October 27, 2007

11:00am shuttle to get back to the airport for an 8:15pm flight!!  Quite a long time to get through security, including the fact that I was selected extra scrutiny because of my marked-up ticket.  Speaking of tickets, a very helpfull woman at the Contenintial gate suggested that I call Delta (the source of my frequent flyer points ticket) and try to extend my trip by 1 day to compensate for the problems on the 26th.  They agreed!  So, the trip is October 26th through November 13th, with a bonus day in Newark(?!?).

Of course I have my Spanish language antenna up, seeking this, but it does seem that I have been in a Spanish immersion program, and I have not even left the USA yet.  Oh how I regret waiting so long to start learning.  Now setting in a waiting area with people going to San Juan … 6 hours to go until my lift off.

October 26, 2007

Our friend, Diane Mosnot, took me to the Indy airport, arriving on time at 2:30pm.  Thank you Diane.  However, because of weather problems in Newark, NJ, my 4:30pm flight was delayed about 4 hours and we finally lifted off at 9:00pm, with the expectation of getting into Newark at 11:00pm.  In addition to being irritated, this also screwed up my anti-jet-lag plan.  In a nut shell, that plan was: with a 5 hour time difference and flying east, progressively shift my go-to-sleep/get-up times 1 hour each day until I get up at 2:30am on depart day.  Tied to that is eating meals on the time schedule of the destination.  I got up at 2:00am on departure day, and ate meals as planned.  This was all going well, until the flight delay debacle.  I wrote this at 3:00am Lisbon time, I really needed a nap.

Napped a little on the plane.  Then off the plane followed by confusion and 45 minutes of waiting in a light mist and 50F, then on to a 12 passenger shuttle to Lynnhurst, NJ and into a ho-hum Quality Inn Hotel.  Slept like a rock on a very good mattress for 6.5 hours.  The airline provided vouchers for the room and food.  My breakfast waitress was Jesenia, a young Hispanic with excellent English skills, who let me practice my feable Spanish with her a little.  I learned that “I am lost” is “Estoy perdido”, a phrase that I expect to come in handy.  She also said “sure” exactly like Eli.

Bon Dia

Good day from Sines, Portugal.   Sines is the birth place of Vasco De Gama and a fantastically beautifull sun/beach place.  I am posting from a public library.  Hope to add more this afternoon, but now out to the beach.

Muito obrigado

Hard row to hoe

I did the 5 mile … camp … 5 mile endurance event! It was a killer, almost enough to make me reconsider my camping decision. Not because of the camping part, nor the 5 mile hike part, but because of the heavy pack. I had estimated 30 pounds, but I was actually carrying 42 pounds (that includes the hiking boots). Despite all that, I am going to go for it. I read another blog where the author said his goal was to come back with a heart beat. Yo tambien!

The countdown

I believe that I have done about all the prep I can do. Tomorrow (Sunday) night will be my final shakedown “cruise”; actual items in my pack (about 30 lbs), hike 5 miles with pack, set up camp on a little sandbar on Cicero Creek, spend the night, break camp the next morning(Monday), eat my improvised euro breakfast, hike 5 miles ending up back at our house. Monday will also be the start of my anti-jet-lag sleep/eat activities, more on that later.

Musings

As of 10.18.07, I still cannot figure out what I want my Europe itinerary to be. Part of that is because I am unsure about travel times. I read a travel blog of someone going through Portugal, who said … don’t over plan; just get your gear, choose a final destination, then let the road decide the details in between. So, I have dreamed up 2 mutually exclusive plans, to be decided in Lisbon.
A. 10.27.07 Go from Lisbon immediately to Troia (transportation ??), on the tip of a peninsula, a little south of Lisbon, arrive by noon. Troia is supposed to be an authentic fishing village. Spend the day on the beach/sightseeing, eat seafood and camp/hostel.
10.28.07 Vila Nova de Milfontes/Zambujeira de Mar, about 60 miles farther south, arrive in early afternoon. I am especially excited about this area because of the deserted beaches and cliffs overlooking the Atlantic. Spend the day on the beach/sightseeing, eat seafood and camp/hostel.
10.29.07 Go East (transportation ??) to either Mertola or Monsaraz. Supposed to be walled medieval towns with castles. Spend the day hiking/sightseeing (see olive groves), eat local foods and camp/hostel.
10.30.07 Go South (transportation ?) through Sevilla to Cadiz (about 200 miles). Probably all day spent traveling. Hope to arrive in Cadiz before dark. Eat seafood, hostel.
10.31.07 Spend the day hiking/sightseeing, eat local foods and camp/hostel.
11.01.07 Day off. Go South 60 miles to Gibraltar. Spend the day hiking/sightseeing, eat local foods and camp/hostel.
11.02.07 In Gibraltar, meet my brilliant, beautiful daughter. We take a ferry to Morocco (either Tanger or Cetua). Spend the day hiking/sightseeing, eat local foods and hostel. This is WAY outside my comfort zone, but I want to do it, including jogging.
11.03.07 Day 2 in Morocco and late ferry back to Gibraltar. Probably spend the night in Gibraltar, or train/bus to Malaga (transportation ??). Eat local foods, hostel.
11.04.07 Meet my brilliant, beautiful wife at the Malaga airport at 10:00 AM. We all go to our hotel in Granada, drop off bags, sightsee.

OR

B. 10.27.07 Go from Lisbon immediately to Castelo de Vade/Marvoa (bus from Lisbon 13 euros, 4.5 hours, 2 daily); train from Lisbon 12.5 euros, 4 hours, 2 daily). About 100 miles. These towns are medieval, walled towns, high in the mountains (1025 meters), very close to the Spanish border. Arrive after dark, hostel/hotel.
10.28.07 Hike/sightsee, eat local foods, hostel or perhaps camp, depending on the temperature.
10.29.07 Same
10.30.07 Go South (transportation ??, perhaps a night train, if there is one) about 200 miles, through Caceres to Cadiz. Probably a total of 8 hours of travel time). Hope to arrive in Cadiz before dark. Eat seafood, hostel.
10.31.07 Spend the day hiking/sightseeing, eat local foods and camp/hostel.
11.01.07 Day off. Go South 60 miles to Gibraltar. Spend the day hiking/sightseeing, eat local foods and camp/hostel.
11.02.07 In Gibraltar, meet my brilliant, beautiful daughter. We take a ferry to Morocco (either Tanger or Cetua). Spend the day hiking/sightseeing, eat local foods and hostel. This is WAY outside my comfort zone, but I want to do it, including jogging.
11.03.07 Day 2 in Morocco and late ferry back to Gibraltar. Probably spend the night in Gibraltar, or train/bus to Malaga (transportation ??). Eat local foods, hostel.
11.04.07 Meet my brilliant, beautiful wife at the Malaga airport at 10:00 AM. We all go to our hotel in Granada, drop off bags, sightsee.