Day 14 to 20 It's Time For Africa

Hey! Sorry posts haven't been as forthcoming, but Internet is exceedingly hard to find in Mombasa, especially the wireless variety! We are here in Likoni, working with about 50 kids at an AIDS orphanage. This means that the majority of the kids are orphaned due to the disease. Many are older, but there are about 15 that really need our attention, and we take them to the beach almost everyday to blow off some steam. They are prone to aggressive behaviour because they are so unstimulated and bored.

Our home stay is a palace. We have a running toilet (with a seat!) and electricity. We even have a tv, on which we watch a Mexican telenovela, which is dubbed into english, called "beautiful but unlucky." This is the most entertaining show we see, as most of them are in Swahili... I am trying to learn, but even I need a bit more time! Mama Beatrice is our housemother, and she makes the beat food! We have rice most nights, but sometimes she'll make mashed bananas and greens, which I am definitely bringing back to Canada! Kenya though, for you health nuts, is generally paleo hell.. Starch with every meal!

The older girls at the orphanage are great at showing us the ins and outs of Kenyan life here, as is Mama Beatrice's son Peter, with whom we are going to venture into Mombasa nightlife with next weekend... Eep!

on the ferry on the way to Likoni from Mombasa town.

We live with 5 dogs and a bunch of ducks, as well as a turkey and a goose, who make an awful amount of noise for birds! Our "brother" is also fond of playing rap music starting around 7am... I feel like I'm back working at the Wunderbar! Ah well, small price to pay, seeing that our compound is by far the nicest in Cafe, (pronounced: k-eh-f) the name of the area we live in.

Cobra, the Orphanage house dog.

Say what you will about religion, and I will not contradict that much damage has been done in its name, but the help given to many Kenyans by the church is invaluable. Our orphanage gets money and aid from the church and a lot of people we have talked to take real comfort in their beliefs. I have not had a lot of contact with the Muslim community here, but I know there are a lot of charitable initiatives run by the Islamic institutions.

We have been adopted by a girl from Cafe named Susan, who helps ensure we do not get ripped off... It is expensive to be white in Kenya as far as shopping goes! Things here are quite a bit cheaper if you know where to go in Mombasa.

A bit of Mombasa town.

Mombasa itself is a fascinating town, with an incredible old quarter, and a diverse spice market as well as Fort Jesus, an old Portuguese stronghold from colonial times. It is now a really neat museum, and we spent our second weekend wandering around. The beaches here are stunning, an we are lucky the tourism in this area allows for us to wear our bathing suits without too much orthodox judgement from the locals. The town is quite a bit smaller and safer than Nairobi, and we are excited to see what the nightlife he to offer.

Day 13 Getting What I Came For

Mombasa view!

Kenya is such a beautiful place. And so far everyone has been so nice and helpful! We left the mall yesterday to return to our temporary spot in the volunteer house, where we had dinner of rice and a tomatoe/bean/chili thing, which was great! Then we settled in and watched some Kenyan tv... Oh man! The big thing here that everyone tunes in for is English-dubbed, South American telenovelas, which are amazing. We were so hooked!!

View from the Likoni ferry.

We got picked up in our van to head to downtown Nairobi to catch the bus to Mombasa, where I'll be stationed for the month. I will probably only be back in Nairobi when we return to do the safari trip, most likely towards the end of the placement. Katrina's birthday is the 23rd of september and we have been talking about how cool it would be to spend our respective birthdays (mine being the next day) on a tour of the Maasi!

Great condom ad... gotta be safe!

Day 12 Nairobi Niceties and Mombasa Marvels

Hey everyone! I have touched down in Africa, after 24 hours bouncing from Porto to Jomo Kenyatta Airport. I couched it in the hostel, and then caught a cab with some travelling Americans. Ryanair went smoothly, with my luggage a full 3kgs short of the limit. I slept the whole way, and in Madrid we caught the metro into town for some lunch. I have to say I am not Madrid's biggest fan, having found other cities that are more to my liking, however the Starbucks was so much like home I quite enjoyed the layover!

I caught my flight just fine, and needed a bogus ticket out of Kenya in order to get in, which Egyptair kindly provided me with. They also let me take my bag on the plane, so that cut the stress down a little for me knowing it wouldn't get lost. The connection went smoothly in Cairo as well, and on both planes I was given a whole row I myself and had the best sleeps! The food was pretty alright as well (of course I have to mention the food eh Mom...).

the bumpy road to the hostel.

