ManWomanDogVan: March 2020

Covid 19 started to take its hold by now and so we have decided to try to stay out of the way. We have actually moved into a campsite (this was a first since we started travelling), then arranged via WorkAway to stay at a nearby farm in Pereio Grande. The usual arrangement is that the volunteers work an agreed number of hours (around 25 hours/week) for food/accommodation. We wanted to try this anyway, so this seemed like a good time to give it a go.

Well, it was definitely different. Our host has been working on creating paradise on earth. (His words.) He has been working on it for about 7 years. Our host lived in an old house that was more or less (mostly less) patched up. Rustic I believe is the word (VERY rustic). He had quite a lot of land that included a cork forest. There was also a permaculture garden (I am not a gardener, so finding the useful plants amongst the weeds is a bit of a challenge for me), an outside composting toilette (I am sure this is a great idea but in practice it did not work for me too well, especially when it was raining. The view from the loo was great, thought!) An outside shower (I did not try this).

We have done some work in the garden and around the house, but unfortunately our host had no particular plan about how paradise should/could be built. He has also decided that it was safe for him to go and meet up with his friends on various occasions, including a party to celebrate the Equinox. We have decided that this was not really working for us and left after 5 days.

(Another volunteer who arrived the same time as us left after just a couple of days, so I feel we gave it a fair shot by sticking it out for nearly a week, lol.)

Still, it was an interesting experience and we are up for trying it again sometime in the future.

We holed up at Praia de Cavalhal after the farm for a week and a half, trying to self-isolate. The beach was lovely, and we had some great walks along the coastline. A few other vans have turned up there too and the GNR (the police) came around regularly, but really nobody bothered us. We were out of the way.

Then at the very end of March we have moved closer to the town Zambujeira do Mar, still self-isolating. By moving closer to the town, we had better access to a public loo (this is important when you live in a van) and the supermarket. And a superb view!

March 2020 - Part 3 Map

On the farn in Pereio Grande - can you see the van in the middle?

On the farm - here we are. The dirt road to get there was pretty dodgy.

On the farm - I am yet to learn about permaculture.

On the farm - sun water heater. It works pretty well if you have sunshine and time.

On the farm - composting toilette with a view.

On the farm - cork

On the fram - rustic is the word

On the farm - fixed the terasse

On the farm - playing the Gasong

On the farm - My artistic side.

On the fram - beautiful things

Praia de Cavalhal

Praia de Cavalhal - seagulls, they came every evening

Praia de Cavalhal - coast line

Praia de Cavalhal - wild life

Praia de Cavalhal - saw this flower on our walks

Praia de Cavalhal - there is actually a path that starts after the metal rod that sticks up on the left. A rope is fixed to the rocks to hang onto going down, then you make your way on a narrow and treacherous path across to the big rock at the back. I was not barve enaught to try.