פֿאַרעפֿנטלעכט: 11.04.2022
Rose from the sick and held myself back moderately.
We extended our stay in this area and will spend a total of 6 days here. That's about as much as you get on a package holiday to Portugal for 7 days in the Algarve. The pitch is absolutely sufficient for our needs, there is something to see and explore in all directions. Plus, this area is one of our dream places - so we're in the right place.
But before I fill you in on the events of the past 3 days, let me give you a summary after 40 days of living in a motorhome.
Well, half the time is over, and we've reached half the distance here. 40 days in a motorhome and not tired at all? I can make a clear statement - NO. We enjoy every day and live it to the fullest. Sometimes we have more plans, sometimes much less, and we put our face in the sun while lounging on the deck chair. It doesn't matter where the deck chair is, as long as the sun is shining.
It's really exciting to pack up your home in a few minutes and unpack it at a new location after a 2-hour drive. And every place has new attractions and new impressions. That's what makes traveling so exciting, you experience a new challenge every day. We really enjoy finding the next place without having booked anything in advance. Portugal is not too crowded to be turned away due to overcrowding. So there are two things that guide us:
- the weather
- the beach views and the pitches
That keeps us busy every day and we always find a new spot in the early afternoon. The German motorhome society accompanies you here. No matter where you land, the German retirees or the German dropouts are already there.
It's a pleasure to manage your time. Taking care of a 14 sqm motorhome compared to home is much easier. We simply live day by day and do whatever we feel like. Is there anything more beautiful?
Now, the question arises whether one thinks a lot about home and longs to return. At this point - NO.
The motorhome dominates us and our daily life unobtrusively. We arrange ourselves in the tight space and get along very well with it. And when the sun shines, life is already happening outside. And that is finally the case now.
Let's compare it to a flight trip, which we have already done several times to the Algarve. With a fixed accommodation and a rental car, you often have more plans and also drive to remote places. The motorhome on the pitch and the e-bikes as a means of transportation limit the radius. Although you could move the motorhome daily and drive somewhere. But we don't. There is always the parking problem with the big vehicle. So we limit ourselves to bike rides (within a max. 20 km radius) and spend more time at the parking lot / campsite.
A small scooter for two would be worth considering here.
So, now let's get to the serious things in life. What have we actually been up to in the past few days?
The first day after the invasion of colds was indeed a rest day. Tea for breakfast, moving slowly, a little bike ride to Vila do Bispo to Lidl, pizza in town, and a good night's sleep.
On Friday, we went to Lagos (pronounced: Lagosch), which we would normally have cycled to. But due to the circumstances, we took the bus, which starts just a few meters from the pitch.
Here we also met the couple from the DAU district again (which stands for Daun in the Vulkaneifel), whom we had already met at the campsite in Conil/ES. They are also staying on the pitch and we discover many similarities between us. But it's still too early for camaraderie.
Lagos is like a second home to us. It is the first place on the Algarve after the tourist hotspots that presents itself appealingly. No high-rise complexes that accommodate hordes of English tourists, but a beautiful old town with many streets and shops that invite you to stroll around.
Our visit also had a practical purpose. Simone's tooth filling fell out during breakfast. A repair at the dentist's was unavoidable.
In one of the city's side streets, we found a dental clinic and went in. No comparison to our overcrowded German dental practices - the dentist received us in civilian clothing, and there were no other people present.
After a short description of the problem in broken English - gibberish, he pointed to the patient chair and took care of the problem.
After 15 minutes of treatment without anesthesia, the problem was solved, we paid €50, and the day could begin.
The stroll through the streets, accompanied by a small lunch in one of the countless restaurants and the memories of some experiences in this city, lasted the whole day.
The return trip by bus was then an inglorious ending. The bus station presented itself as a dirty, dusty, stuffy place where you didn't want to linger for too long. But we had to because the bus was delayed.
The return journey with a mask in a crowded bus did not foster a good mood. I believe bus trips are only a last resort from now on.
Tomorrow the weather will be good and we want to ride our bikes to Praia Amado. That is one of our dream places where we left a trace in 2013 for our 25th wedding anniversary. I'll dedicate a separate report to that.