I got in at 4 am, and the nice volunteer people were there waiting for me. It is the first place I've been where they drive on the "wrong" side, so in my tired state that kinda freaked me out a little! I stayed the night in a hostel and got brekkie in the morning while waiting for my pickup to orientation.

Orientation was awesome, we learned all about the safaris we can take, and the help we can receive if we need anything at all from the organizers. I have resolved to get a phone and some minutes so I have a way to read both home and the volunteers, invade the Internet is stressful. This turned out to be 2400 kenyan shillings, which is 30 dollars, for a phone, sim card, a 500 minutes. Win. We also got the code of conduct lecture, about no drugs and no abusing our hosts by inviting bed guests into our accommodations, rather we should "take it outside..." woah! This is clearly not a problem on my end, but the briefing was nonetheless hilarious!! The main form of transport is matatus, cube vans that drive pretty crazily but are generally safe and inexpensive. The drivers are very adept and quick, and it's often cheaper and quicker than the buses.

Many volunteers are being assigned to the Kiberia slum, which is the 2nd largest in the world, and falls in Nairobi. The amount that needs to be done here is incredible... However this is not my placement.

Katrina, Me and Shayla in the Junction Mall.

Reunited with Katrinah at last, I met Lisa a great Brit who was teaching with Katrina in Czech Republic. We were then introduced to our new friend Shayla, from Edmonton, who has been building a school here for the past 3 weeks. Turns out the 4 of us are not stationed in Nairobi or the surrounding areas like everyone else, rather we must take an 8 hour overnight bus (yay more travel) to Mombasa. Holy Shit.

Mombasa, an area I have done ZERO research on prior to this trip, is a beach town, and wikipedia has just become my new best friend. It is the 2nd largest city in Kenya, and has a huge airport too. They also speak English and Swahili, though of course there are many tribe languages that are also used. We are really excited to visit the beach and he spice market, as well as enjoy the more relaxed atmosphere. Don't worry though, CONSTANT VIGILANCE! We are all in the Likoni orphanage, and eagerly await our chance to meet the kids. It is going to be harder to get back to Nairobi for the Safari, but oh man I'm glad I'm posted there. It is warmer, safer, and more touristy so I won't have to wear only long pants like in Nairobi, and will probably get fewer stares. Oh, and everyone who told me to dye my hair, I have met 8 other blondes who also decided to stick it out, and we're all going to be just fine.

The food here is great, and so cheap for fresh fruit. I'm going to stock up for the bus ride, and try to learn lots about my new destination! Africa is going to be such an incredible experience, and I especially can't wait to get to the Maasi Mara, and other national reserves, to enjoy the wildlife and feel Africa.

Cannot wait to update you all, and to dive right in. Talk to you soon!! Love from Kenya!

Day 10 Vagabond Porto

Hey folks,

So today was a minor fail in terms of the travel, and a huge win for accomodations. I have not necessarily gelled as well as I have been lucky enough to in Lisbon and Lagos, and going with the flow has therefore been considerably tougher, since the goals of me and my roaming mates has been less compatible. Today Isa really wanted to go to some gardens we did not know much about, and so, barring other plans, I joined her, Taylor and the Irish boys for some wandering... and wander we did. We walked for around 2 hours to get there, which was quick slow and meandering, and then paid to get in. Not that this was not a beautiful spot, but it was not spectacular, and certainly should not have cost money... My consolation prize however was a yummy popsicle! I also insisted we take a bus back to the hostel, a move I am increasingly glad I undertook.

We got back to the hostel and hung out for a bit, while I watched the movie Traffic and tried to pretend I belonged in the Spot still... whilst really being a cheap person and declining to pay for a room. We all hit dinner, quite a long affair, and I made a few calls. While I hope to be pleasantly surprised by the internet situation in Kenya, I am not taking chances with missing what few moments of precious connection I may have left!

I was supposed to go down to the port again tonight for a big gathering/street party that was to take place, but discovered I was too tired to go. I hunkered down on a couch, avoided detection, and slipped away into sleep for a few hours instead... seriously vagabond and cheap of me, but who needs to spend 20 Euro when you can just doze on a couch? I am doing Europe very cheaply so far, and with travel included have not yet reached the 600 Euro mark on my budget... WIN!

I was lucky enough to meet 3 Americans who are on the same flight as me, and who also have connections in Madrid before which they must kill some time. My new allies and I are just now waiting for a cab to the airport, and before long should be ready to go... Let's all pray together now that Ryanair and I get along!

