However  I was able to have plenty of useful ISN meetings. Enough ISN leaders where there to make it possible to hold several ISN committees (though some joined by telephone). In particular we made more excellent progress with our plans for WCN 2013, including a very successful meeting of the Scientific Programme Committee chaired by Carol Pollock. We will have an exciting and distinctive scientific programme with a strong global flavour recognising the great diversity of circumstances in which nephrologists work around the world. We also accepted five proposals for official WCN satellite meetings - three in China, one in Hong Kong, one in Japan – so look out for information about all this on the WCN 2013 website in the near future.  I hope you are already planning to join us in Hong Kong, 31 May – 4 June 2013.

While in Paris,   I also had very good discussions with a number of ISN’s corporate partners. These are challenging economic times, and it is important that we maintain mutual understanding with our partners in the renal industry. Then we can work out the best ways, which make most mutual sense, to ensure that we get the maximum sponsorship possible for the ISN programmes which our partners are keen to support.

Often these days, my travel involves many time zones, and much time in the air. So this time a pleasant change – four hours after Paris I was at home without my feet having left the ground, courtesy of Eurostar. A few days to catch up at the hospital before the next trip ........