\n In this, Sally talks about her return to the UK for Christmas 2003
\n after having started a new life in Portugal. \n <\/p>\n
\n It was very strange to be back in the UK. I flew on 19
\n December. At check-in at Lisbon airport, I was furious to be
\n charged excess baggage by BA especially when the flight was half
\n full. Interestingly enough, the return flight with self same
\n baggage incurred no excess baggage charge on another half full
\n flight. Other friends, who flew the following day to London
\n to connect with a flight to Canada, were also hammered for ski
\n kit. An outraged missive to BA on why Lisbon charged when
\n Heathrow doesn’t, resulted in no apology. I have always
\n preferred to travel with TAP who surprisingly did not charge any
\n excess baggage to anyone over Christmas! Warn friends over
\n the double standards of BA!\n <\/p>\n
\n When I arrived at Heathrow, having left Lisbon in deep mist (they
\n like to call it fog), I had forgotten how grey the winter skies are
\n – quite a shock. I did find the UK incredibly
\n expensive. I know it was only 18 months or so since I had
\n left, but I certainly thought things had increased in price.
\n Also you notice the commercialism much more with all the adverts on
\n TV, radio and hoardings. You also realise what a wide
\n difference between earning levels there are between the UK and
\n Europe. As an example, I was in Carphone Warehouse picking up a new
\n chip for my phone when I ear wigged a conversation at the side of
\n me. A young lad was with his parents and enquiring about the
\n latest state-of-the-art mobile. The cost of this phone was
\n approximately £350! When you convert that over to euros, it
\n is roughly the monthly salary of a policeman here – fireman earn
\n slightly less. I took the bus from Bath to Bradford-on-Avon
\n and nearly fainted at the single fare – £2.40! The journey is
\n about 20 minutes. For that fare you can travel twice (return)
\n from Cascais to Lisbon on the railway (a forty minute journey)!\n <\/p>\n
\n The biggest shock to the system was the price of coffee!
\n Definitely spoilt over here. A small black coffee is about 50
\n cents out of the city and in small coffee bars; the highest price
\n would be about 90 cents in a posh area of Lisbon (70 UK pence is
\n roughly equal to 1 euro).\n <\/p>\n
\n Strangely enough I actually found just before I left the UK that I
\n was feeling homesick for Portugal – I wonder what that means!
\n Driving a car was great fun but again I found I had to work really
\n hard at remembering which side of the road to drive on, and I admit
\n to going the wrong way round a junction – luckily nothing was
\n coming! I also had to concentrate and remember that sunshine
\n and frost sometimes mean ice! Funny how fast you forget these
\n things.\n <\/p>\n
\n Flew home to Portugal on 3 January and left grey skies for stunning
\n blue skies and burning hot sun! Coming back along the
\n motorway was quite surreal, as so many flowers had bloomed over the
\n Christmas period.\n <\/p>\n
\n Pompey (the kitten) was so thrilled I was home that he slept with
\n his head on my face and his body curled between my head and
\n shoulder for a whole week!\n <\/p>\n
\n Although it is winter here in Portugal, it is quite different to
\n the UK because there is so much in flower. Because of the
\n rain we have lots of different shades of green, Madonna lilies are
\n all out, the cherry blossom is just starting, magnolias are in full
\n bloom along with camellias. Mimosa is also out. It does
\n make a difference. The weather has been far better than last
\n winter. We have had some days where we have had torrential
\n rain but then it stops and you get a bit of blue sky and sometimes,
\n magnificent rainbows. Some days have been quite warm but
\n again, it can get quite cold at night and I have had my gas log
\n fire (salamandra) on a few times which is rather nice as you have
\n this glow in the corner. \n <\/p>\n
\n I have now received my official Numero do Contribuinte – my tax
\n card which means that I now have to sort out all my receipts to
\n hand in by the end of this month. I can claim medical,
\n dental, any purchases to do with work, petrol and restaurant bills
\n (this I was told was to help the tax authorities make sure the
\n restaurants in question actually declare revenue!) For those
\n of you who know my hatred and frustrations with sums – keep your
\n fingers crossed. I have no doubt that things will be thrown
\n and tears shed when I do this later this week.\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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