I have a subscription to a website that posts advertisements for house sitters. Most of the time the people advertising on the site are looking for someone to look after their pets while they are on holiday, but occasionally they only require somebody to water their plants or look...
My First Impression of Lisbon Nightlife (When the Bars Close and the Cost of a Beer)
I decided I wanted to experience the Lisbon nightlife, so I booked a bed in a hostel and stayed there on Saturday night. It only cost me €12 plus €1 city tax. The alternative would have been to try and get back to Caparica on Sunday morning using public...
It’s Been a Taxing Day, But Not a Productive One
Dear Travel Diary, I haven’t been very productive today. Instead of writing, I had to spend some time working on my Dutch tax return. Thankfully, I was able to do it online, but it was not a task that I could rush. I’ve also spent some time trying to...
Bellroy Slim Sleeve Wallet Review (6 Months Later, I’m Still Loving It)
Last year, when the bulges in my pockets became a little too ridiculous, I bought a Bellroy Slim-Sleeve wallet. Before I realized how bad my bulges had become I didn’t know minimalist wallets even existed. So, when I entered “minimalist wallet” as a Google search term I was very...
Today I Was Visited by a Lizard, but It Was Camera Shy
Dear Travel Diary, I was working at a table on the balcony today when I saw something move on the wall in front of me. It was a lizard. I’m three floors up and a lizard had climbed the wall to visit me. This kind of thing probably happens...
I Had to Buy New Reading Glasses and It Cost Me More Than 99 Cents!
Dear Travel Diary, I had to buy some new reading glasses today. The pair I carry around in my jacket pocket is broken, but I only paid 99 cents for them and I’ve been carrying them around with me for months so I guess I’ve had my money’s worth....
I Resurrected My Egg and Lentil Curry Recipe for Meat Free Monday
Dear Travel Diary, I can’t remember how long I’ve been having meat-free Mondays, but it’s been a number of years. When I lived in England it wasn’t too hard to come up with suitable vegetarian meal options. The supermarkets always had a reasonable amount of vegetarian food in the...
My Journey from Esmoriz to Caparica by Train, Metro, and Bus
Dear Travel Diary, Thursday was a long day. When I got on the train at Esmoriz it was a little before 1 pm. I had to change trains at Ovar. The train for Lisbon Oriente was late. I didn’t arrive at Oriente station until nearly half-past-four and I had...
I’ve Been Rolling Clothes, Everything Is Packed, Lisbon Here I Come
Dear Travel Diary, My month here in the North of Portugal is up. Today I’m moving on to the Lisbon area, so I will be spending a number of hours on the train. I spent some time rolling clothes and have already packed the little packages my backpack. My...
EuroMillions Tickets Appear to Be Popular with Portuguese Lottery Players
Dear Travel Diary, I’m not a millionaire. I just checked my EuroMillions ticket and I haven’t won this week—again. When I lived in the Netherlands, I used to buy a Dutch Lotto ticket every week, but it wasn’t possible to buy a EuroMillions ticket. It was possible to play...