Not feeling the greatest today, think I have food poisoning so I said I’d type up a post on some of the more recent events which occurred.  The weekend just past I had a reunion with all my old college mates in Dublin (well the majority of them as some were undertaking exams). It really was great to see everyone again and having spent a good deal of time apart between the times that we do occasionally get to see each other it’s amazing the changes you notice and how grown up everyone is becoming. With the occasional reunions though comes an awful feeling when they end that you wish you could all just be back together again the way it used to be. We’ve a pretty tight knit group and it takes a lot for someone to actually get into it as we’re all pretty damn close and comfortable in each others company and because of that such reunions are that much more appreciated, by me anyway.

This weekend was such good entertainment, we lived up to the reputation the Irish sport worldwide and nearly dried the taps in some bars and just, as we say here, “had the craic”. Memories were reminisced, some made, and we all had a pretty great time. The long journey back to galway, in between the naps was spent contemplating how lucky and happy I am to have that core group of people who project a good influence on you (except whilst they attempt to intoxicate me) there all the time. It was sad that such reunions only last a few days but not a second of it was wasted. It’s a sense of family and home having that group around. I’m very fortunate and thankful to have them around, and I don’t take that for granted. Lots of people as they move on through life forget the friends that made them the person whom they are. You are whom you surround yourself by.

Having just returned from my second holiday of the year I thought i’d post up a quick memorandum of the experience just for archival  purposes. This exact time last week, we were arriving in our hotel in Albufeira, Portugal where we were staying for 6 days and 5 nights. I travelled with 3 mates of mine and we just decided two weeks previous to the holiday that we wanted to go somewhere sunny so it was very much a spur of the moment thing. We were staying in the Oura Beach Club apartment complex, which I would recommend highly as we had a completely flawless stay there in their clean, aesthetically pleasing apartment complex which had an abundance of amenities/facilities and was conveniently located right on the beach front. This apartment complex, I found out through another guest who I got talking to in the bar one night, used to be a timeshare only property up until recently which would explain the reason why the apartments are in such a nice condition and why the apartment complex has so much to offer. The prices are amazing, you won’t be disappointed if you were to stay there.

The beaches and the weather were amazing, despite a rather inaccurate weather forecast which had me fearing rain. The general population over there were very friendly and predominately english speaking, something rather opposite to what I experienced in Berlin in February. We took it upon ourselves to sample the local cuisine whilst over there and to eat proper food predominantly with the exception of the first night when we arrived and it was too late to source proper food. I found the Portuguese style prepared dishes to be fantastic, full of taste, large portions and I was not left hungry for more after any of the meals. I didn’t sample their sea food selection, something I regret now, but I did sample a large palette of different local cuisines on offer.

The nightlife, was the highlight of the holiday for me. Normally a sombre music enthusiast I very much enjoyed being in a Hip-Hop pub a couple of nights over there. The music selection was brilliant, DJ’s very obliging to requests, provided they suit the genre of the pub you are in. I enjoyed some of my favourite tracks over there, being able to dance to them, unlike over here in Ireland where DJ’s would never play that music due to a smaller audience. For the socializing aspect alone I would prefer to live in Albufeira. Nights out are just much more fun than here. The crowds were so friendly for the large extent of cases, although I know that would be a different story in the main tourist season and the place probably goes mental with drunkards. The Irish are loved over there, that’s evident in abundance, and if you have any sort of rhythm in you at all and can dance you’ll have a mad time.

All of this is common sense naturally, I just wanted to persist it somewhere for the memories so I can relive it again. I would definitely revisit the place again. The next time I do though I will make sure I get in a game or two of golf in the lavish sun. To conclude on a note of absolutely brilliance for me, Whilst I was in the airport I got to meet and have my photograph taken with Steven Gerrard, Liverpool’s Captain and personally my hero. A dream come true for me, it was the perfect end to a brilliant holiday. I can’t wait for greece now.