Who wants to live in a silent world?

TECHNOLOGY is a wonderful thing. Thanks to the internet, I am able to have regular chats with a friend who lives in southern Spain. We speak via Skype and the line is so clear that he could be sitting in the same room.

- CLARE AINSWORTH

Often I can hear the background laughter of Spanish chatter in the street, children playing and the odd barking dog. It all helps me create a mental image of the lovely Spanish city where I imagine my friend is lucky enough to live.

But this week wasn't so good. In fact our conversation was ruined by the intrusive noise of builders working on his apartment block. The sound of drills was so clear it gave me toothache and my friend said he was unable to hear me despite wearing a "noise reducing" headset. Our call terminated rather abruptly and I was glad to hear the rain pouring down outside my English home. Even the noise of passing traffic didn't seem too bad compared to the racket I'd been forced to share via the web.