UK

Endless problems caused primarily, I think, by this crazy idea of making six documentaries in six countries at the same time. With a crew of two. All our stories are running away with us. Jeh is in the UK at an airshow, but we only found out via the news, so we missed filming his big press conference this morning - he's buying 10 more planes. Shit. That would've been a good scene for the ever-expanding angle. Al is getting stressed at us filming on the rig. Think he might be thinking of backing out.

Lack of diary entries recently as I've been happily sidetracked. Firstly, my Sister managed to persuade a crowd of 2000-odd people to their feet through sheer enthusiasm at a Pet Shop Boys gig (we'd sneaked into the posh seats at the front and were going to get captured if everyone stayed sitting). And Neil Tennant smiled at me. He did. He did! Then I had a visitor from Israel for five correctly-speeded days (time has either been way too fast - the two days we had together - or way too slow - the three months since).

Lizzie had a late night brainwave, which was executed by 8.30 this morning (the pace is speeding up - something I'd have said was impossible even two weeks ago). Went round her friend Fenella's house - former lawyer, one of the Crude funders - and raided her wardrobe of corporate-but-funky outfits. Took only 20 mins to get a couple of shirts and a jacket each and come away new people. Also had a very brief tour of their newly eco'd house, which never fails to encourage.

After personal appearance advice from my BBC Presenter Friend, who (apparently) effortlessly always looks the part, (I say apparently cos I now know she spends two hours on her hair every morning! Yikes!), I spent all day trying to get an outfit together for our Big Oil interview in New Orleans on Monday. Degraded myself in big chains in Oxford Street. Utterly hateful experience. Came away with nothing. Wish I'd never been born.

Official Day Off today. After a panicky start in the morning - what to do? - hooked up with old pal/new celebrity Eric Schlosser, author of Fast Food Nation, who's in town to launch his new kids' junk-food book. Helen and Dave McLibel came along too.

"Ear protectors" for sale at Santa Pod racestrip - and the anti-wind campaingers say the windfarm proposed next door will be too noisy

Been spending spare moments in buses and showers trying to think of a song for the opening Big Bang animation sequence. Starting at the beginning of the world, speeding through geological time, the formation then discovery of oil, cut to the artist recording the song, there s/he is in concert, then global satellite link up, then downloaded off internet etc etc. The point being to show all the positive stuff we've done with oil.

Twenty lovely coca-cola (I know, I know) fuelled hours logging French, Cornish and Nigerian tapes interspersed with lavish emails to Israel detailing all my great shots and general genius filmmaker-ness. Then came across key scene in Nigeria - where Layefa gets a tour through the destroyed village of Odiama - and there was dirt on the lens throughout. Usually I'm good at spotting that kind of thing, but ... well, can't think of any excuse. I fucked up.

Just back from Morrissey gig with old pal Mark Lynas : author of climate change classic, "High Tide", daily pub companion when we were both stranded for six months in Oxfordshire outpost, occasional McLibel microphone holder, Alaskan snowmobile driver, Tuvaluan shoulder-to-cry-on - and only other person who would say "What time does worship start?" when enquiring when a Morrissey concert begins.

"Who is he?" said my stepmum as I bowled into their kitchen like a puppy let off the leash, but before I'd said a word. Ha ha ha, she knows me very well.