Well there you go... one bittersweet adventure ends and a new adventure begins!

So there we go. I was technically among the winners. But the fact I will be in Europe for the final was taken into account by the judges (funnily enough) and I didn't go through. It's a kind of bittersweet feeling.

"A special mention to Dan Hatch who would have gone through but he can't make it to the final because he'll be in the UK".

Kinda makes me sound like a wanker when everyone has worked so hard and is taking the whole thing so seriously. It makes it look like I'm treating it flippantly.

I'm promise I'm not. I'm going to spend forever going "I wonder how I would have gone in the State Final". All I can really say is... BEST OF LUCK to my brilliant friends who also went through. Rather glad I'm not a judge. Oh yeah, and that I have had SO MUCH fun! It has been awesome.

Thanks to everyone for all the support. It's been great fun getting to know everyone and hopefully we'll all share a beautiful stage together again when I return at Easter.

I leave work in about 40 minutes (12pm) and then I'm off to the airport. Very excited. Edinburgh, here I come! (And London and Paris and Milan and Florence and Rome and Venice and Salsburg and Vienna and Prague... omigod... a little bit of wee just came out).

Big big love!

Dan