That seasonal reminder that time waits for no one and you’re only growing older has been again. At least this year was a little different. The family left early to plan their various parties and nights out, leaving me to think up some bold plans for enjoying the evening, when the winds whipping in over the Irish Sea knocked out the electricity in the region just before sun down. And there’s no better time to find out that the stove in the lounge really was only installed for ornamental purposes than on a cold, blustery evening.

Despite it feeling like almost yesterday, a fortnight has already passed since I returned from this year’s travels. With the jet-set revolution in full swing, and RyanAir’s European footprint under continuous eastward expansion, I took the opportunity this year to expand my own carbon footprint and head to the east. Armed with a smattering of Russian, an able German companion and a small roll of banknotes, this year’s travels took me to Riga, third largest industrial city of Imperial Russia, and capital of one of the more vibrant economies in Europe today. After five days in a bed & breakfast there, it was followed by a stay in probably the most famous cultural and historical city in Poland: Krakow.