I can't believe that it's been almost seven years since I went to the Eurovision Song Contest in 2007 where Marija Šerifović won with the song "Molitva".  While Lordi continue to do well in their native Finland, and indeed around the world, the band "Anonymous" who represented Andorra with Salvem el Mon seemed to disappear without trace.  Their song was tipped to do well, but fell at the semi-final; for a recap of the song here's a Youtube video:

There's no doubt that I'm a fan of North Wales; the rugged coastlines, tall mountains and winding country roads can give the sense of isolation you need when you need to 'get away from it all'.  My love affair with this part of the British Isles started back in 1996 when I went up to Bangor for an interview at the University there and continued as I spent three years of my University life in the city.

Fourteen years after leaving the city I've tried to go up there every couple of years but as things get busier at work, making time for a jaunt to my favourite places can be hard work.  The last time I made it up there was in 2008, so being very overdue for a look around, I headed up there for a long weekend.  

It won't be news to any of us that you can switch your current account to another provider if you can get a better deal elsewhere.  A switching service, of sorts, has been around for ages, but the service has never been seamless or without its foibles.  In the past, internet forums were frequently filled with discussions where payments had been taken from the wrong account, old accounts hadn't been closed, and account holders forgot to tell those paying in the details of their new bank.

Now in its third week, the new 'full switch' aims to bring the mayhem of switiching your current account to an end.  Simply put, you go and open a new account with Bank B, and they arrange with Bank A to move your Direct Debits, Standing Orders and Bill Payments over to the new account within 7 working days.  Further, payments in and out of your account that mistakenly get sent to your old bank will be redirected for a period of thirteen months.  Your old account will be closed at the end of the switch.  

People that have moved house and used the Royal Mail Redirection service will asking why a redirection service took so long, but BACS and the Payments Council will undoubtedly cite computer issues as the reason.

I recently decided to give the 7 day switching service a whirl and see whether the service was as seamless as advertised.