Thursday September 27, Faro

Beautiful coastline

We were a bit sluggish getting going this morning after our big day but set Jilly for Sagres, on the very southern tip of the west coast where the Atlantic meets the Mediterranean. The country through here is very barren and dry, and all the cars are covered in orange dust. And everywhere are surfies with their dust covered vans and surfboards on top. This coast is extremely popular for surfing and when we saw the beach at Sagres could understand why. It is a stunning coastline, the water such a beautiful colour and very big surf pounding in. During the day they are very crowded and the carparks are full. Sadly, walking through the rocks towards the overlook of the beach, the track was littered with toilet paper and “unmentionables”, just the same problem we are having in NZ with so many freedom campers.

We are now in the Algarve region of Portugal, an extremely popular holiday destination, and already we can see the huge built up areas around the coast. So many motorhome people come here and stay for months during the winter in one of the many large expensive campgrounds with all the whistle and bows and swimming pools but this is not our scene. We hit the motorway this afternoon for the hour and a half drive east along the coast to Faro where we found a purpose-built camper park for travellers. Again, this is another new one that has only been open for several months and it was very nice to relax in the shade of some old cork trees…..and a chance to get a close up view of the bark.

Almost all the houses are white with terracotta roof's

You have to smile

Old windmill

Close up of the bark of the cork tree