" 10... 9.... 8.... "

It's that time of year again when we start thinking up resolutions for the upcoming year, often involving losing weight and saving money, while simoultaneously paying obsene amounts of money to get into that New Years Eve Party and stuffing our faces before the diet starts.

I too have some New Year's Resolutions, but although mine include the standard ' lose weight' promise to myself, this tends to be an all year thing and a given from when the clock strikes midnight on 31/12 each year. This year my resolutions are not so much resolutions, as they are goals I want to achieve, starting with 'get that job'. The success of the rest of my 'resolutions' tend to rely on that first one being achieved, so no pressure at all, no.. *gulp* On the plus side, the role I'm going for is one that I've already had one interview for and have also been invited to the second and final stage interview too, so maybe this is going to be the one.

It's beginning to look a lot like.. rain

Back to reality, this week has been the complete opposite to the last in almost every possible way, starting with the weather. Last week I flew to Portugal on Tuesday afternoon with my friend/ housemate and immediately you could tell we were no longer in England. Firstly the skies were beautifully clear, but more than that, the people were different (in a good way) and more so, the biggest difference was that no matter how late it got, the city was still so awake and vibrant including the place where we were staying, Moita, which, I was informed by my friend, was considered to be a village.

Here in the UK, I live in a village, and unlike where we were in Portugal, there is no nightlife to speak of, unless you count the odd pub, but even then it's last call at 11pm and closing time at midnight (as though we're all Cinderella, but unfortunately lacking any sort of Prince Charming). In Moita, and locally, it was not only the bars that stayed open far longer, but even the cafes and restaurants didn't shut their doors to us until nearly 2am. Vastly different to here, but only in the best of ways. Aside from the extended opening times, the contrasts could be seen in the sheer beauty of, well, everywhere you looked.

Here are a few pictures to show you exactly what I'm talking about and why coming back to the misery that is England at this time of year, was even more disappointing than usual..

And just to reiterate.. I travelled in November ...