Oceano Atlantico

Whilst awaiting Jen's return from Newcastle (she managed the 8:56 train) I did some last minute pre-flight checks and made sure I had everything I need for the holiday. After she returned I took my laptop throught to work and locked it away. I needed to buy an extra cabin approved bag and a car kit for my phone (it has a satnav so we are making use of that on holiday). I also had to syphon my beer into its pressure barrel before we left as it was not quite ready yesterday. At 2 the taxi arrived and we were off!


Checked in no problem, wandered the airport towards our alloted gate to find that we were delayed 35 minutes. Our first Ryanair flight and there was no chance of getting the fabled fanfare on timely arrival. There was however much checking of bag dimensions and weight in the queue before we were allowed through the gate, only to find that the plane had not even disembarked yet and we had to watch the previous passengers alight before we were allowed forward out of the plastic shelter and on t the tarmac where we were made to stand in the cold with the wind beating around us and watch the the plane get refueled and our bags loaded, although this did afford me the chance to verify that my bag was actually loaded on to the plane as I saw tossed uncerimoniously into the hold. We hadn't even left the tarmac and already I had vowed never to fly Ryanair again.

Once on board we were informed of the reasons for the delay (delays in Faro, not really an explanation but then by now I wasn't really expecting much). The flight appeared to have attracted all the worst passengers in Scotland as we repeatedly had to watch air stewards ask people to sit down because the seat belt sign was on whilst they protested they needed to wee or talk to someone who was not next to them. One chap who was walking his baby up and down the plane eventually relented only to pass the baby to his wife and let her out so she could be hounded by cabin crew.

Anyhow, we eventually landed, got our bags from the non-revolving carousel (how did they manage that?) after having great difficulty with our electronic passports not working in the machines, and Jen could relax with a fag before we colleted the car and she had her first go at drving in Europe. getting to the Hypermarket for our first taste of Portuguese shopping proved mildly traumatic but it was well worth it. Like small children in the proverbial candy store we traversed the aisles in wide eyed wonder with many an abrupt stop as one of us pointed and gaped 'Look at that!'. The cured sausage aisle being the most wide-eyedly gaped, closely followed by the huge stacks of bachulau (salted cod). Wine could be had for 1.25 so we had it mercilessly and repeatedly before having to draw the line and begin the 60km drive to our destination.

Thankfully there were few cars on the road and the satnav guided us to Portimao fairly well, though it did get a bit more difficult once we hit the town, and we checked in to our hotel, Apartmenticos Turisticos Oceano Atlantico at about 11:30 and I just about remembered to grab a snap before midnight, some well deserved vino collapso then bed.