Tea, tolls and tiredness

A funny couple of days have passed. We have travelled quite a way, all feeling a little tired, and all a little fed up of the weather. We understand the rain is due to persist for some time though, therefore we just have to lump it!

Today we have travelled from Nazare to Guincho, which, give or take, is essentially the most westerly point of Europe. For the second time we have been flummoxed by the Portuguese toll road system, which seems to switch haphazardly from a number plate recognition system, to a toll booth system. Tolls are not clearly marked and seem to spring up all over the place much to our displeasure. We have however, survived these tolls though. Aiming for a place called Sintra was our target today. The above road system got us there eventually. Despite the historical legacy left by previous royalty in this place, there was a distinct lack of parking planned into the scheme by the Portuguese Royals. Maybe this is why the Portuguese Royal family not longer exists! So we went through, we couldn't stop, but looked upto the distant palaces high up on the hilltops.

We carried on our merry way. The mood was getting less merry though. I think I was suffering the most. Not so much a lack of jollity, but more a flagging of the body and mind. Part of it I think is the lack of autonomy of camping in Spain and Portugal. In France we had a positive approach to free camping, we felt that Spain frowned upon it, and haven't quite got back into it in Portugal, although we gather that this is allowed now! More of that to follow.

The afternoon though was a real treat. A cup of tea and slice of cake seemed to kick start things nicely along with a little kindle time. A slow and steady plod down to the beach was in order then. Friday evening was spent in a 'Goonies' style seascape of a beach, photographing the fantastic waves along the coastline as Jasper and Maya sought to stop the advancing Atlantic Ocean. (If you have not seen the Goonies, then that last reference will not help you imagine this scene at all.)

You may be wondering now, that following 'Living the dream part 4', what has happened to all that duff weather? That would be a correct thing to be assuming. However, we seem to have landed on our feet a little and probably rather annoyingly. It has been a glorious day. A real warmth with a lovely high sun in a near cloudless sky. 

Upon our return journey to the van, I thought I would investigate with fellow 'large white vehicle' types where one stood with free camping in Portugal. After brazenly just going and finding someone to talk to, I found myself in to conversation with a French couple who were very helpful. They were probably a little confused as I somehow managed to dip in and out of 4 languages and never quite fully hit on one successfully. They did get the overriding message though and confirmed that we are free to free camp. My spirits have been raised and I now have a renewed energy for the next part...whatever that may be. It will however include some beach free camps which I am really looking forward to as long as the weather holds a little. 

And just a little aside, as I sit here typing, is has not been missed by me, that I am about 5km from Estoril race circuit. An old F1 circuit of the 80's and 90's if memory serves me correct. I might cunningly manage to squeeze in time to go and look at some tarmac this weekend too! (......although I have seen quite a lot in the last 50+ days, just a few miles short of 3,000 at the moment.)

Ed