If this is your first visit…
Everyday Fearless – The Book
Creative Monday – The Book
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Permission to Feel SadPermission to Create Something Ugly. I waited a very long time to give myself this permission. I was waiting until I could create perfect, first time, straight away. I didn’t know that was impossible. I needed to practice, I needed to write without pausing to edit, I needed to get it wrong before I could get it right. I needed to go through the ugly duckling stage with my creativity. We all have permission to make ugly on the way to beauty. Don’t wait any longer.Permission to Believe I’m Doing Enough.Permission to Ignore What Does Not Serve Me. There’s a lot grabbing our attention. Including some self-sabotaging thoughts. You don’t have to listen to everything. You can give your attention to what helps you function well and stay on track. You have permission. I know those self-sabotaging thoughts really well. They tell me I don’t need to go for a walk or oh look get some of that chocolate or no one needs your input. You’re not here for the chocolate or the silence, you have permission to listen to what serves you and ignore the rest.Permission to Let Go of Shame.Permission to Go for A Walk.Archives
Tag Archives: Portugal
Everyday Fearless
(The Book!) I did it! I finished writing my book about our journey earlier this year to Portugal and I’m really excited. (I’m sick with anxiety too but as that feels very like excitement I’m grand.) Do you remember I … Continue reading
She Rises
(That’s a stork up there) Yesterday morning we left Portugal. As I write we are in a town in Spain called Palencia. Leaving was a strange experience. First, the road was narrow and it twisted this way and that as … Continue reading
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Tagged being present, camper van, little things, motorhome, now, photography, Portugal, Spain, storks, travel
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Another Day in Bragança!
(From the walls of the castle in the old town) Yesterday was hot in Bragança but as it’s Portugal (thank you, Portugal!) there are numerous picnic tables placed near the camping car parking. As they are all placed strategically under … Continue reading
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Tagged Bragança, camper van, little things, motorhome, photography, Portugal, supermarket, travel
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The Old Town of Bragança
(The castle inside the walls of the old town) We have arrived at the town of Bragança. We are tired. We have been pushing on to make time for later. We loved this town last year and we promised ourselves … Continue reading
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Tagged all is well, Bragança, camper van, motorhome, photography, Portugal, travel
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Optimistic Outlook
(Bad…? Not too bad…?) The following morning we left early but not before Denis spilled his coffee. Every morning Denis makes a travel mug of coffee and sips it throughout the day. (Sunset in Torre de Moncorvo from our parking … Continue reading
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Tagged AeroPress, camper van, coffee, little things, motorhome, optimism, pessimism, photography, Portugal, Torre de Moncorvo, travel
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Olive Oil and Wine Tasting
(The road north) We have travelled a long way since Castro Marim and the Algarve and we’ve seen huge changes in the countryside. This eastern area of Portugal is not as well know as the west or the south but … Continue reading
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Tagged camper van, Freixo de Numão, motorhome, nature, Portugal, travel, wine tasting
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Bird Song and Frog Croaks
(Park here… this one’s in Spanish but the picture is always the same) Sunday is the day we travel the longest so from Évora we travelled three hours to a camper van parking spot called Penamacor in Benquerença which is … Continue reading
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Tagged all is well, Benquerença, calm, camper van, motorhome, nature, outdoors, Penamacor, photography, Portugal, travel
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Weird chapel in Évora
(The Chapel of Bones) Next morning we drove up the road to Évora. It was a hot dry Sunday and we were on a mission. Two missions really. Denis had heard about the Chapel of Bones and wanted to see … Continue reading
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Tagged Évora, camper van, Chapel of Bones, little things, motorhome, photography, Portugal, tourist, travel
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Balancing in Beja
(From inside Ruby inside the garage) We got to the garage in Beja and Denis talked to the very nice man on the desk. Big and all as the garage was they couldn’t fit us in (maybe to their diary) … Continue reading
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Tagged all is well, Beja, little things, motorhome, photography, Portugal, travel
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Leaving Paradise…
(The fort from the castle walls at Castro Marim) And then we had to leave… leave the beach, the 6am walks, the sea glass, the heat – no we didn’t have to leave the heat, it is hot everywhere at … Continue reading
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Tagged all is well, Beja, camper van, Castro Marim, choices, motorhome, photography, Portugal, problems, travel
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Looking for the Sea Glass
(Early morning pilgrim on Praia da Falésia) When I wasn’t watching the waves down at the beach I was watching where I walked for interesting treasure. The sea provides plenty of gifts if you keep your eyes open for them. … Continue reading
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Tagged beach, camper van, little things, motorhome, outdoors, photography, Portugal, Praia da Falésia, travel
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Praia da Falésia
(The sandy path to the beach…) I thought when we were in that sea view spot at the Municipal campsite of Setúbal that there was only one paradise in Portugal. We found another one. In the Algarve and it’s called … Continue reading
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Tagged all is well, camper van, motorhome, nature, photography, Portugal, Praia da Falésia, travel
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The Ceramists of Silves
(The studio) As I was walking up to the castle in Silves I passed a door with a sign saying… Cerimeca. Ceramics! Of course I had to go in. (Aren’t they gorgeous?) Inside the dark interior there was a lady … Continue reading
Silves’ elusive things
(A glimpse of the wall) There are two things you see a lot of in Silves – the old moorish walls and the storks. Funny enough both are hard to photograph as you walk around. The storks are always too … Continue reading
