Just Like Riding A Bike, A Little Procrastination And Leaving Lagos
The Algarve Region, Portugal
The phrase keeps going over and over in my mind, “It’s just like riding a bike” as I look at this blank screen before me and think of the months that have gone by since we last posted. Once we get out of the habit of writing and posting every two or so weeks, it gets easier and easier to come up with excuses to put off typing out even a short blog post. Without updates, our friends, family and those of you who follow our blog are left wondering if we fell off the edge of the earth and we receive notes asking, “Is everything okay?”
In January, it was the ‘Portuguese Plague’ that lasted two weeks and wiped out thoughts of welcoming in 2018 with anything but waving a tissue clutched in our damp hands and a chorus of raspy hacks. Having house guests (one of whom stayed healthy enough to send out for groceries and more tissue) meant that our days seemed to go by in a blur. We also made several trips up and down the Algarve coast from Lagos to Albufeira where (more on that in a bit) we were planning to shift our base and trade in an apartment for a house.
The end of January saw me (Anita) packing a suitcase, gulping down last-minute, free-floating anxieties and clutching hugging Richard while I said goodbye as he’d decided the heat, humidity, dust and smoke from crop-burning in Southeast Asia would compete with the essential act of breathing. And then I set off on my first solo adventure to Vietnam and Cambodia which took care of …
All of February and …
Much of March. Arriving back in Lagos mid-month, we sorted through two years worth of accumulated crap possessions, all the time thinking wistfully about our three years of full-time travel when we schlepped all our belongings in a suitcase and backpack. With the help of a Volkswagen-size van and two movers, we hauled our inelegantly improvised packing containers of garbage bags, baskets and salvaged boxes up and down the stairs of our apartment building and made the move to a lovely villa we’d found on the outskirts of our new town, Albufeira.
April and May were taken up with settling in and accumulating more stuff (time to relisten to George Carlin’s epic rant about “Stuff”) to increase our comfort level. Dare we mention we discovered the joys of IKEA? We also had several guests pass in and out of our new home (two extra guest rooms) during that time meaning there were lots more reasons to procrastinate rather than attend to our blog.
Seashore near Albufeira
And now … here we are in mid-June, half of 2018 gone by already, feeling like we’ve gotten a handle on our new home, a new lifestyle (co-housing) and getting to know and pick out our favorite places to grocery shop, wine-and-dine and enjoy the beaches. High season seems to start early in Central Portugal and avoiding crowds has taken priority. This year, we’d planned to stick close to home since that worked so well last summer. After all, if everyone else wants to be in Southern Portugal, maybe we should just hang out here too! Plans however have a way of changing as I’ll make a transatlantic flight at the end of June and again at the end of July to see our son in Denver and ferry our grandson back and forth so that we can introduce him to Portugal and break in his brand-spanking-new passport.
The countryside near our house
A little more about our new base which we’ll write about in our next post. We’d known for months that our owners in Lagos wanted to reclaim their swanky apartment and put it up for sale, renting it out for short-term holiday lets until they got an offer. We’ve mentioned in previous posts that the Algarve rental market is tight; it can be difficult to find a year-around, one-to-two-bedroom apartment rental in the region now that Portugal has been discovered and is Europe’s new darling. Property managers and landlords make the most money out of the high season – June, July, August – and the shoulder seasons of May and September are becoming ever more popular. Blocks of holiday apartments sit empty for the rest of the year because the rent during the high season can exceed what a year around rental will bring in. Competition is fierce for an affordable rental in the Algarve between all the foreign residents who want to live here as well as the local Portuguese themselves. Like a lot of things that happen in life, sometimes you just need to wait for things to unfold, hope for some serendipity and, in our case anyway, do a little thinking outside the box.
Next Post: “Lagos We Love You but …” or “How the heck did we end up in Albufeira?”
By Anita Oliver and Richard Nash
Goodbye Lagos!
No Particular Place To Go 
Anita, are you still in Portugal? I hope that you are doing fine and you start writing again with updates.
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For my whole life, I always think that beaches and oceans are the only places worth traveling, but thanks to your posts (and many other hard-working travel bloggers), I changed my mind. I’m gonna buckle up and get to a symbolic city immediately after the pandemic is under control. I miss my travel spirit so much…
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It is with great pleasure that I read your blog about your travels. Thank you!
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Extremely informative! We also curate travel blogs to help our fellow travelers gain the best experience of their life.
