Portugal (Van-Life)

We have often wondered about traveling by campervan: would we like it, would we hate it, is it as great as hippie travelers on Instagram claim? Well.... we were about to find out. We picked up our rental van in Lisbon and headed south for a ten-day road trip! With Corbin nervously at the wheel and Tatum navigating while riding shot gun, we maneuvered through the busy city streets and both breathed a sigh of relief when we turned off onto the smaller country roads. Our first night was spent settling into our new home on wheels and eating instant ramen noodles while watching the sun set.

Day 1 in the van was eventful! We started the day with a cliffside hike and visit to a church/monastery that dated back to 1410. Then, we were off to the beach. After an adventurous hike our toes hit the sand and we got our first taste of summer on the Portuguese coast. We read our books, swam in the chilly water, and lounged feeling like life couldn't get any better (blissfully unaware of what was happening back at the parked van).

We returned to the van and realized that someone had broken in through a latched window and torn the place apart, ugh. With our 'high on life' feeling completely flipped, we spent the next 12hrs cleaning the van, taking stock of what was missing (thankfully only a few valuables and nothing we couldn't live without), jerry-rigging the window shut, and filing a police report. We initially felt vulnerable and frustrated by what had happened but nonetheless attempted to shake it off, chalk it up to "sometimes things like this happen while traveling", and make the most of the rest of our trip... and man am I glad we did. As a final touch, Tatum slapped a Band-Aid on the outside of the window (leave it to the nurse) and off we went!

Day 2 & 3 were spent winding our way south. During the drive we curved through cork tree orchards, rolling hills covered with bright red poppies, and rural towns. An unexpected highlight was the mountain town of Santiago do Cacem. After a few sketchy moments taking the van into streets that were way too narrow... we parked the van outside of town and set off on foot. We wondered the quaint streets, ate tapas, and heel click'ed near the castle walls. We also got our hands on some seafood... a delicious shrimp and rice soup, think of an extra brothy paella. After a relaxing night at a campsite with a pool, we felt like we were back on track!

On day 4 we finally made it to the Algarve region of Portugal which encompasses the entire southern coast of the country. We spent the next four days based outside of the city of Lagos and fell into a nice routine. Mornings were spent working from the van, afternoons were reserved for exploring nearby beaches and viewpoints, and in the evenings we either grabbed dinner in Lagos or cooked in the van. One afternoon we hiked the 'Seven Hanging Valley's Trial' and enjoyed epic limestone cliff views.

Our last day in Lagos we decided to check off a bucket list item... Kayaking to some of the more difficult to reach sections of the coast. The wind was a little more than we bargained for and we laughed as we struggled to navigate our kayak. At one point, we tried making our way through a small rock arch but were stopped by a gust of wind and abruptly pushed backwards! Don't worry Mom's... We were wearing life jackets, even though it chaffed Corbin's nipples (see blooper pics below) haha.

The Algarve blew us away and we would recommend it be added to your list of places to visit!

With only two days left, it was time to start slowly making our way north while leaving room to explore along the way. We stayed inland and enjoyed more forested/mountainous terrain. With Tatum directing and Corbin at the helm nothing could stop us…except for a narrow street that the van couldn’t fit through. Trying to make a U-turn on the tiny street was probably the most stressed out Corbin has been in a long time. With 6 inches in front of the van and 6 inches behind, Corbin cursed as he tried turning the dumb thing around. After about 10 minutes of back and forth we were finally free… we found a pull-off to take a couple deep breaths, looked at each other and just started laughing hysterically.

Spring is beautiful in Portugal and we drove past stunning wildflower covered fields; we stopped and went for a 3 mile run to stretch our legs and admire the beauty. Over the next couple hours we drove on country roads, through quaint villages until ultimately stopping at our destination, Adega dos Nascedios, a small family-run vineyard. We set up camp (parked the van) and went for a walk through the budding grapevines. The owner set up a wine tasting for us, and we spent the evening sipping wine, eating charcuterie and enjoying the last night in the van. Talk about a perfect Portuguese night.

With the epic conclusion of our trip complete it was time to return the van (after a trip to the dump station of course). So... what's the final word on van life: did we love it, did we hate it, was it all that it had been cracked up to be? Yes, yes, and yes haha. There are undoubtedly pros and cons to van-life. Tatum's favorite part was being able to visit rural areas and the countryside which is otherwise difficult while traveling without a vehicle. Corbin's favorite part was not hitting anything, and seeing off the beaten track areas. I think it's safe to say that even though we cursed more than once after bumping our heads in the tight spaces we would gladly sign up for another campervan trip in the future. But to live in one long term…maybe not.

Speaking of first-time experiences, join us next time on the Boots Abroad Blog as we visit our 1st country in AFRICA! Morocco here we come.

With Love,

Boots Abroad

Corbin’s

Highs: Beach Days, Charcuterie nights with good wine and cribbage in the van, going wherever, whenever we wanted

Lows: Driving on the narrow streets, U-Turn, Break-in, Working on my phone because my computer was stolen

Tatum’s

Highs: sangria outside a beautiful white church in Lagos, relaxing beach days, the stunning wildflower covered hills, getting away with not having to empty the black water tank

Lows: break in, struggling to know where we were allowed to free camp

Bloopers...