I WAKE UP BAKICATED IN THE CARAVAN. THE WOOD BURNER IS BURNING AWAY AND I UNDERSTAND HOW CRUMBS IN THE TOASTER FEEL… I ESCAPE OUTSIDE BUT IT HAS BEEN RAINING HEAVILY IN THE NIGHT AND EVERYTHING IS WET… 

CHIPS OR DADDY?

WET OR INFERNO? HMMMMM…… I GO FOR THE INFERNO. LIISA IS FAST ASLEEP, BABUSHKA THE CAT ON TOP OF HER, BUT YOGI IS AWAKE AND READY FOR HIS FIRST JOINT OF THE DAY STILL IN HIS BED. HE OFFERS TO PUT A MOVIE ON, A BRILLIANT, QUIRKY FILM FROM 1971 CALLED HAROLD AND MAUDE.

I DON’T KNOW HOW I NEVER HEARD OF THIS MOVIE. GENIUS! 🙂 WE EAT GINGER BISCUITS AND CHOCOLATES AND ENJOY AS LIISA SLEEPS AND SLEEPS AND SLEEPS… 

EVENTUALLY THE SLEEPING BEAST EMERGES FROM HER NEST DAZED AND CONFUSED… 

I CAN TAKE THE HEAT NO MORE AND IF YOU CAN’T STAND THE HEAT….. THE SUN IS COMING OUT THOUGH THE SKY LOOKS OMINOUS… A WOMAN ARRIVES ACCOMPANIED BY A COUPLE OF LIVELY CHILDREN, THEIR FACES COVERED IN SCRATCHES AND DIRT, THEY CHAT ANIMATEDLY TO ME, WANTING TO KNOW WHO I AM AND WHERE I’M FROM AND TO SHOW OFF THEIR JACKET POCKETS (LEO’S IS IN A STRANGE PLACE AND VERY, VERY LONG I’M TOLD) AND THEIR STICKS AND DOLLS…. THE WOMAN LOOKS TIRED, HER HAIR SHEARED IN TUFTS AND HER FACE WEATHERED. SHE IS FRIENDLY AND TELLS ME SHE IS FROM NEAR MANCHESTER BUT LIVING OUT HERE NOW. SHE HAS COME TO ASK YOGI SOME ADVICE ABOUT A PHONE AND DISAPPEARS INSIDE THE ‘OVEN.’ THE KIDS TELL ME THEY LIVE IN THE RUINS AND DON’T HAVE ANY LIGHTS OR ELECTRICITY. THEY ARE BRIGHT, ARTICULATE, SPARKY AND MUDDY! THE LITTLE GIRL HAS JUST BEEN GIVEN A UKULELE AND HER AND LIISA HAVE A JAM SESSION TOGETHER! 

YOGI MAKES A BIG OMELETTE FOR EVERYONE TO SHARE, SERVING IT UP ON HUNKS OF BREAD. I ATTEMPT TO WASH UP BUT IT’S TRICKY…. THERE IS OBVIOUSLY NO RUNNING WATER, BUT ALSO EVERYWHERE IS WET AND MUDDY AND CLUTTERED…. I ATTEMPT TO ‘CLEAN’ SOME PLATES BY POURING SOME RAIN WATER OVER THEM… I’M READY TO WALK! IT LOOKS LIKE IT WILL RAIN AGAIN SOON AND I DO NOT WANT TO SPEND THE AFTERNOON BACK IN THE HOT CARAVAN. THIS LITTLE HIPPY HAVEN COULD BE A LOVELY PLACE TO CHILL IN THE SUN BUT IT’S A BIT MISERABLE AND MUDDY IN THE RAIN… LIISA IS HAPPY HERE. SHE WANTS TO BE A HIPPY… 

 ATLEAST FOR A WHILE AND SO I LEAVE HER TO CHILL OUT WITH YOGI.

