It has been a long day - a day of much reflection - even though the sun has yet to make its daily exit here in the Southern Hemisphere. I use the word ' sun ' very loosely as anyone living in Melbourne will tell you. Seriously, I thought moving to Australia would provide me with more sunlight but here we are heading towards Summer and I can safely say that today was as cold as any Winter's day I have experienced in both Hemispheres. Bring on the sunshine, please!!!!!

So, yes, a day of reflection whilst listening to a Kizomba compilation. Kizomba is a genre of music from the land of Angola and is often sung in Portuguese. It has its origins in Zouk music which is the popular sound of the Caribbean and is mixed with those sensual African rhythmic beats. Go ahead, google it and have a listen!!! I am absolutely IN LOVE with Kizomba and more poignantly, it takes me back to my homeland of Portugal. All around you, young and old tune in to these uplifting and sexy lyrics. The music pulsates and you pulsate along with it..

Reflecting on why people move from their birthplace seeking new horizons, new meaning, new people, new adventures on their life journey, reflecting on the wanderlust so inherently me. I used to think it was a beautiful quality to possess and could never understand why people didn't feel the urge to get out there and discover. But to all those aspiring travellers/discoverers or whatever you may wish to call yourselves, the wanderlust brings its own heartache. You miss family and friends, the familiarity of frequented venues, the distinctive smell of a city ( for all you Tugas out there, is there anything more definitive than the smell of Lisbon, I ask you ? ) your favourite culinary dishes enjoyed with your favourite aperitif, digestif and whatever the word is for an alcoholic beverage consummed after a meal and of course, let us not forget the music.

A day of reflection. Today I favoured the familiar. Perhaps tomorrow will have a different set of eyes.