'Wonderful to be back in Cannes again', says Jackie Sadek, head of regeneration, CB Richard Ellis and Chair of BURA

And - fantastic little trick I learnt last year - registered for MIPIM in two shakes of a lamb's tail this morning at the Reception of the Majestic, not sure I was supposed to mind you!

The sun was blazing down as I walked around town, buying the obligatory emergency dental floss (exchange rate! Ouch!), acclimatising myself once again to Cannes, and generally settling in.

By mid morning Monday there are a remarkable number of people already sporting the huge MIPIM badges with yellow lanyards. Walked through parts of exhibition, passing by the CBRE stand for a sneak preview as well as the London stand and the bunker - during build up, things look totally chaotic and I find it difficult to believe that any of it will be ready in time - until I remember thinking exactly the same thing at this point last year! Visited the Press Club at the Harbour, partly to see what was cooking and partly to ponce an (excellent) cafe solo. Got into a fabulous conversation with two of my very favourite journalists - Paul Finch of Architecture Review and Trevor Sturgess of Kent Messenger - Trevor looking for stories about SE England and Paul mischievously trying to resurrect that old chestnut of Boris's - the Thames Estuary Airport.

Trevor wasn't having any of it! Hilarious.

Like chalk and cheese these pair, but they're getting on famously. Only in MIPIM can you have these bonkers conversations! Fantastic! Surely must be time for lunch?