Hardeep Singh Kohli | Warning: more hot air means more wind

I rush my food. The problem is that I love food and want to get it inside me as soon as possible

. There are obvious downsides to this gluttony. Food spillage is more likely to occur, as is stomach upsetment and indigestion. On Friday I made a concerted effort to pace my Chinese lunch with Charlie in such a way that I would attempt to chew every mouthful for at least twice the normal time. All seemed to be going well. I ate less food, spilt less food and suffered no stomach trouble or indigestion. I did, however, find myself full of wind, a result of talking while eating, a luxury I normally don't have the time to enjoy as I shovel more dumplings into my mouth. I spent the afternoon burping, a constant reminder of my more leisurely lunch. I think I'll take my chances with speed eating.

How Phil talked me down from the barricades

On Wednesday, I found myself in my finest Nick Oliver dove-grey linen suit standing on the grounds of the beautiful Palace of Holyroodhouse chatting with the Duke of Edinburgh. The place was packed with beautifully dressed families watching their teenage progeny receiving awards from the Duke for completing his award scheme.

It was both heartening and troubling for me. To see young Scots achieve something meaningful, outwith the academic travails of school life, fills one with a sense of pride; five days hiking and four days under canvas is definitely character-building. But on the other hand, I've always had a slightly ambivalent attitude to the Royal Family.

I'm no rabid Republican; I don't believe that we should march, mob-handed, to all the Royal palaces, topple the Queen and her family immediately and exile the entire bunch to the Isle of Arran where they would live in a wee but and ben, existing on a diet of shortbread and milkshakes. No. But I do wonder how the notion of genetic entitlement fits into a world that is increasingly meritocratic.

Haven't we been trying to change our society so that just because a child is born into poverty it does not therefore have to suffer the effects of poverty for its entire life? I struggle with the idea that, by some coincidence of birth, because you happened to be born to a royal family, that your status in life remains highly privileged. Combine with that the role the Monarchy has played in Empire through the ages, the colonial abuse of so much of the world and one soon makes a compelling argument for dissolving the concept of a Royal Family.

But there are definite upsides. I actually do believe that there is a sizeable income to be derived from tourism; you only need to try to drive around Buckingham Palace in the summer when the place heaves with the United Nations of camera-holding tourists waiting for a wee glimpse of the Queen. In purely fiscal terms, I think the income they generate more than compensates for what we give them in tax.

And there is something to be said about a sense of history in these dynamic times of change. I believe our history roots us in times of great change, and we are struggling through the greatest of changes.

And then shake the whole thing down to a personal level. The Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme has meaningfully impacted on the lives of tens of thousands of British kids, giving us better-equipped, well-rounded citizens. The Duke himself seemed like a nice guy. He was witty, funny and warm. He took time to speak to all the gathered youngsters and their parents and seemed highly engaged in proceedings. He made me smile and he made me think. Not bad for a man in his mid-80s.

It was a very interesting day and I did manage to slip in a little bit of rebellion. We had been instructed to call the Duke "Sir" when speaking to him. I, of course, complied with this diktat but also managed to call Prince Philip "your dukeship". I'm not sure, but I think I saw him smile.

Sterling example of silver service

I met a lovely man called Roddy last week. I think he was Aberdonian. Roddy has spent most of his life working for local authorities in Scotland in the education sector and since his retirement he has applied himself and his life to carrying out charitable works, work he started as a young man.

He had just come back from Gambia, where he had spearheaded attempts to improve the education of children and of adults in the sphere of family planning and HIV/Aids prevention. When Roddy spoke, I listened and I learned. It made me wonder about how little we cherish and value our older citizens. Roddy has decades of life experience, a wisdom, a sagacity and ability to influence events through sheer force of personality. Yet as a society we seem not to see the potential in anyone much beyond the age of 50.

Now, more than ever, I think we should be turning to our silver servants and seeking their advice and support. And maybe the odd sucking sweet.

Wishing you were here keeps me at work

I've never been any good at taking holidays. Maybe it's a combination of the West of Scotland work ethic and the fact that I am the child of an immigrant. I just never feel that comfortable leaving work behind. (Equally it could be that I am self-employed and if I'm not working then I'm not earning.) However, something has changed. I know the phrase work/life balance is an utter cliché and drives us all a bit mad. But there is obviously a great deal to be said about living and working in a measured way.

Perhaps my problem is that quite a lot of my work is my passion. No doubt if I were sticking soles on to the bottom of trainers, welding rivets into warships or serving drunk punters seven nights a week then I would have considerably less problem with jumping on a plane to a wee Greek island and allowing the sun to kiss me all day long.

Perhaps, too, the complicating factor of holidaying on my own is something I am avoiding. I loved family holidays when we took them. All together, every day for every hour of the day was bliss for me. But I have no choice now. My body, my mind and my soul are all calling out for rest and relaxation, all in a slightly too tight pair of swimming trunks. I intend to take a holiday. My only concern is what I do when I get there.