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Anita and Richard – Greetings! I saw your ‘like’ on my post and wanted to wish you guys well. Hope all is safe and healthy in your neck of the woods. Cheers – Susan
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Albufeira Such a looks likes a wonderful town! They are nice article. Old town Albufeira is very charming with cobblestone streets and lovely buildings. Couldn’t wait to hear your next blog! Best wishes! Thanks for sharing us,
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Where are you guys???!! I miss your posts!
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Where are you guys???!!!
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So, under Recent Posts this is the last entry. As is said, “Waz sup?”
Love reading your posts and hope all is going well. Of course, I have read all your recent comments/replies to comments from others. So it seems all is reasonably well.
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Seashore near Albufeira is such an amazing place. I would love to go there!
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Anita:
Just read in your About section that Richard has passed. Am so sorry for your loss. I found your blog several years ago which inspired me to consider going ex pat in Portual. Just finished my 4th visit to show my oldest daughter around Lisbon and to check out apartments in Cascais.
The work you and Richard have done is invaluable in giving others the courage to live abroad and to consider Portugal for a home.
Condolences,
Ted Wolfe
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Hi Anita and Richard,
My husband and I are planning a visit to Portugal after the first of the year. We are seriously considering a move there. Could you recommend a time frame to visit?? I know the summer is really busy, and we were hoping to come well before that, but don’t want to come if it is too cold, rainy, etc. during a particular month. We will be spending 6-8 weeks in country.
Also, since Portugal has been “discovered”, are we late to the party? Is it changing, or do you still love it?
Thank you!
Mike and Pam
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We were planning on moving to Algarve after falling in love with Lagos on our last trip. However, we’re beginning to think that being closer to Lisbon might be more practical for us. We will be visting next week and will be checking out Cascais and Ericeira. Ericeira looks to have potential for us. Excited to check it out!
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Thanks Bob and Cathy for your comment. I can certainly understand why you fell in love with Lagos but I also *get* why you’d want to be closer to Lisbon, a much bigger city and an international travel hub which opens a lot of inexpensive options if you love to travel. I know Cascais but had to look up Ericeira which looks intriguing. Portugal has so many lovely villages and towns scattered up and down both coasts as well as its interior that your choices are almost endless. Wishing you the best of luck as you move ahead with the next steps of moving to Portugal!
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Thank you! We are in Ericeira now and we love it. We found a new construction that we are considering putting down a deposit.
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Question: is Portugal still an affordable option? it sounds like it is becoming less and less so. I would want to be on the coast somewhere–from what I have read so far, Silver Coast sounds like it might be a good fit.
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Many people worry that, as Portugal has become a very popular tourist destination, the costs will become prohibitive but I still find Portugal incredibly affordable, especially when compared to the US. The biggest savings is health insurance (here you can do a combination of very affordable private insurance or, with a residency, opt for the public health service) and food costs. The housing market is the biggest cost as it’s tight with most rentals used for tourists, but there are many affordable solutions, even in the Algarve, if you’re willing to be patient and flexible as to where you end up. Our decision to co-house with friends (who have become like family) has worked out well and we have several friends who rent 6-10 months a year (during the slow season) and travel the other months. Still others have found affordable long-term rentals, even in the tight market.
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Hi Anita and Richard! I just started following you before the summer. I look forward to hearing about Albufeira. My wife and I are from Las Vegas considering retiring to Algarve. We’re going to take our first trip to Algarve/Portugal in May 2019. What do you think of Portimao? I’ve heard Albufeira is more expensive and mostly expats. I always like hearing different view points. Care to comment?
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Hello Hal. Thanks for taking the time to comment and I apologize for the very belated reply. Albufeira would never have been a place we would have considered because, like you, we heard there were a lot of expats living there and mobbed with partying tourists during high season. However, it’s turned out to be a great place to live due its central location, proximity to a wide variety of stores and malls and it’s easy to go east or west along the coast and explore other areas as well as get to the Faro airport or take the bus to Lisbon. Throughout the Algarve, there’s a change in prices at restaurants mostly due to tourist versus local patronage and I haven’t notice much difference in food, utility or gas costs. Our rent increased €100 with our move but we’re in a large house now instead of an apartment and splitting costs with another couple so, most months, our costs average out to be about the same. As for Portimao, the city is mostly modern although the historical area is charming and many smaller cruise ships stop there. However, passengers usually opt for tours elsewhere in the Algarve. Practically speaking, if you are planning on renting long term, where you live may be determined by where you find a place to lease long term rather than choosing a city and then looking. A link you might find useful is the Facebook group, Americans Living in the Algarve. Good luck to you as you ponder this decision and have a great visit in May!
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Hi Anita. My wife and I are planning on moving to Lagos next year. I’m guessing you moved to Albufeira because of the housing shortage in Lagos? So, what do you think? Are you liking it there? Pros and cons? Thanks!
