THE EARLY BIRD IS UP, THE NOCTURNAL GULL IN SLUMBER, DAY 4 IS A LITTLE LIKE DAY 3. THE TABLE MOVES AROUND THE TERRACE WITH US, SEEKING OUT THE SUN AND WORK CONTINUES ON THIS BLOG. 

THE GERMAN COUPLE WHO HAD A ROOM IN OUR APARTMENT ARE GONE TO LAGOS AND ANOTHER COUPLE ARRIVED LAST NIGHT BUT DISAPPEARED WITH SUITCASES IN HAND SO WE ASSUME THEY HAVE GONE AND THE APARTMENT IS ALL OURS.LET’S HOPE SO AS LIISA HAS ALREADY BEGAN TO PECK AWAY AT THE NOODLE COLLECTION THEY LEFT IN THE CUPBOARD. WE HAVE REHEARSED HER APOLOGY SHOULD THEY RETURN, IT’S QUITE GOOD – A NICE MIX OF CONFUSION, REGRET AND SORROW… 

THE BUSKER FED, WE HEAD IN TO TOWN. LIISA IS ON A TIGHT BUDGET AND MUST BUSK. HER BACKPACK ALONG WITH ALL OF HER BELONGINGS WAS DETAINED AT TALLINN AIRPORT BECAUSE IT CONTAINED A ‘ FORBIDDEN ITEM! SO SHE SPENT MOST OF HER FINAL PAY PACKET ON NEW GEAR… 

WE TAKE THE ROAD WALK TO TOWN AS OPPOSED TO THE SCENIC WETLANDS BUT IT STILL SOMEHOW TAKES APPROXIMATELY 4 HOURS AND WE’RE NOT ENTIRELY SURE WHY…. IT COULD HAVE BEEN THE BEER STOP. OR MAYBE THE CHINESE SHOP (IN SPAIN AND PORTUGAL THESE ARE BASICALLY GIANT ALADDIN’S CAVES THAT DISPLAY ANYTHING A PERSON COULD EVER DESIRE, AND IF YOU CAN’T SEE IT, THE GUY AT THE COUNTER WILL GO DRAG IT OUT FROM HIS SECRET LAIR ON REQUEST.) LIISA GOT A LITTLE EXCITED AND SPENT A FORTY EUROS IN THERE ON A NEW WARDROBE AND A GIANT HIGHLY IMPRACTICAL STRAW SUMMER HAT.

I BOUGHT SOME VELVET LINED THERMAL SOCKS FOR 1 EURO 50, AND A MINI TUPPERWARE DESIGNED TO SORT YOUR SCREWS AND BOLTS WHICH I INTEND TO HOARD HERBS AND SPICES I FIND IN THOSE ALBERGUE ‘SHARED’ CUPBOARDS. THEN WE PASSED DECATHLON! A PAIR OF THERMALS FOR ME FOR THE COLD NIGHTS, AND WE WERE ON OUR WAY. IT WAS GONE 21:00 BY THE TIME WE ARRIVED. THE STREETS WERE FAIRLY EMPTY AND WE ROAMED ABOUT FOR A LITTLE AS LIISA USED HER BUSKER RADAR TO TRY TO FIND A GOOD SPOT TO PLAY WHILST I HEADED OFF TO FIND FOOD AND VINO TINTO AT THE MICRO MINI MARKET. THE FRIENDLY OWNER WAS CURIOUS TO HEAR WE PLANNED TO WALK TO SANTIAGO. IT WOULD SEEM THIS LOCAL FARO-NIAN HAD NEVER COME ACROSS ANY ONE EMBARKING ON SUCH A TRIP AND HE ASKED HOW WE INTENDED TO DO THIS. I TOLD HIM I HAD NO IDEA BUT THOUGHT I MIGHT FIND SOME ARROWS! HE CERTAINLY SEEMED EXCITED ON MY BEHALF, IF A LITTLE CONFUSED, AS DID THE LOCALS WHO WERE DRINKING THERE (THE MINI MARKET SEEMED TO DOUBLE UP AS A BAR!) AND I LEFT THE SHOP ACCOMPANIED BY MESSAGES OF ENCOURAGEMENT AND WARNINGS TO BE SAFE…. I ARRIVED BACK TO FIND THE GULL HAD MANAGED TO EARN OVER 30 EUROS ON THAT QUIET STREET IN SLEEPY WINTER FARO!

TOMORROW WILL BE OUR LAST DAY IN OUR LOVELY BEACH-SIDE HOME AND THEN WE WILL BE STARTING OUR WALK ON FRIDAY… WE DID NO RESEARCH TODAY SO MUST MAKE SURE WE DO SOME TOMORROW, EVEN IF IT IS JUST TO FIND OUT WHERE THE NEXT TOWN IS IF WE FOLLOW THE ARROWS WE HAVE SEEN, AND WHETHER THERE IS ACCOMMODATION THERE…