Off to Kenya it is guys, and I hope to update you soon. I have convinced myself it is the land of rainbows and unicorns, instead of kitten sized spiders, but these illusions shall fade soon, and I hope to hear the chorus of sympathetic "I told you so´s" ringing through the airwaves and wifi.

Lots of Love... off on my fantastic adventure!!

Day 9 Porto Lives UP to It's Name!

Hey again!

Two churches side by side, but in very differed styles.

Here in Porto it is not quite as hot as the South (should've guessed that no?) but the weather is still awesome, and the city is so beautiful it more than compensates! Last night's pub crawl was a resounding fail, only getting off the ground around 1:30, after which all of us from the Spot Hostel ended up getting a refund and heading home. We tried a few bars, but nothing really suited, and I was so tired by that point that home and a bed sounded wonderful. I had the most restful night in a while, probably due to the fact that I can once more connect with home quite easily, and woke up refreshed, ready for another walking tour.

Pancho tours seems to be all over Portugal, as this is also the company that I used in Lisbon. Here we were scooped up from our hostel, and taken to the meeting place, a huge statue of Don Pedro IV, the king largely responsible for the independence of Brazil. We went all over the city with our tour guide Alex (not officially a tour guide, but he worked for tips, and earned them well), and I learned much more about Porto. Their rivalry with Lisbon is pretty funny, and even goes as far as to which beer each city favours more! Super Bock is the beverage of choice in Porto, with Sagres being preferred in Lisbon. Porto has so many interesting neighbourhoods, and of course, a huge section devoted to the making, storing and transporting of Porto.

Isa, Me, and Taylor on a bridge.

After walking around and seeing lots, we stopped for lunch. The traditional dish here is absolutely off limits for me, being a sort of all meat sandwhich which is covered in cheese and then a sauce, called the Francesinha, or "little French girl." Let me tell you, there were many jokes made about both pedophilia, and cannibalism throughout the course of the meal! Afterwards, Taylor and I, along with our new Austrian friend Isa, crossed the bridge into Gaia, where the port cellars are all located. Keeping our eyes peeled, we found not one, not two, but FOUR free Port tasting places! With all the walking, tiredness left over from my lack of sleep in Lagos, and the smaller meal that I had consumed, I did feel it a little... 20% is quite a bit stronger than your average vintage!

The port houses across the river.

Francesinha... eeep!

We found a great little store that not only advertised free tasters, but also sold us a bottle of Croft Tawny Port for 6 Euro, which we snapped up to have for later. Port is not actually my favorite, being a little too sweet for me who prefers dry wines, but I figured I'd commit the ultimate faux-pas and just mix it with soda... not bad actually! This was readily consumed while watching the closing ceremonies, which were just as trippy as the opening ones.

Isa sad because the Port is all gone!

I made another healthy meal, this time an arugula, beet, radish and tuna salad with spices and olive oil, and then had the rest of that yummy chocolate bar... mmmm! I finished my second book and am actively hunting for a new traveller to exchange it with! The Litigators was not as good as Savages, but I'll take what I can get! Tonight is really easy going, as I have another non-hostel, stay out til the early morning flight type night ahead... eep! I fly out at 6:30 on Ryanair to Madrid on the 14th, where I will catch my plane to Kenya and the great beyond! Here we go people!

Tomorrow the girls and I have decided to snoop around for a good pedicure place, as all of us are astonished with the condition of our poor toes from all this walking. Afterwards we are going to try and hit the amazing parks in the area, before a final stop at the beach. I had a slight laundry mishap today in which my blue top poisoned my yellow one in the wash, creating a sort of green around the gills look... ironic as there are actually frills on it. I am headed to be rather early tonight, trying to take advantage of a full night's sleep, as I am pretty skeptical of the conditions I will be facing on the other end.

Trying to get the last drops!

 I am off to execute my lame (but probably wise) plans for the night then! Talk to you all soon!

Cheers!

Day 7 & 8 Leaving Lagos and Heading to Porto

the moon from the Lagos beach.

Wow, what a whirlwind Lagos turned out to be! I met some of the coolest people, and got my fair share of adventure. The past 4 days there were a little sleep-deprived, but I'm in no position to complain, as I had a fabulous time. As I mentioned, Lagos is more of a beach and lounge town, but I took full advantage of that, anticipating the month coming up as a more routine setting, with daily chores & activities that will keep me on a schedule. Last night was not, as it turns out, Will's actual birthday, however with the 3 Aussie girls leaving, we hit a great Indian spot anyways. Everything I have been eating has been accompanied by a starch, so I am going to try and focus on eliminating that in Porto!