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We loved our time in Lagos and probably wouldn’t have considered a move elsewhere except, you guessed it, the difficulty in finding a long term rental in or near Lagos. We’d talked about house-sharing with good friends and found the perfect house on the outskirts of Albufeira, which has turned out to a very good move because of its central location on the coast. I still visit friends in Lagos and see the dentist there but I can go to the Eastern Algarve area just as easily. Even going to Lisbon cuts off almost an hour of driving and the Faro airport is only half an hour away. There are plenty of houses/condos/apartments available for buyers in Lagos and throughout the Algarve but, if you want a long term rental, your best bet is to keep an open mind and look for rentals in several cities. They’re out there and you never know what gem of a city you’ll discover!
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I’d love to take some time out to travel to different parts of Portugal. Lucky you moving Central. We live on the west coast near LAgos and the summer season with the terrorists (tourists9 has been hell this year.
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While we enjoyed Lagos, the move to Central Portugal has made travel around and about Portugal and elsewhere easier because of its very advantageous location. However, the summer season here (especially August) was even crazier here than Lagos and we (wisely) stuck close to our home and avoided the historic area and restaurants for the most part!
I enjoy your blog and hope our paths cross someday! Anita
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Delighted to hear that you are both well and remember how to ride a bike. I was so enthralled with your blog, I decided to create my own: http://www.momentswithmaida.com. Sent Monica Lovely my lastest book on self esteem in Spanish to Granada,Nicaragua.
Keep well.
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Dearest Maida, So lovely to hear from you. I took a look at your blog and was happy to see your smiling face. I’ll look forward to reading more. I’ll be following this comment with a letter shortly.
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Hello Anita and Richard. What an awesome blog you have! I hope my wife and I have the opportunity to meet you both someday. In mid 2019, we will both retire and plan to follow in the footsteps of people like you two. We are selling our home and most of our possessions and intend to travel the world living out of our suit cases. We see a lot of value in establishing residency in an EU country in order to get around the Schengen Visa 90 day limitations. Portugal seems like a perfect place to accomplish this. A nice benefit we have is my wife has a Spanish Passport as she is a Spanish citizen since her mother is originally from Seville. According to Portugal immigration, she and her “dependent” (aka, husband, that’s me) qualify for a Temporary Resident Permit in Portugal because she has a Spanish passport. This permit is valid for one year, renewable for two-year periods and after five years, we could apply for a permanent resident permit. I know you know this as I first discovered how a Temporary Resident Permit in Portugal works from your blog. Here’s my question, are you able to travel between the EU countries without the 90 day (Schengen) restriction because you have a Portuguese Temporary Resident Permit? Thanks in advance for your feedback!
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Hello Larry. Thank you for both your comment and question and I apologize for not replying sooner. I know from experience that this is an amazingly exciting time in your lives as you contemplate the array of lifestyle choices you have upon retiring. We’ve always felt that our decision to sell everything and travel, then set up a base in Portugal was one of our best ever! And, with your wife’s Spanish passport, you’ll have a much easier establishing both temporary and permanent residency than expats from the US or Canada. To answer your question, yes! You can travel between EU countries within the Schengen Zone as a temporary resident of Portugal. The borders are open, there’s no 90-day restriction and, in fact, your only time constraints depend on your renewing your temporary visa. I’ll bet that’s the answer you wanted to hear!
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Utterly happy you’re back, Anita! I loved reading your articles and I enjoy every new one. Albufeira seems very charming. I am looking forward to reading more about it!
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Thank you Lydia. We’re glad that you’ve enjoyed our posts and we look forward to getting back in the habit of writing on a regular schedule again. It’s terrific to be living once again in a house with a garden versus an apartment and we’re having a great time discovering the nearby beaches, quiet villages and finding more choices for shopping. Albufeira is going to be a good move!
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Hi Anita. I’ve missed your posts. I’d love to know how you’re enjoying Albufeira. Has it been a good move for you?
My husband and I have residency in Portugal and live in Porto, but we’re finding it’s too far north (especially in the winter) and too big a city for us. We’re thinking of relocating further south and are in need of inspiration.
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Hi Therese. Thank you for your comment and please accept my apologies for a belated reply. Our move to Albufeira has turned out to be even better than we’d hoped as we’ve enjoyed the very central location, the numerous beaches within a few minutes drive and the access to good shopping along with the choice to go east, west and north for further exploring. Although Lisbon and Porto are both amazing cities, we never really considered them as a place we’d want to live long term, precisely because of the weather. I’ve always liked big cities but the weather along the southern coast of the Algarve was the major reason we chose this area and I appreciate the rural feel and knock-dead gorgeous countryside around here. I’d definitely recommend an exploratory trip (best done during the off season) and you might well find some inspiration in Tavira, Loule, Lagos and Albufeira along with the multitude of little villages in between. Best of luck!
