In the Algarve darling.

The winds were picking up from the Atlantic, so we thought we’d go South side. On the way we thought it might be time for another Workaway experience. We connected with Andi who lived on Frog farm. He didn’t have any work for us, but said we were welcome to stay on his land – result! Work is overrated anyway.

He sent me a Google maps location and we headed towards Budens. At the designated roundabout we turned off and headed into the hills. This was Gurty’s first experience of true off-roading, when we discovered the tarmac finished 50m outstide the village and it was now a rough stone / sand track. Not to be deterred we headed up boneshaker alley, with Google maps having a headfit cos we weren’t on no road. Luckily I’d changed the icon on Sally satnav to a 4×4 tonka truck, so on screen it all looked okay!

Our first instruction was look for the English guy at the top of the hill and turn left – simples. We found said English guy, who directed us right and therein followed an hour of back and forth, up and down tracks. Luckily each of the people we passed and asked for help were English. Unluckily they didn’t know who we were talking about.

Finally a guy on a Trials bike stopped and said ‘You don’t want to stay at Andi’s, he’s a right idiot’ or words to that effect. Our new friend Dave, instead took us to a lovely space up by a lake not far from his bus, where we stopped for a couple of days to reassess the situation, and work out how we got back onto a road. He had 3 lovely dogs and looked after us, sorting out some bits and pieces.

We spent the days watching the shepherd herd his goats, the farmer fill his water tank and fish jumping out of the lake – we reckon there was a Nessie in there.

We gave up on the noWorkaway and at the same time ran out of gas – time to go to the big smoke for a top up. Lagos here we come.