Wakes up, groans then realises the sun is shining, the sky is blue and the beach is my new office!

Moving on today so need to kickass and head off up the coast. Going to Praia do Gale, recommended by our new friends Tony and Marion. Give the van a quick vac out (bloody love my new Dyson) to remove half the beach and we’re good to go. The gas bottles need filling en route. Amen to Granny Twee, bless the dear old girl as my inheritance paid for a solar panel and refillable gas system, a godsend when travelling abroad. It’s never plain sailing after a long spell in one spot. The nasty little woman who lives behind the screen in the dashboard decides to have a laugh and sends us through a tiny squeezy little village before giving it a thousand ‘recalculating route’ one liners. I am nearly crying at this point and himself is calling her from a pig to a dog and threatening to punch her effing lights out. Who even is she?! She’s not real! BREATH! Ok, so, we come out the other end unscathed, re-boot the motherfucker satnav and normal service is resumed. Arrive at Parque de Gale. They have room but without electric, great! We really need to re-charge all our gadgets after 10 days wild camping but otherwise, it’s very sunny so not the end of the world, the solar panel is doing it’s ting. Set up camp, have a cuppa and get the sun loungers out. It’s boiling! No complaints from me! After lunch we shower and change and get the bikes out so we can go and explore. The beach is about 5 minutes away. It’s really lovely.

We find a smashing little bar and take in a quick sundowner before returning to camp. On the way back we stumble upon an amazing Supermarket. Sad, I know, but the equivalent of Waitrose and I am so giddy I could wee!! It sells Barts spices and everything!! After spending a small fortune and needing a Scania truck to get my haul back we return to the van. The sunset is spectacular as we are once again facing west across the sea. Markie sets up the Cadac Grill outside. Tonight we are having seared tuna steaks and rice with grilled red, green and yellow pepper, red onion and courgette. I’ve made a honey, soy and sesame seed dressing.

It’s bloody damn good with a lime and coriander salad and a bottle of chilled white.

Laid in bed reflecting on past Mondays and the times I used to loathe getting up.

How different. My life is now. I’m a lot poorer pennies wise but so much richer in other ways.

Tomorrow’s another day you lovely people. Night night sleep tight. Xxx