Afterwards we spent some time at the hostel just hanging out and pre-drinking, and what with a Litre of Smirnoff only 13 Euros, the girls and I decided to splurge, spending more than my usual 2 Euros or less budget on my average wine bottle. We spent most of the night in the hostel, and I bailed early again, as tomorrow night I wont be sleeping (as I do not have a bed booked!). With a good rest under my belt, I woke up the next morning and "checked out," meaning I packed up my things, returned my keycard, and then used Doug's to get back into the apartment and sleep for another hour. We all went for a late breakfast, more like lunch actually, in which I wolfed down more starch (oops) and then hit the beach for my final day of basking. I'll be sad to leave this whole no-responsability thing behind me, I'm living a dream here!

me, a little worse for wear after the night out.

That night we went out just the 4 remaining roommates, the 3 original Aussies I checked in with and myself, for some all-you-can-eat sushi, which was pretty darn good! With that heavy rice base in me, the 5 Euro all you can drink bonanza was a fine place to head to afterwards. That night we went to Inside Out again, and in the mood to dance and hang out with my new friends for the last night, the whole of my acquaintance at the hostel came out too. A few were also Canadian, from Vancouver, and we all gelled well. The night ended with a trip to Gran Cafe, a house/techno/top 40 bar that plays the best music in town. After it's closing at 4 am, we all trekked to the beach, me after retrieving my "homeless" pack, and joined the many who had decided on the same location... a few of whom were brave enough to skinny dip in the cold Atlantic... BRRR! Star-gazing and listening to music, I was pretty sad to get up and head to the bus station in the cold morning hours, but promptly fell directly asleep on the bus, forgetting about Lagos (and most of the rest of the world too!).

Upon arrival at the Lisbon station, where I was to make  my transfer, I tried to keep myself awake during my hour wait, being terrified I would miss my connection if I napped. This worked for 55 minutes, and in the last 2, after I had already turned off my alarm, but before the bus had actually arrived, I succumbed. Thank God for the kindly driver, who seeing me in the banks of chairs closests to my bus's stop, shook me awake. I don't know how long I would have had to wait for the next bus, but I do know how angry I would have been with myself! Underway to Porto though, I did nap a bit more, and feeling a bit better, checked into the Porto Spot Hostel, winner of multiple awards.

Some street views in Porto.

The hostel is amazing. Clean, spacious, and very well kept. It has a bar in the basement, and a big kitchen, which I love as I plan to save on meals mostly in this city. I hit the supermercado, and got a steak and some broccoli for a nice, cheap and wholesome meal. I cheated just a little by buying chocolate, but there was no dairy in it, as it was extremely dark (70%), and a girl's got to have a little comfort this far from home no? The internet connection is amazing here, and Sean and I managed a long and wonderful talk, which makes me miss him all the more, but I love all the same. With such a good connection, and so much uncertainty surrounding what kind of wifi is available in Kenya, I am going to take full advantage! The hostel has organized a happy hour, as well as a pub crawl tonight, so in the interest of meeting new friends, and getting out into the city, I will participate (duh).

The view from my hostel window out into the beautiful surrounding neighbourhoods.

An odd name for a bank no? Put your money in Jesus people!

Kenya is very close now, only 2 nights away... It is hard to believe I have been travelling already for a week, and sometimes hard to believe it has only been that long. I am still loving the vagabond thing, but I do like the idea of being settled somewhere for a few weeks, and Nairobi seems as good a place as any. The work I'm going to be doing there is going to be life-changing, and I know I'll adjust to it.

In the meantime, I'm going to enjoy my last few days in Portugal, and tomorrow take a walking tour of the city. I met another Vancouverite with the potential to be a buddy whilst I'm here, whose name is Taylor. She's already been going for 2 months, wow! I'll be sure to send another update soon, and lots of love as well.

xo!

Day 5 & 6... Lagos Life

The Boardwalk in Lagos.

We stayed out until 5:30 when the club closed, and decided to walk back to our room together as the busses were insanely full. Our room is just a few streets away from the hostel proper, more like our own private apartment, with a kitchen and common area for us to hang out in as well as the beds. Being with the 5 guys means that it is always dirty and pretty sticky with beer/carelessness, but luckily it gets cleaned daily, and I keep my things well away from the hustle and bustle that goes on after hours. We grabbed the rest of our drinks from the room, and decided to go down to the beach to watch the sunrise, where we found about 30 people had decided on the same thing. All sitting together, out with the waves, after an awesome night was such a good way to start off the vacation here. Bed came around 7:30 though, so I was a pretty tired Kylie the next day!

