Madness! Why I know I'm not Peter Schiff

I'm about to embark on a lightning trip to New York to deliver a 2-hour lecture on finance, in Wall Street, followed by an immediate return to the UK.

And here's why I personally think this 'Green-Shoots' recovery is a figment of Ben Bernanke's over-active imagination. Because this is going to be an economy class trip!

I went into the City and derivatives a couple of years ago, to both understand finance better after reading 'Man, Economy, and State', to be in a position in a few years time to help the coming Austrian revolution, and to also always travel business class, after years of schlepping it in coach while working in the IT sector.

But the credit crunch has put paid to all of that.

Yes, crossing the Atlantic twice in 24 hours really sticks it to the greens, but to cross it twice in cattle is really going to stick it to my poor aching body.

I just hope I haven't seen all of the in-flight movies.

Fortunately, the magic of online check-in has allowed me to change my seat from 62G (Yikes!) to 35G. Yes, it's not much of an improvement, but it'll be an extra inch of leg-room, and an extra inch wider, and a tiny bit quieter.

I bet Peter Schiff doesn't have to subject himself to this kind of treatment.

So why am I subjecting myself to this torture? Well, it's a new business opportunity which I'm keen to explore, and if it goes well, I could be in a position to at least demand 'Premium Economy' next time, if not the full Business Class banana, before the UK and US economies really collapse in a couple of years' time.

But there's more.

Because after I get back late Friday night, on Saturday morning I'm flying out to Dubai, for two weeks.

Fortunately, for this trip, I'm turning left at the door and going Business. Thank the Lord! They better have plenty of champagne on board, because I'm going to need it.

Do you need any more evidence? Forget the West. The money is in the East, my friend. So go East!

Have you started learning Arabic or Mandarin yet? D'you not think you ought to?

You may find it hard (I'm finding Mandarin really tough), but at least get your children immersed in Mandarin, if you should get the opportunity.

The brain's ability to learn languages fluently freezes at puberty, so this will best be done before the age of 14, if at all possible.

Good luck.