Not dead, just sleeping. Now awake.

Hi all,

It feels like longer than a month since I wrote something. Delay in doing so caused by several reasons, but latterly the lack of internet in my flat here in Portugal (yes, made it back for another year) until yesterday. Now, thanks to the good people at Kanguru, I can communicate with the world again.

I promised in my last post that I would post some stuff about my trip to Northern Ireland. I've been all around the world, but I can honestly say I don't think I've ever had as pleasant a holiday as that one. I walked along the North Antrim coast, which was beautiful and met up with several interesting characters on the way (including a Swedish guy who had been on his country's version of Survivor - the first reality TV contestant I've ever met). The only negative thing was that I left my camera somewhere up there, meaning I don't have some of my snaps (and I need to get a new camera...). Compounding the prob is that my new Kanguru connection is too slow to upload pictures, so I can't even post the pictures I didn't lose.

I am now back in Portugal and enjoying the 26 degree sunshine immensely. Torres Vedras looks a picture in this weather and we even had the honour (I guess, do the likes of Blackpool and Bournemouth feel honoured?) of having the Social Democrat Prty conference here last week. This meant there were several men in suits wandering about the streets carrying orange folders and some shots of the inside of the conference centre on the evening news. The new shopping centre and cinema open tomorrow, so all in all things are looking up.

I'll try to keep you posted on whether they stay that way.