Okay, I started keeping a dream jounal (JD) this morning, and the techniques you guys put up really do work - originally i could only remember part of one dream, but by writing it down it made me remember more that I would have expected! Now I can remember the best part of three from last night.

It's funny, also, when you think about wanting to be able to remember your dreams, I can. But the one night last week that I didn't think that to myself when falling asleep (I've been doing this since wednesday), I didn't remember a thing!

I'm doing a few reality checks per day now, both the hand and nose things, and if it's successful then I will tell myself that.

Anyway, I'm going to wait a few days before I start going through my JD to look for dreamsigns and such like. But a question on those:

I have a particular place in my dreams which keeps appearing. (I have been in this place twice in two of my three nights). My question is - as far as I'm aware, this place is not real. it's a town square/car park that leads into an alleyway, with a rusted car at the far end. So because this place isn't real, how am I meant to try and get myself to perform a reality check, or whatever I need to do to achieve lucidity if I go there again?

PS: Just how vivid are lucid dreams? Are they first person? Are they as clear as real life, or are they almost hazy?

Cheers!