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Lovely to read a new post from you again. Good luck with the new live in Albufeira, I like the surrounding area. When we lived in Portugal our summer holidays were always spent in nearby Vilamoura where my sister owns an apartment.
Looking forward to reading your views on the area.
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Thanks so much for your lovely comment. It sounds like you’re quite familiar with the Albufeira area since it’s so close to beautiful Vilamoura. We’re enjoying exploring the city and nearby areas and are now engaged in a pursuit to find lesser touristed beaches as the holidayers descend. Living first on Padre Island off the coast of Texas and then in Lagos has kind of prepared us for the high-season hoards but Albufeira seems to be an even bigger challenge. We’ll have to see what our opinion of the Central Algarve is after this tourist season! 🙂
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Yay! There you are. We’ve missed you! But I know what you mean about life getting in the way of blogging. I try to do at least a post a month, but sometimes it just doesn’t happen.
Sooo . . . looking forward to upcoming blogs about your trip to Vietnam and Cambodia, and more about your new home. Interesting that you mention Portugal has gotten discovered and that long-term rentals are getting harder to come by. We have been eyeing Portugal as a someday base of operations for Europe, but it won’t be for another 3-4 years. I wonder how things will be then?
I think you know our friends Jere and Remi from Boquete, right? You’re probably aware that they recently moved to Castro Marim, up the coast from you.
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I’ve missed your posts too and figured that, like us, you’d gotten caught up with all sorts of new and continuing interests, travels and the more mundane things that can make a day go by so quickly. It’s worth a laugh now but we actually worried that we might get a little bored in retirement! 😁 Portugal is indeed a popular travel destination and, as we said, obtaining affordable rental housing year around is becoming more difficult in the Algarve and around the Lisbon area. And it’s not just Portugal as we’re hearing from friends who live/lived in Croatia, Spain and Greece that the tourism holiday rentals in their areas are producing a tight long term rental market also. That said, should you want to follow-up on checking out Portugal in a couple of years, let us know! And yes, we’ve met Remi several times and look forward to meeting Jere one of these days. I saw a few pics of their new place and “living the life” just about sums it up nicely!
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Nice to see you back Anita!
Sounds EXACTLY like the rental market we had in Split. There’s something wrong with that isn’t there?
By the way: I was speaking to my mom last night and your name came up. ANYTIME you want to visit San Miguel de Allende you’re welcome. She’d love to have you.
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Well thank you Frank! I remember your recent description of the rental situation/housing problem in Split and yes, it mirrors all of the Algarve and other popular areas of Portugal. I recently received a letter from a friend who lives in the Peloponnese area of Greece and she also said that there’s a huge inventory of summer houses for the tourists there with few year around rentals. For those of us who prefer to rent, and especially for the local people, it really is a growing crisis. I’ve heard that Lisbon has a proposal to limit holiday rentals to a strict percentage to address the problem but it seems like it might be difficult to enforce. P.S. Don’t think I haven’t thought of a visit to San Miguel de Allende and taking your mom up on her offer. One of these days, I’d love to visit that part of Mexico as we missed it when we were traveling around in 2013!
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Wow! You have returned! Such good news – both your re-entry and the move. Now, tell us we won’t have to wait for 6 months for the next post.
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HaHa – Surprise! Hopefully, we’ll get a post out in a more timely fashion, Beth and Joe. And hey, since you weren’t able to open up the pics I sent of our new house because of the slow internet, you might have better luck when I include a few in with the next post!
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I hope so cause I really want to see them!
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Anita, if there’s one thing I know it’s that moving is a pain, whether across town, across country, or to the other side of the globe. But, it does force a serious look at one’s possessions, which is never a bad thing. I can relate to a blogging break, or at least in our case a considerable slow-down. After 7 years and 600 posts, a small hiatus helps recharge the batteries. And BTW, the photo of the coast with flowers is fabulous. I’m talking pro-quality, post card stuff. Best of luck in the new digs.~James
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Wow – 7 years and 600 posts is an amazing accomplishment! I’ve so enjoyed your posts over the years and your unique perspective that a lifetime of travel has given you. And thanks so much for your wonderful comment about the photo, James. Since I’m a huge fan of your great pics, your lovely compliment made my day! Like you, we’ve moved so many times over the years that we’ve always appreciated the chance to sort and shed as we go. However, it’s kind of surprising how fast we’re accumulating random pieces of furniture and the other comforts that go into making a house feel like home with this move. I think this time we might actually put down some roots and let them grow for awhile!
