In October we began our cycling expedition from the UK to Porto, Portugal. Since then we’ve tackled the monstrous hills of Spain’s Northern region, survived trench foot, and got tied into a Catholic pilgrimage.
We made it to Porto before Christmas and now we’re in a town west from Lisbon, though you wouldn’t believe it. The coast is lined by golden cliffs, occasionally interrupted by fortresses, so surfers carve against an ancient backdrop. Surreal.
But the most memorable experience is living in a forest. As it’s the middle of winter, it comes with plenty of obstacles, so I thought it’d be funny (borderline tragic) to share:
WHY FOREST LIVIN’ IS GREAT
*You’re a fairy now!
*After a day tied to a computer, the stillness amidst the trees is revitalizing. And with no internet access, you wind down in wholesome ways like reading, cards, or writing
*We’re in a bougie town so you feel rebellious living for free
*You spend days differently. On our days off, we challenge ourselves to recipes, difficult over a camp stove.We’ve mastered pan pizzas and on Saturday spent three hours making dumplings
*Being awoken by bird-song feels right
*We don’t have air-beds (the rain destroyed them) so we sleep on a tarp to protect us from the cold mud. But no longer have back pain!
*We cycle to town each morning. There’s no better way to jig your brain in gear, breathe crisp air, and admire the morning light cast over the cliff-face. The sea is calm in the early hours too.
THE DOWN-SIDE
*Showers. We “live” near a water fountain so we fill up our water bottles and scrub way! It’s brutal on January mornings.
*As we’re not in a grassy area, the cold from the ground seeps into your bones and shakes you awake. You turn into the Michelin man at night, wrapped up in two jumpers, gloves, and full waterproofs. The best way to get to sleep is to semi-suffocate yourself.
*Washing plates is a long process. Getting water and knowing they’ll never bee 100% clean is frustrating/a little gross. There’s just too much encroaching plant-life!
*We work in Mc Donald’s (sad!) and they have four songs on repeat. Reminder: need to get headphones.
*Always carrying our valuables but there’s still a niggling feeling – will someone steal our clothes or take a shit in the tent? You’ll never know!
Life’s funny sometimes. Have you guys slept anywhere crazy or been in a weird travelling situation?
swirlygirl* 