A few shades darker.

Hello! I know it's been a few days since my last post, but I've got lots to catch you guys up on!
Having gotten to Lagos late, I walked to my hostel and met my roommates. I had been placed with 5 guys, a group of 3 Aussies, and a pair of friends, another Aussie and a Calgarian! We all decided to join the rest of the hostel in going to the Duna Beach Club, where Pendulum, a techno/house DJ, was making the group go nuts! As an open air venue it was so nice to be able to go in and out of the crowd and get air every once in a while. It was packed, and the other DJs that came on before and afterwards were awesome as well. I really developed a new appreciation for the genre, and danced like a bit of a maniac... so hard in fact that my neck hurt the next day from all the Willow Smith-esque hair whipping.


We went for some breakfast around 12, and then hit the beach. There are some absolutely breathtaking views here, with cliffs, caves, and beaches all forming inlets and secluded areas. The weather has been stunning as usual, and I've spend a lot of time on the beach, working on my colour. The other time is spend roaming around the area, and hanging with new friends at the hostel. Dinners have been pretty fun, usually a bunch of us get some grub across the street at NahNahBah, which is also owned by the Rising Cock Hostel, and boasts world-famous burgers. Their happy hour's not bad either, with 1 Euro shots all night, which is a good way to amp yourself up before you hit the myriad of nightlife options in the area.

We went from bar to bar last night, starting at Three Monkeys, and ending up at Inside Out, where we all shared a huge fishbowl, which even though it's 20 Euro, is made of an entire 26er of vodka! Dancing around then, I stopped in at the hostel to use the internet to finally get a good connection with Sean and catch him up on what's going down in my part of the world. Needless to say we had a great long conversation, and it's been awesome to realize how small the internet makes the world.



I did however make my first big travel mistake... it's been fixed, don't worry, but I had to pay the penaltie$$$. In order to make my flight to Kenya, I must be in Madrid by at least noon on the 14th. I went ahead and booked myself the early Ryanair flight out of Porto, where I will be, to arrive around 9. I did not however manage to check all my details, and booked for SEPTEMBER 14th, rather than August. I was pretty heartbroken when I realized, and the extra 80$ was no consolation. Long story short, that certainly won't happen again, and I have a boarding pass ready to go. I think I'll just stay out all night on the 13th, in order to save on the hostel fee.

Diving off the pier.

Tonight is Will's birthday, so we're all headed for dinner and then out and about to celebrate! I wonder what my birthday's going to be like when it comes around... where i'll be, and who I'll be with. Either way I'm sure it will be fun (and safe... don't worry Dad!) Tomorrow night the boys are staying again, and I've booked a 5:45 bus out of Lagos to head to Porto, which takes 8 hours. GIven the party history so far, I doubt we'll head to be before then anyways, so I'm leaving my bag with the guys and sleeping the day away on the bus... win for money saving!

We're just dashing out now, so I'm off! I'll talk soon! Love you all tons!

Day 4 Leaving Lisbon and Loving Lagos

Last night we decided to venture out again to Bairro Alto, after bringing out the cards once more. We enlisted some fellow Montrealers who proceeded to bankroll the rest of the night, and a cool Torontonian named Johnt. John and I managed to lift ourselves out of the hostel the next morning to take a free walking tour around the city. Even though we didn't actually go into any bars, the street drinking set forth its share of hangovers!

The walking tour was LONG and a little slow, but I did learn a little more than I knew before. I've always found that things are more beautiful and interesting if I know the meaning behind them. Our first stop was a little shop that sold typical Portuguese booze, which is made from a fruit similar to the cherry and is called Ginjinha. Though it was before noon, that didn't stop us from trying a little.
We walked around a ton, learning about the legends and people that make Lisbon so amazing, and checking out the sites and views of the city. It really is so different from Canada, with the layout and old buildings all over. It was completely destroyed in 1755 by a massive earthquake, 4 times larger than the one which hit Japan last year. It decimated 85% of the city, which had to be completely rebuilt. I was quite pleased to finally see some cats in the city, so of course, I had to snap a shot... I am that crazy cat lady...

A few strange things I noticed were that the cops ride segways!
With the twisty streets and crazy crowds, it seems to be the best way to get around without walking. Also, the pedestrian lights are hilariously mixed up, and extremely uncoordinated, leaving us often stranded on the islands between traffic.

