Following on from my last blog, We left Peniche and headed down to a place called Ericiera which was only about and hours drive, but as mike checked every surf spot on the way it took us about 3 hours. When we arrived there mike wanted to check a surf spot on the other side of town but for some reason our GPS has it in for us and took us though little ally ways and we got to a point where Hans count fit so we had to reverse back up the street, what a mission. We found the coast and upsetting for mike there were no waves so we found what we thought look like a really nice campsite. Once we were inside it wasn't as green and lush as it looked from the front and we were instructed to park in a place that was dirt and gravel not the nicest but you get that.
The next day mike was itching for some waves so we went down to the beach, it was about a 1km walk up a hill and yes there were finally some waves. After being at the beach for about 5 hours we thought we would call it a day, the weather was starting to turn really windy and cold. When we woke up the next day it was that reduculisly windy we couldn't even walk to the beach it took both of us just to carry mikes surfboard it was crazy, needless to say when we finally made it to the top of the hill and saw the beach there were no waves. after the mission of a walk back we heading into the town. It was a beautiful little sea side town. It was all cobblestone and had little white building and each of them had a bight colour highlighting the windows and doors it kind of looked like mykonos but more colourful. After 3 days in Ericiera and mike not being able to get many waves we decided to head back to Peniche, and coincidentally the kiwi couple Matt and Kijiana, we had met in france were going to be there as well so we decided to meet up with them. They had been free camping in a car park at the beach for the last week so we parked up next to them. It was crazy how many vans and campers parked there overnight there were more than the campsite we were at. We ended staying at the car park for 4 nights with matt and kijiana, mike and matt surfed a couple of times everyday they were both in there element.
On the 3rd night we were there a van with an english couple pull up next to us. They were super friendly and we ended up have a few beers with them, that night there was a band on at the bar that was next to the carpark but it didn't start until midnight its crazy in Portugal people don't go out until at least 12pm and being that we have been a bit sad a going to bed early it was a bit hard to keep awake. The next night there was a DJ playing and the noise was almost unbearable, the music didn't stop until 4am. That same night the english couple had there surfboards under there car and caught someone trying to steal them it was crazy. The next day me, mike, matt and Kijiana all headed back to Ericeria for the night (the boys still hoping for waves) we found a cool little free camp spot right next to the beach in a field next to an abandoned building it was pretty cool. The next morning we all got up fairly early and headed to a placed called Guincho where we met back up with our friends paul and courtney. We had a good catch up over a few drinks and the next day we parted ways again with paul and courtney. Me, mike , matt and kijiana headed to Lisbon or as the portugees call it Lisboa. We decided to stay at a campsite as i have heard that in the big citys its not really safe to free camp. So we found the closets one to town, which was nice and woody and a bit hilly but had a really nice pool. We headed into Lisboa in the morning for a bit of an explore, it was ridiculously hot but we managed. We walked around the streets for a bit then went into the old town. We headed into the castle which is on a hill overlooking the city. It had amazing views, the castle itself wasn't that exciting, and had stray cats walking around everywhere. We wandered through the old town and found a little cafe for lunch, the waiter was a bit strange though, you didnt know if he was being really sarcastic or trying to be funny. Mike was trying his best Portuguese and the guy pretty much told him not to mumble and open his mouth. After our lovely lunch we headed into the city centre. We found a bar/ restaurant in one of the centre street and sat down for a few beers. We much look like we really love drugs because we had about 4 different guys come unto us while we were sitting down offering us any thing we wanted, they even brought the stuff out of there pockets and were trying to make us buy them, its crazy you tell them "no i don't want it go away" and they keep at you, you pretty much have to either yell at them or blatantly egnor them.
That night a few "arvo" beers turned into a lot of arvo beer and by the time we got back to the campsite it was about 11 pm, and as it was the campsites 25th anniversary they had a band on, so we watched the band for a bit over a few more beers and in matts words "shit got real" when we got back to the vans and the red wine and whisky came out, it is van tour after all. There were a few sore heads the next morning and a lay by the pool was in order for a few hours. After the hangovers subsided a bit we made our way to Evora, which was about 2 hours away, and on the way some how we lost matt and kijiana, we were on a highway and we had to quickly turn and they didn't and that was what we thought was the end, but some how when we got to ever they were two cars behind us in the city walls. We parked the vans up and went for a walk, it was so stinking hot, we would almost run to any little bit of shade. Evora was a nice, old little town not a lot to do we went to the main church,and it had a chapel in it that was made out of human bones, it was no Paris catacombs but still cool. It got to a point that it was that hot we needed to cool down, so we found the closest campsite with a pool and chilled out for the arvo.