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Nice to have you back. Looking forward to hearing more about the new place.
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Thanks Suzanne! We are really happy with our decision to move to Albufeira and love being in the Central Algarve where it’s just about in the middle of everything and an easy drive to wherever we want to go. Love your photo next to the Holland’s most famous export! Anita
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It is good to get a break from blogging, but I am glad you are back. I hope you will enjoy living in Albufeira as much as you did living in Lagos. Sounds like you have a busy summer planned out? Having family and friends visiting is always good fun. Accumulation of stuff often creeps up on us, but heyho it is important to feel comfortable in your home. I like Ikea and have many of their practical and modern furniture in my home. Looking forward to hear more about your new digs 🙂
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Thanks so much Gilda for your kind words. I think that Albufeira is going to be a good move for us and, as much as we loved Lagos, there seems to be a lot more to see and do right in the center of the Algarve. Or, we can stay right at home with our visiting friends and fam and try and avoid all the summer tourists! Since you just recently downsized, I know you’ll be able to identify right away with the accumulation part of living anywhere. It’s funny but even when we were traveling full-time, it seemed like we were always leaving a pile of stuff somewhere. P.S. Good to find another IKEA fan!
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I’m glad you’re back. I look forward to reading about your adventures in Albufeira.
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Thanks so much Donna! We’re having fun exploring more of the Central Algarve area. We hadn’t really realized until we moved here that each region of the Algarve, the west (where Lagos is), central and eastern areas each have a very distinct feel to them and the climate is slightly different too. Considering that it’s such a small region, there are a lot of things to fill up our days with!
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It’s so good to see you back Anita and congrats on the new digs. So wonderful that it is working out for the two of you. I think it is good to take a break from social media from time to time. I find myself doing the same right now as I settle into a hot summer in So. Cal while I work on getting my hand back to some normalcy. I look forward to hearing more about Albufeira.
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Thanks LuAnn. I know your summer is not quite what you’d pictured but I’m so glad that there’s a good prognosis on getting your hand working like it’s supposed to. Who would have thought that a seemingly insignificant injury would prove to be so much trouble? And the treatment doesn’t sound like much fun either. However, I’m so glad it didn’t stop you from getting the most out of your recent trip to Patagonia which sounds unbelievable. (Ah, the joys of living vicariously!) Stay cool and I’ll be wishing you a speedy recovery!
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Thanks Anita! Albeit it slow, I am making progress.
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Welcome back you guys! Great to read you and hear about your first half of 2018. We could all save a lot of time by just condensing six months into one post like you just did! Haha. Best of luck with your new place and can’t wait to see more photos. We still may swing by one of these days!!
xoxo
Peta
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Six months recapped in just a few short paragraphs. It really is unbelievable how fast time seems to go by but I hear that’s a sign that you’re getting old. 🙂 I have so many photos to sort through still of my time in Vietnam and Cambodia and I’m still sorting through my reactions and feelings as well about the two countries. Vietnam especially, has a piece of my heart but both countries touched me in a way I hadn’t expected. Thanks for sharing your tips about the special places you loved in Vietnam. As for ‘swinging by,’ consider yourselves welcome anytime!
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Thanks so much Anita, we certainly hope to get back to Portugal and will be in touch when we do. So glad that you had such a wonderful time in Vietnam, even better than expected! and am happy to have shared our favorite places and tips with you. We do still think of Hoi An as home and hope to be back there soon. So many wonderful places in the world that beckon us back!
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All the best for your new home. Looking forward to hearing about your favourite spots in Albufeira and how successful you are at avoiding the crowds.
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Thanks Julie. We have a few restaurants and beaches nearby that have become favorites but there are many left to see – a goal that will take some time (maybe years) to accomplish! As for avoiding the crowds – it seems there was a sharp surge in tourists Easter weekend and they only get more numerous each week. Lagos was incredibly busy but Albufeira has it beat, I fear. Luckily we’re on the outskirts of town and can do our shopping around the area and elsewhere and avoid the heart of the historic town altogether unless we’re showing it off. 🙂 And it looks like trips to the grocery store early in the day and on weekdays only seem to be the best bet! If and when you get down to the Algarve again, make sure to give a shout. I’d love to meet you IRL! P.S. I love your new guide, Best Algarve Accommodation & Locations. I’ve got it bookmarked and Pinterested!