I LEAVE THE HIPPY FARM AND START TO WALK OUT TO ALJEZUR (ABOUT 18KM AWAY) 

I FOLLOW THE ROAD TO THE NEXT VILLAGE, MARMALETE, BUT AT SOME POINT I SPY A GREAT, BIG, HAIRY DOG UP AHEAD, ALREADY BARKING AT ME AND UNCHAINED. FUCK THAT!!!! I DON’T WANT TO GO BACK IN THE OVEN, I DON’T WANT TO BECOME DOG FOOD… I DECIDE THE ONLY OPTION IS TO HITCH PAST THE BEAST. THE ROAD IS DEAD BUT I GET LUCKY AND A SMALL CONVOY OF CAMPERS APPEARS AROUND THE BEND. THE FIRST VAN STOPS FOR ME. IT’S A SURFER FROM BOURNEMOUTH, A STRAGGLER DEPARTING FROM THE GREAT PIZZA PARTY. HE DROPS ME AT THE JUNCTION NEAR MARMELETE AND I BEGIN TO WANDER IN TO TOWN WHEN A BUS PASSES. THE DRIVER SPOTS ME LOOKING QUIZZICALLY AT IT’S DESTINATION SIGN AND PULLS UP. I JUMP ABOARD EXPLAINING I AM LOOKING TO GET TO ALJEZUR. HE SPEAKS NO ENGLISH AND IS GRUFF BUT KIND. HE BECKONS ME ON BOARD AND WE’RE OFF. HE TAKES ME ON A CRAZY JOURNEY, I PAY HIM OVER 4 EUROS AND HE DRIVES ME 16KM TO MONCHIQUE, HE THEN SAYS STAY ONBOARD, TAKES ANOTHER 6 EUROS OFF ME AND DRIVES ME BACK PAST MARMALETE, 26KM TO PORTIMAO….HE THEN ADVISES ME TO TAKE ANOTHER BUS TO LAGOS FROM OVER THE ROAD! I GET TO LAGOS, CALCULATING THAT I HAVE TRAVELLED 72KM SO FAR AND I AM STILL 33KM FROM ALJEZUR! IT WAS ONLY 18KM FROM WHERE I STARTED!!!! 

THERE IS ALSO NO BUS TO ALJEZUR TODAY. I HAVE JUST MISSED THE 15.20 DEPARTURE…. AH WELL, I WILL ENJOY A NIGHT IN LAGOS! IT LOOKS LIKE A PRETTY, BUSTLING RESORT. THERE IS A LARGE MARINA AND AN OLD TOWN COMPLETE WITH PLAZAS, BARS, RESTAURANTS AND FOUNTAINS. THERE ARE LOTS OF BRITS AROUND, CURRY HOUSES, IRISH AND BRITISH PUBS AND A FRIENDLY VIBE. I BOOK IN TO A THE SUNTRAP HOSTEL. IT IS IMPRESSIVE! FOR 10 EUROS A NIGHT I HAVE A RED CARPET UP THE SPIRAL STAIRCASE OF A BEAUTIFUL OLD TOWN HOUSE RIGHT IN THE THICK OF THE OLD TOWN.

I AM ALONE IN MY ROOM, THE BATHROOMS ARE CLEAN AND THE SHOWERS HOT, THE KITCHEN IS WELL EQUIPPED AND RUSTIC, THE LIVING ROOM WELCOMING AND THE OUTSIDE TERRACE COOL AND FUNKY.

THERE’S A FEW BACK PACKERS HERE I HAVE A CHAT WITH THEM, INCLUDING AN OLD GERMAN PILGRIM WHO’S BEEN ON THE ROAD FOR THREE YEARS! HE’S PLANNING TO WALK TO SEVILLE NEXT TO START THE CAMINO VIA DE LA PLATA. IT’S RAINING,AGAIN, AND I MAKE A DASH FOR THE SUPERMARKET, COOK UP A WHOLESOME VEGGIE – PASTA – CHICKPEA CREATION AND HAVE AN EARLY NIGHT, COLLECTING THE FLUFFY FLEECE BLANKETS FROM THE EMPTY BEDS TO BUILD A WARM NEST IN MY CHILLY BUT PRETTY ROOM…