Hi all. I've been a pipe smoker on & off for quite a few years & didn't smoke tobacco at all for many years but always had a hankering to hold a pipe of tobacco again and experience that chilled & laid-back feeling that is definitely missing from cigarette smoking & for me personally, cigars as well. Up until about 3 years ago, I was living in Spain where the sunshine & tobacco prices made the perfect ambience for dipping a toe back into the pipe smoking experience. I found it to be a very enjoyable experience, as did the people in my smoking vicinity who, instead of giving the usual hostile stares reserved for cigarette smokers, seemed to appreciate the aroma as much as I did and would often comment on it. Then came the dreaded pandemic, which I caught but fortunately survived, but found I'd lost my taste for anything tobacco related. Anyway, here I am, starting over again and picking up info from very good sites like this one for hints, tips & general knowledge as I still consider myself a total novice. Thanks for letting me in & hello again from North Yorkshire, UK.