Top of the Morning...

Am off to one of my favourite countries in the world - Ireland - for a 12-day coach tour for a story. Am most excited about channelling my Downtown Abbey fantasties at the glorious Ashford Castle  and having a go at falconry.

Oh and then flying to Hamburg for three nights at the end to see a mate.

See you on the other side.

   
(Pic of Dublin from The Telegraph)

Porto

Yes, I know I've been back a month but I have literally been running since I returned. Deadlines have been coming so thick and fast, my brain is literally leaking out of my ear.

But here is visual evidence that I was indeed in Portugal's second city last month and cruising along the Duoro (and not, as some wag on Instagram suggested, at home in Welly wearing sweatpants, eating takeout and posting travel images ripped from the web).

I'm still writing the stories from this leg of the media trip but in the meantime, here are some visuals of this gorgeous city which is now my BFF.

 

Goddammit

Today I had to do the unthinkable and turn down a media trip to Europe.

I would have meant being in Rome by August 8 but, for reasons far too tedious to go into here, it would have stretched the patience of too many people.

And so I said no. And then I had to talk myself down from the ledge (Whittaker's Kaitaia Fire chocolate helped).

But everything happens for a reason, right? I have enough work to be going on with, and a couple of other famils before the end of the year to sort, so enough with the self flagellation.

Onwards and upwards....

Today's visuals are of the last time I was in Rome, a few years ago now.

   

Spain? Thanks but no thanks....

Because I truly believe I am Superwoman. Because I suffer from an inability to say no. Because FOMO is a real thing in my world.

For those reasons, I seem unable to turn down every opportunity that comes my way. It's why I often end up working into the wee smalls, or waking at 3.00am worrying how I'm going to get everything I've committed to done. Or wondering why it's so very hard to utter that simple, one-syllable word.

Today, however, I managed to do it - the ultimate No - by turning down a media trip of a week's cycling and walking in Spain! It would basically have meant jumping on another flight to Europe in a few weeks and I've barely gotten over the last one. Plus asking for more time off would probably have stretched the patience of my employers at my part-time contract a little too far; and I have other work commitments, including six pieces from the recent famil and, horror of horrors, one from the Hong Kong trip in March I still haven't gotten around to. And then there's my two boys...

And so I said no. Did it hurt? Did it heck. But I have to realise that I can't do everything and it was good to set some boundaries and stick to them.

Still, I can't pretend five days in Spain wouldn't have been bliss. Sigh...