I realised… right just then… as I sit here at 5.15pm in Nantes, scarf around my neck, 5 euro op-shop flano keeping me warm, with a hot coffee and a packet of cookies… I realised, my incessant need to go out and drink beer and wine (that I felt last time I was in France) is no longer there.

But why? I would like to think that it is because I am no longer around the terrible influences that were forcing alcohol down my throat in Portugal (Ingrid 2.0!) … but then if I am honest with myself… I was the worst offender and can’t blame anyone else.

Besides, when I started my trip in France I was very much alone similar to my current situation… so what then?

An epiphany! It is the cold weather. I think I must subconsciously correlate alcohol with warm evenings and it isn’t my fault but a warm breeze on a summer evening makes me impulsively want to sit out on a terrace and drink a local beer.

GOOGLE! “does warm weather make you drink more alcohol?” ENTER

Alright, filtering out the crap…. apparently alcohol makes you warm… be careful drinking in cold weather… nothing conclusive to answer my question… oh wait… here is something:

Hot Weather Makes Brits Drink More Alcohol

Ok I made a hyper-link just to make my blog more legit, but I would strongly suggest not clicking on it… it is a load of garbage… and though I like to think my own theories are good I am not going to back it up with a Huffpost Lifestyle (terrible example of journalism) article.

So let us throw that theory out the window.

What then? Why is it that I am now happy to sit in of an evening and blog rather than head out on the town and alcohol myself.

A-hah! of course! Why couldn’t I have seen it before!

My absolute crippling destitution, which, to some extent has been present this whole trip what with my ridiculous budget and constant reminders that I had absolutely no money to spare.

Mum will be proud! I have finally (and I mean this in no uncertain terms) FINALLY realised that I can’t just swan around Europe blowing my food budget on alcohol. It is a real shame that I have only learnt this now… think of all the money I could still have if I hadn’t bought so many local beers and wines…

In saying that… I regret nothing… I believe the food, beer and wine of a region are just as important as the sites and the people… and on that note… I think I might go and treat myself to a 2 euro bottle of red wine and really enjoy my night in.