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So good to get some news. Looking forward to more about your SE Asia trip, and your new home. If you have time! Sounds like busy times coming up. We too got sucked into the Ikea web – because they have everything including good prices.
Alison
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Vietnam and Cambodia were fascinating and the perfect places to spread my wings for a solo journey. I found SE Asia so amazing and I’m dreaming about future travels to some its other countries now. We’ll have to compare our thoughts about traveling alone since you also recently completed your first solo travels. It’s good to know I can travel by myself and have an enjoyable experience as well as meet people but it was certainly a different experience than if Richard had been with me.
I remember your post about picking out the furnishings for your Vancouver apartment and sharing your fun in selecting everyday objects after traveling full-time for so many years. It’s wonderful to have a ‘nest’ to call your own and the many comforts of home!
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So good to see you emerge from that country called the hiber-nation. As always, great info on Portugal, and other stuff. Keep us posted, and more pix please!
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Thanks so much By and Mariah. We have lots to write about so there’s no dearth of topics, just time. 😁 Life in Portugal remains fun and fascinating and, if we ever run out topics, we have tons of pics too plus our other travels. I’m sure you’ll agree, in your newly adopted country of Colombia, that life as an expat always offers something new!
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Welcome back! You made a good move. I stayed in Albufeira a few years back and liked the town and the beach. Look forward to reading your updates whenever you feel like writing.
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Thanks Natalie! Although we didn’t want to leave Lagos, we have to admit that the move to the Central Algarve and Albufeira has proven to be a great choice. The historic part of the town is charming (although the summer tourists are starting to overrun it already) and it seems as though there are endless beaches to discover. We know already that it’s going to be a wonderful place to live and that we’ll have fun finding places to call our favorites.
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I have been wondering about you guys and glad you haven’t fallen off the edge of the earth! Congrats on your new place. It sounds beautiful. I hope we’ll get to read about your SE Asia experience (if and when you feel like it). Don’t beat yourself up about not posting.
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I have so much to write about SE Asia and it’s taken months to ‘process’ the experience . The solo traveling was a wonderful success and oh, both Vietnam and Cambodia gripped me in different ways and still haven’t let go. Thanks so much Caroline for your travel advice and for sharing your Cambodian experiences. They whetted my appetite beforehand and helped prepare me for the whole temple experience in Siem Reap. Eventually I’ll get around to writing about it but I’m sure you’ll agree that there are places that far surpass their descriptions!
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Looking forward to it!
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As a fellow travel blogger, g-knows I can relate to how blindingly swiftly the weeks can fly by w/o hitting “publish”. But as we’ve chatted via pm – it’s OUR blog/life after all, and “if it ain’t fun [we] don’t do it!”, yes?
But glad to see you’ve hopped back on the “bicycle” and can’t wait to read about your new digs (and co-housing), as well as the details of your solo romp through my favorite country in Asia (Vietnam).
In short: Welcome back, my dear! (to the love/hate world of digital story-telling)
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You’re right about the love/hate relationship and, while we were absent from actively contributing to the blog-o-sphere, we were still polishing our writing skills through letters and back-and-forthing with our favorite travelers. 🙂 I know you’ll understand when I say I’ve got hundreds of photos to go through from my time in Vietnam and Cambodia and so many stories to tell that it’s hard to know where to start. But what a feeling of satisfaction there is when we hit the “publish” icon when the story is written!
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Oooh..you got sucked into the Ikea web 🙂 . In Valencia, they have a free dedicated Ikea bus. I have been staying free of it so far, but stuff certainly does accumulate as we discovered on our recent move. It is like riding a bike isn’t it? I totally get what you say about not wanting to write, especially when life happens. Looking forward to reading about the new place. Welcome back! 🙂
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Thanks Kemi! I’m cracking up at the idea of a free IKEA bus for dedicated shoppers. But the store is just perfect for us and only 30 km down the road. 😁 One of the big changes we’ve made as shoppers now compared to our previous life is that our purchases are all about making our home more comfortable in the here and now rather than looking at long term quality or attachments to the stuff. We remember how hard it is to get rid of it!! And now we have an office set up with our own desks and comfy office chairs just beckoning to us to get to on with writing … But yeah, there is that little matter of all the other things in life that compete with our time. 🙂 (P.S. And what a luxury not to have to worry about work as part of the equation!)
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thank you for yr news. it’s always a pleasure to read yr blogs. hope you will like yr “new” life in albufeira. all the best!
saludos from porto, portugal
gisela
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Thank you Gisela for your lovely comment. It’s so awesome to know that what we write provides some enjoyment for others and (one of our favorite things) it’s a great way to meet new online friends. We’ll have to let you know when we visit Porto and maybe we can meet for a cup of coffee and compare your beautiful area with ours. Life is good in Portugal!
