In the dark cloudy sky of humanity, global catastrophes lurk that want to wipe us all out. There are nuclear weapons in capricious hands like Russia's Putin, North Korea's Kim Jong and Islamist forces in Pakistan and possibly Iran's Revolutionary Guard, perhaps terrorists who finally manage to get their hands on the big bomb.

I would like to formally record a strong complaint over the complete and utter operational failure at Faro airport on 6th July, 2026. Check in lines were atrociously long with staff meandering through the process with absolutely no awareness of the queues or sense of urgency.

For the past few years, Portimão has played host to an annual summer festival that has increasingly drawn the ire of local residents and business owners alike.

I am writing as a resident who moved from England to Portugal in search of a better life. I sold everything I owned in the UK, worked hard to obtain residency, purchased a home, and committed myself to building my future in Portugal.

It was with considerable relief that I learned it is no longer an offence to be 'an incorrigible rogue' under the Vagrancy Act of 1824, it has been repealed.  Roguish smiles may once again be permitted if required. 

According to T.S Eliot, the end of any exploration takes us back to where we started - provided we bought a return ticket, I assume he means. 

It is only very rarely that someone beats the system. Any gambler would tell you the house always wins. Not that this stops any gambler. Whether it is a shape-shifting virus attempting to defeat our immune systems, or a casino player convinced that red will come up eventually - it never did, to my utter dismay - those who try to outmanoeuvre the odds are doomed to disappointment.

I am writing as a regular visitor to Vilamoura, a destination I have returned to over twenty years and one I have always regarded as one of the Algarve’s premier destinations for many.