Before I became a dad at forty, I was an uncle in my thirties. I loved playing uncle with my nieces and nephews, and from the experience, I knew I'd love being a dad, too. Some of my nieces and nephews are now in their thirties. But my youngest niece is nine, and she likes to write stories with Uncle Robert.
The four of us went on a cheap surfing trip to Bali in our twenties. We rented a beach bungalow, hired clapped-out two-stroke bikes, haggled over tie-dyed singlets in the markets, and ate on the streets. It was a long time ago. But I've never forgotten the week I spent in bed, writhing with "Bali Belly".
