How did we manage before mobile phones, GPS and internet / Wifi. Not being able to contact people when you want makes me feel a little isolated and that is only a day or so. Also not have electricity on demand takes getting used to. I am constantly working out my power needs. As I write this I'm thinking about people that don't have any of the above. Riding thru rural villages even in Portugal there are places that don't have electricity let alone internet. So why do I get frustrated when the campsite doesn't have WiFi. Why not.. Are you mad.. I say.. Just look at me with all my techno gadgets, power hungry internet dependant Londoner on a bike. Image if I was riding thru Asia or Africa.
I had a rough plan in my head to get to Lisbon today and on the way I found Sinatra. All I can say is wow.. Its a stunning place and reminds me of Madeira with its coble stone roads and super steep hills. As I entered the old part of town I noticed a train station, so I quickly asked inside if it went to Lisbon which it did. Now in Sinatra there is castle at the top of a mountain. I knew it would be a battle to get to the top with a 45 kilo bike but with a rewarding train ride to Lisbon afterwards I took on the challenge. This was one of the hardest three hours ever, going up 1/11 gradients. As the buses loaded with tourist past me going up they must of looked at me as a complete madman. At one point I nearly gave up but I had to finish what I started. When I finally got to the top it was a 15.00 Euros to enter the castle and there was no where to secure the bike and to tell you the truth I was knacker by the ride up. There was some Spanish teenagers that had seen me riding up and wanted to know if the bike was heavy. One of them was a little full of himself so I let him have a go on the bike. The look on his face was priceless when he tried to move the bike. He just got off the bike and shook my hand saying respect. After resting for a while I comeback down and admired the views on the way in the knowledge that I had a nice train ride into Lisbon.
The train ride started off with only me on it but quickly it started filling up. Stop after stop more and more people got on and here I was in a packed train with a fully loaded touring bike and smelling like I been in the gym all day long. I arrived in Lisbon about an hour later and quickly found a coffee bar in order to take stock. Drinking my coffee I asked the guy if he knew of any reasonable places to stay. They places he suggested were full so I rode around looking at the sites at the same time looking for a place to stay for a few days. Now Portugal's capital is a big place. Most of the roads are cobbles and very hilly. Now I am sure this is not a problem when on foot with a bike with all the gear makes it a total different story. That day I had ridden up a hill to end all hills and now I was riding up more hill lined with cobbles. Then it decided to rain, frustrated and tired I made the choice to get out of Lisbon. As I boarded the ferry to Almada I thought to myself, capitals are best explored with someone. Its nice to see it but its nicer to share the experience with someone. Its a really strange feeling going round a capital with so many people and not speaking to anyone.
So where am I now.. Hello Costa da Caparica.. Here are some photos.
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