Just how are things in Ciudad Quesada?

TonTre, stopping smoking is a lot harder than people think, the addiction of nicotine aside, this can be dealt with by using vapour cigs, chewing gum, patches etc, but the hard part is the carbon dioxide exhaled, when you breath in normal air, your body via your lungs keeps the majority of the oxygen and hydrogen but expels the carbon dioxide, tobacco smoke is highly concentrated with carbon dioxide, the thing a lot of people don’t know is that carbon dioxide is a natural anaesthetic, the combination of both expelled air and tobacco carbon dioxide, numbs the airwaves, allowing the sensation of tobacco to taste smooth when in fact it’s very harsh. Without the anaesthetic properties of carbon dioxide, smoking would be horrific and no one could put up with it. But also breathing normal air would be very harsh too. The many poisons in tobacco are masked by carbon monoxide, that’s how, long term, the chemicals and poisons destroy your lungs. But only 20% of smokers get lung cancer the other 65% suffer heart, blood, liver, kidney and brain injury over many years. Tobacco destroys the inner lining of blood vessels, especially in the brain, most sub-arachnoid haemorrhages are tobacco induced. Most Embolisms, blood clots and mini strokes are caused by tobacco chemicals. Yet still the over riding effect of nicotine and carbon dioxide by way of addiction and pain relief is tranquility, this is the reason people continue smoking even though most COPD is through emphysema caused by tobacco., it is a shame that you feel ostracised by society because you smoke, but once you realise that the damage to health, from babies to octogenarians from second hand tobacco smoke can be as bad as the damage to willing smokers, you may understand just why you are pushed away from the vicinity of non smokers. Asthma in young children is rising, this is caused by those who smoke in their presence. If you are in a standard room 5x4x3 metres ie 60 metre cubed, one cigarette would bring the carbon dioxide into dangerous levels, so much so a baby could asphyxiate. So please do try not to look upon being isolated as a bad thing when you smoke, think that people are trying to save other peoples lives, do try to stop smoking, it is hard, but your health would benefit, you would smell better, people would invite you to their homes and enjoy your company. It is a fact that none smokers like me, ban smokers or smoking materials from, our homes, our offices, our gardens, our cars, our indoor and out door dining areas, we even advise waiters that smokers should be placed well away from none smokers when dining alfresco, ash trays are removed from our tables and we move on if smokers congregate near us. Butr it is tobacco not you that we are avoiding.

My husband and I live in the Uk and fortunately we had flights booked to Spain the first day we were able to when the special flight paths were opened in July/aug? We have been every month since just for a week and had to isolate each time on our return.
I can honestly say I have felt far safer in Spain. Being out in the fresh air, on the beach, bike rides, sitting outside eating and drinking. Airplanes have only been a third full. All resteraunt staff have been very aware of social distancing and cleanliness.
This time however we have been told not to travel for holidays. I am very sad as we have flights for the end of November. So, we are stuck at home twiddling our thumbs. Stay safe everyone and let’s hope a vaccine is found soon as otherwise I can see no end to this uncertain time and we cannot plan for the next month ahead .

TonTri I really do sympathize with you about smoking. I was a smoker from age 17 although I had many attempts at stopping or cutting down. Before I moved out here I did stop for 6 months with Champix on prescription in the UK but the stress of a builder on my Spanish property ripping me off and retiring and moving over here caused me to start again and of course it was much easier and cheaper too.
I’d tried hypnotherapy even over here but sadly although it works for many it didn’t for me. Finally I was thinking of buying Champix from a pharmacy here but was concerned there was no follow up and I’m prone to depression especially when trying not to smoke.
Then I read about Tabex (they have a website Tabex.uk) they are completely natural and work in a similar way to Champix plus have the bonus of no chemicals and a fraction of the cost. You have to got to want to stop and I found just to start with it helped to vape a little with nicotine free vape BUT since March 2018 I have been a non smoker! If I can stop anyone can I assure you as I was a real addict and like you live alone.
The only minus is I’d lost a fair bit of weight which I put back on and I’m still struggling to lose it. However for the first time after a cancer scare las year and lockdown on my own I have never given in to smoking nor would I. I can confidently say I’m a non smoker
Good luck

Thank you both for your comments and tips and congratulations shemarg on staying off the cigarettes. I too have tried giving up several times but the problem is that I enjoy having a cigarette. As the OP asked how things were I just answered from my perspective as in normal times I can sit on a terrace with a glass of wine and a cigarette and enjoy watching the world go by. But these aren't normal times .

As I said to Glassful, maybe one day I'll get round to giving up but for now I just treasure each day as it comes along.

Tontri good luck with whatever you do & keep smiling remembering the good times