Monday February 5th

Day one. Nearly 7am. Dog barking outside and I switched on the phone: 6am. Running a bath. Had a cup of tea for breakfast as I forgot I have no coffee... But not on an empty stomach - still dry retching after the second cup even with three dates in my gut.

Checked into the 1330 flight from LBA. Heading to Tavira. To escape myself ...the toxic me. Possibly two weeks (13 days) walking (money allowing).

The prices are going up the week after... So I can't see it being possible to walk 13 days.

My mum has replied to my messages this morning. I was feeling utterly pointless again because if she's disinterested in what I do then I am pointless. An utter waste of matter?

9:15. Caffé Nero for a oat latte.

Cleaned boots in the river on Saturday and polished them this morning. They're nearly at the end of their lives. Same as the Páramo Halkon outer.

Six days out from Tavira will get me to Beja. I can get back from Faro to either Manchester or Leeds on Monday for around €40. It's double that the following week: it's half term. I know how to do this. It's the one true skill I have. Walking.

Need to return the library book. And start filling in the forms Abbie sent me too - Work Life Balance.

Exchanged book for Ernesto Ché Guevara The Motorcycle Diaries. A guy who has probably shit himself has caught the A1...life's not so bad really?

***

Quiet in LBA this morning. A couple of flights ahead of Faro. Alicante just left leaving Arrecife and Fuerteventura. Three bananas. Coco water. Nuts. Peanut butter bagel for breakfast - bagelnash. All healthy. Yesterday was healthy food, but too many beers in NB. Tired today...

Ten minutes left. Calm today. Trying not to get worked up by all the coming and goings, music, the till and people talking, talking, talking. Life is noisy.

Last time out it was pretty perfect. I must remind myself... I said I wasn't going to return to Faro, but that's unlikely at this time of year. The weather is atrocious in Leeds. And I've just been restricted to Wetherby for those 11 days. I did get to the allotment 3 times while I was in Wetherby. If I am sharing it with Janet and Leslie I need to decide when I return. I don't utilise the space well. I feel like it needs another set of hands to get the best out it and they are the kind of people, like Andy, who have lots of skills (organisation etc) which I just fail to grasp. I love being on the allotment though. It's very calming.

Ash Wednesday a week this Wednesday. The start of lent. Early this year. Mardi Gras on Tuesday in Portugal. I don't want to return to the UK prior to then...

***

I just remembered that the Ocean is one stop along from the airport. That's the logical place to go tonight. It's not Faro it Faro Praia...

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance and now The Motorcycle Diaries. One road trip across the US and another heading into the Andes. On The Road another one across the US. I don't drive or ride a bike. Road trips. Mine are walking trips. Slowly along the ways. Paying attention. Things fly passed in the hurry and unseen. My sight blesses the world.

Whatever I do in The Algarve today will be the wrong thing to do? I am very indecisive. The opposite to the last time I was coming this way. It's just today. If I stay in Faro I've got to get to Tavira in the morning. If I go to Tavira today it will cost me more money to stay there, but I won't need to be awake so early to head out. The beach at Faro... Not really. Too far to walk to the station in the morning.

Wax hostel is currently closed so beach option is out. No reply from Tilia hostel... I called them - the mail went into the Spam folder - and I have the same bed as January 20€ plus the key deposit (28€) but without octogenarian Brian...

Quickly down to the dock side. Coffee and Portuguese biscuits. Then mexican tacos. Three stacked black bean and sweet potatoes with salsa, salsa picante, salad leaves and a bottle of water.

Girls playing piano well in the lounge. I am horizontal. A good night's sleep and the train in the morning?