Portugal

So after escaping from Madrid still in pocket it was a night train to Lisbon. Upon spilling out onto the platform I was informed that the information office was closed and when I told the hotel touts that my accommodation was pre-booked they soon forgot their "ingles" which presented a slight problem seeing they were the only people about who spoke English. After looking at the bus map depicting colourful lines heading in every direction all I could do was shoulder my back pack and walk towards what resembled the city centre.

After a fair hike I obtained a map and could start looking for my Pensiona which didn't look too far way. I entered medieval stone streets, winding in every direction, with a very indicative tourist map. 1 hour later a sweaty but smiling kiwi turned up only to be told that I didn't have a reservation. A quick flash of the new 500 quid pearly whites and she managed to move somethings around for me and there was another prison cell sized room for Dave to crash in.

Lisbon is cool, spread out over 7 hills and a river with old trams trundling about the cobbled streets. Once I managed to find my way to Sao Jorge a castle on top of a hill ....(don't ask it wasn't as simple as just walking to the top) all you can see in every direction was terracotta tiled roofs and brightly painted but flaking walls.

After two days it was time to head Lagos in the South of Portugal in an area know as the Algrave. This is a small sea side town which would be taken over by British holiday makers in Summer.


Again while wandering around the streets of Lagos this woman of about 50 grabbed me and dragged me off to see a room she had for rent, this was done using a lot of hand signals as there was the same language barrier again. Eventually she showed me the dark 2 by 3 room in what turned out to be her house. 25 Euros per night was the asking price which was a relief, for a while there I thought it as going to be an hourly rate. So the bargaining begins, here I am with no morals... showing her the price of an 8 person dorm for 16 Euros in a guide book she has no chance of understanding. Result: I get a room to myself for 18 euros, all this being done on the back of a bus ticket and hands being waved everywhere. Still I have to keep an eye on that budget.

Two days of chilling out on the beach drinking cheap beer and it was a 6am start at the Bus station to get to Seville.