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Great to read your post. I empathize with you about procrastinating on writing. I do it all the time. Sometimes I’d rather clean my condo than write! You travels and new place sound wonderful. Can’t wait to read more. I’m pretty sure I drove through Albufeira but that trip was a bit of a whirlwind. We’ll meet up one day!
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I was so bummed to miss you during your trip to the Algarve this winter but yes! I have no doubt that our paths will cross either here or in your beloved France. It sounds like you do understand procrastination. When I was a pharmacy student, I used to joke that you could tell how well my studies were going by how clean my house was. 😁 Hopefully, now that we’ve taken a break, we’ll get keep our motivation going and maintain the schedule. It feels good to be back!
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Glad to hear you’re doing well, and so grateful you two took the time to meet and share your traveling knowledge with us. Mary Pat and I have committed to using Mexico as our base for the rest of this year and next. We are so enjoying the traveling expat life. We are planning an extended trip back Europe for 2020 which will of course include the Algarve. Hope to see you then.
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We had a great time exploring the Yucatan area and other parts of Southern Mexico and are so glad you’re enjoying both the country and the traveling life. The lifestyle’s not for everyone but I’ll bet you’ll agree that it’s an amazing experience and a great way to kickstart the retirement years! We loved the challenges of each new destination, the chance to break old habits and attitudes that we’d carried with us and the fact that, because so much of our life was subject to the travel gods, we could (big lesson for us as major control addicts) just.let.go! It was fun to meet you and Mary Pat last fall and we’ll look forward to your return to the Algarve in 2020. We’ll be here! 😁
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A big welcome back. Almost every year, I take a break from blogging, just to remind myself that I can. But it will be such fun to read about your new place and neighborhood – can’t wait for the next post, even if it takes another 6 months, I’ll be here to enjoy it when it comes 😉
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Thanks so much Susan. If I remember right, your last break from blogging was to write a book, right? 🙂 And I think the next post will kind of write itself now that I’m picking up the writing rhythm. BTW, I owe you a huge thanks and a hug for connecting us with Beth and Joe. They were such a delight to meet in Lagos last September and I had a great time reuniting with them in Siem Reap in February. If we need any reason at all to continue writing blog posts, it will be the amazing people we meet through the blog, online and in person!
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Anita – I smile everytime I think of you four meeting-up. It’s such an encouraging people-to-people world-wide story that keeps my spirits up. Nothing brings cheer like good news stories! So, my thanks go out to you 😉
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And we have you to thank, Susan! The online community makes the world seem a lot smaller sometimes and it’s fun to see how all the paths might intersect. I hope our paths cross one of these days too!
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We’ll have to make that happen!
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So glad you’re writing again! Loved your article and can’t wait to read about your Asia trip. I had to chuckle about your comment about “stuff” as we struggle to decide what to bring with us to Portugal. Looking forward to seeing you soon!
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Thanks Becky and Larry. Once I got the first sentence out, it was kind of like riding a bike. I definitely have lots to write about SEA and coincidentally, bikes figured rather prominently in some of my experiences. I imagine at this stage in your preparations to move to Portugal, deciding what “stuff” to bring with you is high on your priority list. Rest assured, just about everything you want (and more) can be bought here and if we can’t tell you where, our friends can. P.S. On my list of things to buy when I go to Denver are: Levi jeans for Richard (too expensive here), Sonicare toothbrush heads and manila file folders. Does that help a bit? 🙂
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Good to know! If your son has a Costco membership they sell Levi’s for a great price. You will definitely suffer from culture shock there!
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Some friends who live in nearby Loule just told us there’s a Costco in Seville if you can believe it! Bring your card and we’ll make a trip to check it out. 🙂 Of course, you might get sidetracked by all the other amazing sights in the city!
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Can’t wait for the SE Asia stories!
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There are so many stories that I’m not quite sure where to start but it will be fun to go through the photos and think about what to write. 🙂 We’ve always found SE Asia fascinating and my recent visit to Vietnam and Cambodia surpassed my expectations. I’m sure that Richard was a little dismayed when I announced, before I’d even unpacked my suitcase, that I was already planning a return visit!
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“Like a lot of things that happen in life, sometimes you just need to wait for things to unfold, hope for some serendipity and, in our case anyway, do a little thinking outside the box.”
Oh boy don’t we know it?! 🙂
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HaHa, Patti. That sentence fits you and Abi perfectly! I know you’ll be the first to agree that it’s amazing how fast circumstance can change and how fun it is to watch as things unfold!