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Tagged awareness, be present, camper van, motorhome, now, outdoors, photography, Portugal, Silves, storks, travel
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Silves and Mercy
(Old door on the church needs very big key) Silves is a lovely town with plenty of cafes and restaurants and two motorhome parks, €6 per night if you spend more than one night here. You might remember we were … Continue reading
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Tagged camper van, little things, motorhome, photography, Portugal, Silves, travel
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Heading for the Hills
(The blackened trees surrounding Alferce) While at the beach Denis read about a village that had a swimming pool, showers and toilets just north of the Algarve. And it was all for free. So next morning we travelled past amazing … Continue reading
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Tagged camper van, frogs, motorhome, nature, photography, Portugal, travel
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Off to the Beach
(Nice flowers in the dunes) One of the great things about Portugal is that no matter how hot it gets there’s always (almost always) a breeze near the coast. So when it got really hot by the river we moved … Continue reading
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Tagged all is well, camper van, motorhome, outdoors, photography, Portugal, Santo André, story, travel
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Son of Alcacér do Sal
(Statue of Pedro Nunes in Alcacér do Sal) After Setúbal we moved to the town of Alcacér do Sal. We were here last year. You might remember it was the place I built up the courage to ask someone to … Continue reading
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Tagged Alcacer do Sal, motorhome, photography, Portugal, story, travel
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How to sit in nature…
(I loved this place) After Lisbon we went to Setúbal, the place the train would have brought us to if we’d stayed on board. We arrived on a decent sized road and as often happens our sat-nav system decided we … Continue reading
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Tagged camper van, motorhome, outdoors, photography, Portugal, Setúbal, travel
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Lisbon… Part 4
(Waiting for the bus) We were pretty much finished in Lisbon after our scooter trip but before we left we had a Nata in Belém. No, not at the place with the queue. Then we waited for the bus. (25th … Continue reading
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Tagged 25th April bridge, camper van, Lisbon, motorhome, photography, Portugal, trains, travel
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Lisbon by Train, Boat, Tram and Scooter – Part 2
(Long queues to get on Ascenoir da Glória) You might be already aware of a transport theme on our tour and as soon as we had descended the Ascenoir da Gloria we went in search of our next vehicle. I … Continue reading
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Tagged camper van, Lisbon, little things, motorhome, photography, Portugal, tour, travel
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Lisbon by Train, Boat, Tram and Scooter – Part 1
(Love the colours. Cafe near the train station at Cais Sodré) We went to Lisbon on Saturday. If you remember I was to be the tour guide and Denis the tourist. We set off at 8.30am to get the metro … Continue reading
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Tagged all is well, Lisbon, motorhome, photography, Portugal, story, transportation, travel
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Tour Guide for Hire
(Marigolds from Sintra) We’re going into Lisbon tomorrow and I’ve a great tour organized for Denis. Isabel can’t make it so I’ll be the guide but he doesn’t know that yet. (I used to be a guide on the Rock … Continue reading
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Tagged abatanado, coffee, Lisbon, little things, motorhome, photography, Portugal, travel
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What’s an inverter?
(All the buildings in Sintra were ornate) Our inverter broke last Thursday. It’s the thing that converts the solar energy into electricity to charge the computers. Usually it has a low pitch hum and drones on in the corner doing … Continue reading
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Tagged camper van, little things, motorhome, photography, Portugal, problems, Sintra, travel
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The heat is on…
(Nice spot to wait for the laundry to dry on Sunday) That title is supposed to say the heating’s on… we’re dipping below two digits on the thermometer again and as I’m not talking about the rain I can’t tell … Continue reading
How to say Green Tea in Portuguese
(Look at the book paper butterflies!) We’re sitting in a cafe in the afternoon both in our phones. This is so romantic… well maybe it is. Isn’t romance when the other person turns up with just what you wanted? Or … Continue reading
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Tagged café, green tea, little things, motorhome, photography, Portugal, tea, travel
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What to do if there’s a petrol shortage…
(The front of Alcobaça monastery) We hadn’t heard of the town of Alcobaça (pronounced Alco-Baza, I think) and I don’t know why. It’s very impressive. To begin with there’s s huge cathedral and monastery in the middle of a very … Continue reading
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Tagged Alcobaça, all is well, calm, motorhome, photography, Portugal, problems, travel
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What were you thinking?
(Nighttime in the sand dunes of Figueroa da Foz) Next morning we headed for Figueira da Foz. This town was recommended by a Portuguese Camino walker friend who was here. It is lovely, thank you! (An adorable statue gifted to … Continue reading
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Tagged acceptance, all is well, awareness, motorhome, photography, Portugal, thinking, travel
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What to do in Furadouro
(Look at those great clouds) I’ve finally finished telling you about Porto. That was last Saturday and today is Wednesday and we have some catching up to do. First of all the fuel tanker drivers went back to work. That … Continue reading
A Day in Porto – Part 4
(Tiles at the second Porto train station) Still talking about Porto although we have moved further south. I am writing in a cafe, the rain is falling outside and there’s a television playing constant breaking news. Although I don’t speak … Continue reading
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Tagged little things, motorhome, photography, Porto, Porto food and port tasting tour, Portugal, travel
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