is interested
b) to have the feeling I'm doing something a bit creative
c) to keep in touch with folks back home, in particular when well-meaning friends say "So...what's it like?"*
* when I get asked this question, my answer is either "Oh, y'know...it's fine!" to people I suspect are just being polite but actually don't really want a long-winded answer or "Read my blog" to anyone I feel will fall for my shameless self-publicity and/or are handy with a mouse.

My long-winded answer would be a bit like this:
"Well, I'm pretty happy..the Elf is happy. The Swiss are OK, if the French-Swiss are a bit shy and hard to get to know. They have some odd habits, like a deep love of fennel and anything made from fennel, like fennel tea. And they eat horse and pigs' ears, in fact the meat counter is like an endurance test. Sometimes I wonder what I'm doing here, and I just wish I could walk down the street and catch bits of English conversation. If I hear someone speaking English, I gaily introduce myself and produce my phone number, even if they are only passing through on holiday. I don't like the clothes shops here much, it's all a bit 80s but without being post-modern and retro. And baby clothes are very expensive and covered in Barbie or Snoopy or some other overly-conspicuous branding. I regularly daydream about what the other Tooting babies are doing, who is walking and who has teeth and who is off their food. I miss curry, there is no Indian food in this town. And let me tell you about the health care! Er....I'm so sorry, am I making you late?"