Well, quite a stressful day .... but guess
that can happen when travelling.
All began well. Met Roh for coffee fairly early after he went for a walk then we sorted some groceries nearby the apartment. Packed up then I walked back to an “Orange” shop to finally purchase a sim for my phone. All sorted (I hope!) Then across to the hotel carpark to collect the car and head off south to Portugal!
Quite and overcast, cool day with some drizzly rain.
The weather resulted in a less picturesque trip but still pleasant and always interesting. So many of what you think will be little towns are actually really significant metropolises! Mind blowing really.
And then the tolls - the issue of our day! We were travelling on a main motorway and had paid three separate tolls - all cash - and the fourth was once we had entered Portugal and involved collecting a ticket. Unfortunately at the next toll booths we selected the wrong lane and there was no payment provision - and that proved to be the final toll booth prior to Porto.
Regardless we found our quirky little apartment (“Ana & Jose’s Happy Flat”) on the outskirts of the Old Town area. I called to advise we were there, not realising we were actually an hour early as there is an hours time difference between Spain and Portugal! Jose was delightful and so helpful. Suggested we ask at tourist information centre re our toll issue (from others experience we knew they had to be paid ASAP without incurring more fees).
Roh did some exploring while we washed and got organised then once we visited the Information centre and spoke to a fabulous young girl realised we had to sort this payment- but it wasn’t easy! After a few attempted phone calls she gave us directions to an outlet in a major shopping centre 6kms away to make the payment so we had no option but to head off there - but surprise, surprise... doesn’t happen there anymore! Yet another location 10kms away... more GPS fun.... and peak hour Porto traffic chaos...but finally we found it and was all sorted. Thank goodness!
By the time we were back Roh had gone to a major park area to watch Portugal v Iran in Soccer World Cup on outdoor screens- with a few thousand others!
After a calming drink we later met him at a lovely restaurant- Clube 21... for a great meal. And the Port cocktail was pretty good too!
Time for us to head off to bed while Roh organised to meet up with friends coincidently here for the night.