Preparation and Travel
We made it a priority to not check bags. It was easier than we expected but required some planning. We each carried one roller and one underseat item (right). This turned out to be a good call when the first leg of our trip got delayed by 3 hours (below)
On the plane, Delta was showing the documentary "100 Foot Wave", which featured the seaside town of Nazaré, Portugal, one of the stops on our trip. We were so stoked to see it in the movie. Also, we had never used the word "stoked" before watching the movie (above).
The tour provided ample time for exploring on your own, so our preparation for the trip focused on planning what to do in our down time and figuring out how to pack. Taking Rick’s advice, we were determined to travel light and not check any bags. Minimizing clothing was key. We followed the guidelines in Rick’s packing list resources, carried 3-4 days of clothes, and did laundry in hotel rooms as needed. Detergent sheets and small foldable travel hangers were part of our travel kit. Along with our clothes, we also packed a bath kit, European charging adapters, iPads, iPhones and USB-C cords. Michael brought along one camera instead of his usual dedicated bag of cameras and lenses.
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We flew from Atlanta to Boston and then on to Lisbon. Our flight to Boston was delayed and scheduled to arrive just about the time our Boston to Lisbon flight was scheduled to depart. We made a mad dash from our arrival terminal at Logan Airport to our departure terminal. During those frantic moments, we greatly appreciated not having to worry about a checked bag making it on the plane. Luckily our outbound flight to Lisbon was also delayed and we were able to make the flight as planned, just a little bit later than expected.
We arrived the day before the tour started in case our flight was delayed and to help adjust to the jetlag. We checked our bags at the hotel, resisted the urge to nap, and immediately hit the streets for the 40-minute walk to the National Museum of Ancient Art. A little more than an hour later (we may have taken a wrong turn or three) we arrived at the Museum and were treated to the first of many examples of Portuguese art that we would see on the trip.
On the walk we become acquainted with the tiled roofs, paved sidewalks and steep hills of Lisbon. We finished the day off with a lovely dinner at an outdoor café near our hotel and our first glass of Vinho Verde.
We took a long walk (above and right), to the National Museum of Ancient Art (below) and got familiar with the cobblestone streets, tiled roofs and funiculars of Lisbon.
Michael taking a picture of Hilary taking a picture of Michael. (left).
We ended the day with dinner at an outdoor cafe near our hotel and had our first glass of Vinho Verde (above).
Doing laundry in our hotel room sink and hang-drying every few days allowed us to keep the clothes we brought to a bare minimum and was the key to not needing to check bags (left).
Click the pastel de nata to continue the journey.