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Hi Nita and Dick, good to hear the move went well. So awesome that your grandson will have international travel under his belt. US kids don’t travel enough in my opinion. I took my first trip to Europe when I graduated high school and the travel bug bit me way back then. It’s such an amazing world and so good to explore. I owe you an email and will do that! Enjoy your new home. Would love to hear more about the. Ietnam/Cambodia trip and how the solo travel went. Have fun in Albufeira e plowing new digs. Cheers and hugs to you both.
Xox
Suzi
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Hey Suzi! No worries about owing an email as we really ‘get’ how that goes. 🙂 I was thinking about you a few days ago as we ran into a couple who have recently moved from Casco Viejo in Panama City to a small village near us. We are so excited to show some of Portugal to our grandson and friends have been proposing all sorts of things from exploring castle ruins and the beaches to going to a car race in a nearby autodrome. It will be fun to see our adopted country through his eyes and we agree with you – US kids don’t travel much. In fact, if more people in our native country ventured forth, a lot of the nativism, “me first” attitudes and emphasis on MAGA wouldn’t exist. America is great but it includes a lot more countries than just the US. 🙂
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Missed you!!
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Thank you. We’ve missed the writing as well as interacting and exchanging ideas and comments with the online community and our ‘virtual’ friends. It’s good to be back!
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Welcome back! I have missed you. Of course, I haven’t blogged much recently due to different reasons. We are soon to become nomads again. We are too old to go through a revolution. If the National Police don’t kill us, the stress will. So, I can empathize with your packing, sorting, and moving. Funny thing about how we moved to Nicaragua with 7 trunks, and throughout the years have accumulated so much junk. We are wildly and happily giving away our possessions and hope to leave with two suitcases. We don’t know where we will go, but maybe we will go to Portugal for a visit. It has been 17 years since we last visited Portugal. My how time flies.
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Oh Debbie, we’ve been thinking about you and Ron and have been so sad to read about what’s happening in Nicaragua. I can definitely understand your feelings about being “too old to go through a revolution” but I know that the decision to leave your home on Ometepe and the many friends you’ve made over the years has been difficult. There is, however, a certain glee in giving away your possessions isn’t there? It must warm your heart to give your things to friends and others in your community who will value them so much more because of the vast distance between meeting basic needs and having extra money for the small luxuries. We’ll be looking forward to hearing about what’s next and for sure, come to Portugal! (Consider this an open invite. 🙂) You’ll find that much hasn’t changed in the years since you were last here and there’s a certain joy in feeling like you’ve stepped back into a simpler time.
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I’m thrilled to hear from you all! I thought it was either a case of lack of interest in keeping up with the blog (as frequently happens) or bad health. I’m glad that it was just acute, tiny bit of both rather than chronic cases.
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Thanks so much for your support, Barb. Like so many things involving procrastination, in addition to good reasons, just about any excuse will work in a pinch too. 🙂 And now that we’re retired, we’re getting out of the habit of doing things that require a little bit of discipline, too!
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So wonderful to hear from you. Couldn’t wait to hear your next blog! Best wishes!
Katherine
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Thanks Katherine. 🙂 It does feel good to jump back into writing and blogging again and, luckily, we have no shortage of things to write about. One of our favorite parts is, of course, the reward of interacting with readers like you!
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Albufeira looks like a beautiful town. I am looking forward to hearing about your new place. Best wishes!
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Thanks Glenn! We’ll definitely be talking about Albufeira in future posts. Old town Albufeira is very charming with cobblestone streets and lovely buildings. The big draw for the tourists (and us too!) are the many beaches in the area boasting a “Blue Flag” rating which is a European award for cleanliness and safety. The cliffs along the Atlantic are stunning and learning about the Central Algarve Region has and will be fascinating. We’re looking forward to sharing what we learn and see. 🙂
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Absolutely delighted to hear from you. I was planning to post an international missing persons bulletin. Glad that you are upgrading your lifestyle to suit your taste. Have you been receiving the news about the unrest in Nicaragua? So sad as the school was doing so well. I am having a quiet summer, not by choice, but is is my favorite season. My twin granddaughters are off to college in a month. We had. Girlfriend weekends together.Visiting their college towns will be fun.
Wonderful that you remember your “ fan friends “.
Love
Maida
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Laughing at the thought of the missing persons bulletin! We have been following the news in Nicaragua closely and are just sick about what’s happening. The news changes from day to day and from each person’s perspective but it’s so terribly sad and it’s hard to guess what will happen next. So glad to hear your news too Maida and we hope you are keeping well. Stay cool this summer – it sounds like it’ll be another hot one in your area!
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