Afterwards John and I headed back to the hostel and I gathered up my gear. Harry joined us, a little worse for wear with his sunburn peeling a tad a his hangover in full swing. We grabbed a bite at a small spot near the hostel for some traditional Portuguese salted cod, called bacalahau. All throughout the trip I would walk past these depanneurs all over town that sold stacks of this, in the precooked, hard, fully salt-encased form, whose smell smacked you in the face like a hammer. Surprisingly though it was pretty good! Served with spinach and black eyed peas, at €6.40 including wine and coffee, so it definitely fit the budget.

Then I hit the bus station with my red little pack and undertook the journey to the party beach town of Lagos! I only got in around 9, but mama found me a bed, and with the party already started, I dove right in! I'm staying in a room away from the main building with, get this, 5 guys... Here we go, ultimate wing girl initiated!

Day 3 History in Sintra & Belem

Last night being low key, i spent a lot of time just chilling and watching mr. and mrs. smith with some hostel friends.

Harry and I, being refreshed from a lack of partying, decided to be the ultimate tourists and hit a few must-sees in the surrounding areas. First up was another bus ride, this time to Sintra, where we went to see the Quinta da Regaleira, an incredible palacio and grounds. I managed to convince the ticket office I was a student, and paid on 4€!

The area was breathtaking, with grottos, stairs, towers, fountains and stone benches everywhere we looked. The chapel and house were also very cool, done in the renaissance style and with gothic accents.

Some highlights of the Quinta was the incredible 27 meter underground tower, and an insane rotating stone wall, as well as the ponds and intricate tunnel system in the park. After wandering for 2 hours, and a little in Sintra itself, we grabbed a coffee and the train headed to Belem.

Mansion at the Quinta da Regaleira

Belem is more of a modern area, being closer to Lisbon itself. The two main attractions here are the monuments and the pastries, pasteis de Belem, which are a sort of custardy tart. Clearly one of these was more interesting than the other for a gluten-free history student...

The Belem Tower is a large stone structure that was used to protect the Tagus estuary from pirate attacks and invasions. It's kind of cool in that you would have had to wade out into the water to get up the stairs that lead to the large structure.

The Monument to the Discoveries was erected in honor of the Portuguese discoveries and those who both patronized and undertook such journeys of reconaissance. Harry and I, being explorers ourselves, decided to add ourselves to the picture! There was a huge mosaic of the world, so I sat myself down in Kenya, my next big move. The compass associated with the map is a scary-similar image of my recent tattoo!

Having taken it easy last night, I think I'm going to make an effort to join some of the nightlife keeners and spend my last evening in Lisbon showing the town who's boss. Sangria, here I come! After a full day of walking and trains, I think I deserve it ;)!

Day 2 = Beach Time!

So I met myself a partner in crime for the Lisbon leg of my journey, and my new friend Harry and I hit up an amazing dinner last night. For a reasonable fee we dined on grilled swordfish and steamed broccoli, with a healthy dose of white wine to start us off!

Later on I brought out the trusty cards and got about 10 people going on a few rowdy games. The hostel had a keg in the fridge (all you can drink) so I had no shortage of willing partiers! We hit up the town with a vengeance, and man was I crowded! There was literally people EVERYWHERE and it's totally acceptable to buy a drink and just walk around with it. Harry and I kept leaving the group and finding better drink prices... Party veterans haha.

The beach at Cascais.

Ending the night dancing away, we met 2 great Aussies, and quickly decided to hit the beach the next morning.

Davey and Jess chilling in the sun.

To get there is a half hour train, which to buy tickets for you must use a pretty defunct, slow machine... For which there's a huge line. I literally slid into the train as it closed the doors, which is lucky because they're 20 minutes apart. The town of caiscas is pretty cute, same kind of stucco buildings and colorful veneers as Lisbon. The beach was spectaclar! It was another stellar day, and though the water was chilly (it being the Atlantic) it was a good contrast to the hot sun. We hung on our towels and listened to my awesome portable speaker, and let me tell you Carly Rae Jepsen's Call Me Maybe was played more than a few times...

The fun topic of the day was: if you had a party, what 5 people would you invite? Our top pick, Ke$ha (bryanna you would love these people)! She's in charge of bring the glitter.

All in all the old capital of Lisbon is classing me up just fiiiiine...

Tonight we're going to cook at the hostel, making some salad and seafood goodness before watching a movie. I have decided to go to Lagos in the south on the 7th, so that will be another interesting change of pace.

I'm off to attempt to get the salt and sand out of my ears (and everywhere else...)