It feels a bit weird sometimes being back in England. I've lived in this country all my life but having been away in both the USA, last year, and spending 9 months in Australia my whole perspective of England has altered.

Of the three countries there's many similarities, language being one, but it's all the little differences. The nature of how people react in situations. One thing that's highlighted is alcohol. I'm still of the belief that the English have this "thing" about alcohol and drinking habits.

York's getting ready for Christmas. You can tell Christmas is coming - it's November.

The Minster has been lit up. Looks rather good as well, an interesting set of effects, the stone has a whole new twist and the heart that no one ever realised was there is now clearly visible. It is the chromolithe technique of 'painting' buildings with light by Patrice Warrener who has done similar work in Germany, Holland, Australia, Japan and Russia.

Naturally, it has annoyed a lot of people, those religious fanatics who feel that it's a desecration of God's name to treat his 'house' as a piece of art. Though the one-week-only display is attracting a lot of people.

York's Art Gallery windows have also been given a little twist while various other York landmarks are being given permanent white lighting to show them off at night.

All very interesting. It's all part of a push for something slightly different, some of it interesting, some of it not so.

Link: Renaissance: Illuminating York

Link: My photos from tonight's walk

It's a pain. There's a major downside to a night like tonight. There's kids roaming around in costume. They want something, anything. The trouble is, this isn't America. This is England and the kids aren't in the mood for being nice.

They keep coming as well. England's never really 'done' Halloween in that way the Americans seem to. It's a big thing there. Here it's a slightly not-quite-right copy.

It had to happen. I'd spend the weekend pondering the backup of the laptop, knowing that once I'd got some DVD-RWs I'd get everything sorted and safe, at least as safe as a DVD can be. I'm good at backing up. Everything that's very important goes onto a CD or DVD on a regular basis.

Last night my laptop decided to throw a wobbler. My profile in WinXP was destroyed. Nothing major I first thought, the loss of the a few favourites and shortcuts. Looking around the PC though it also transpired that the Shared Documents folder had gone. Or rather it had been obliterated, leaving a couple of folders and no files behind.

I think part of me needs to get away somewhere. I'm blaming it on the dreams I've had recently! Aright, it's only been two dreams this week but I do feel like I want to go some place I've never been before, or revisit somewhere interesting.

One dream managed to amalgamate Australia into a handy bite size chunk. Starting in Adelaide, hopping on a Melbourne tram which ran alongside the river in Brisbane before arriving at the Sydney Harbour Bridge, which was much smaller than the real version for some reason.