The next morning we sadly parted ways with Matt and Kijiana, and headed down toward the North Algarve we drove for around 6 hours stopping at cool beaches and a few Massive Cliffy towns, we finally found a cool free camping place in a remote little town right next to the beach called Praia da bordeira, and mike even managed to get some waves. The next morning we headed down the coast toward Sargres in the South Algarve it wasn't a long drive but took us about 3 hours as we stopped in a few places along the way. The coast line is so amazing its all cliffs and cute little beaches,we didn't mean to get as far as we did in such a short amount of time but the weather wansnt the best and we were hanging out for some sun. When we arrived in Sagres we drove out to the light house and couldn't believe all of the campers parked along the streets, we were stoked more free camping… we had a look at the light house in Cabo De Sao Vincente which is the most south western point of europe, while we were there, there was a cute little old couple selling woollen jumpers and beenies so mike got him self a home made beenie for only 5 euros. After the light house we into town to get some lunch, we found the most amazing little restaurant, there was only 2 people working theorem the guy that served us and the guy cooking. We got some Frajitas which were amazing and only 6 euros. With our bellys full and finally some hot weather we headed down to the beach. The beaches in the South Algarve are amazing you have to climb down a cliff to get to them. we chilled out on the beach for a while then mike had to do some work. (i guess there could be worse places to be working).
That night we free camped in a carpark on a cliff to the beach, with about 15 other campers, safety in numbers.
The next morning we headed to Lagos, we weren't planning on getting there that day but the drive was only 40 mins so we thought why not. When we arrived in Lagos i wasn't that impressed, we found a campsite which was only 5 min walk into the main town and parked up. one we got there we headed straight to the beach. WOW the beaches were absolutely amazing, massive cliffs with white sandy beaches, crystal clear water and amazing little coves and grottos. we made the mission walk down the steps and chilled out for the arvo. we even went for a swine through a grotto which on low tide you could walk thought but on high tide was way above my head. That arvo we headed into town, this place was really cool, little restaurants and bars everywhere and so cheap. we chilled out at this one bar with $1.50 pints right on the main street. After a few pints it was time to head back to the campsite for some dinner and a rest. The next morning was disappointing, it was raining, the only day in the whole summer it had rained and we managed to be there. oh well we managed to get some of the boring thing done like washing ect. by the arvo it had cleared up so we headed into town again. We found a roof top bar which looked out to the water and over the main street and chilled out there for a while then got our selves some dinner and went for a walk throughout the streets. The next morning was beautiful and sunny again so before checkout we headed to the beach for a while. After the beach we were off to faro. Wow this place was a bit disappointing the beaches went very nice and it seemed a bit seedy so we headed to a town over called Trivia this place was really cute, but trying to find some where to stay the night was a bit of a mission we drove out to where the beach was and when we pulled up we saw a rat with a mars bar wrapper on its head wandering down the street, so we decided to maybe go for a bit more of a drive to find somewhere a bit nicer. we found a small town called Cabana and stayed the night there.
After a good nights sleep we were off to Spain again. as we were only 20min from the Spanish border we stopped off to have our last lot of perri perri chicken, it was amazing we got so much chicken it was ridicules but delicious. We decided to drive to Malaga but on the way passed though Seville whiched seem nice as far as citys go. When we got to Malaga we were a bit disappointed, the beaches were pretty much dirt and where the main carpark was i think it used to be a dump also the water seemed to be very polluted so instead of staying two nights we only stayed one. we decided to free camp the night as there were a few campers around but at about 11pm a massive amount of locals turned up and started to have little fires and gatherings in the car park and were really noisy and a few of the campers drove away, it was that noisy we decided to move as well, we found a quiet little place at the end of the car park next to a caravan so we felt a litter safer, by this point thought it was 12.30 in the morning and we were stuffed. After a pretty crappy sleep we got up early and made our way to Granada, and yes we stayed in a camp site in granada (ha ha). we got a nice shady plot in the campsite which was a godsend as it was 35deg and no breeze. We headed into town to check it out, this place is so cool, there are mazes of streets and ally ways all with shops, restaurants and tapas bars, it kind of feels like your in morocco, there are moroccon tea houses where you can sit and smoke flavoured tabacco and sip tea, really cool. there are so many shops around that sell the hippy/ mc hammer pants and mike couldn't resist him self he had to get a pair and they actually don't look that bad. We wandered the streets are a few hours but as we didn't get a lot of sleep the night before we decided to go back and chill out at the campsite for the night. We are in granada for the next few days, i cant wait to do more exploring.
Until next time.
