Miracle List for Portugal 2022

• We all arrived in Portugal and got to see Lynnea and Meryl. Kimberlee arrived late but made it that first evening. Paul found us a fun restaurant.
• The bus was comfortable, and it stopped when I was needing a pee break and ET held the bus for me until I got back.
• The first morning of our hiking Bruce wanted to hike alone the first section. He changed his mind. We had a hard time getting a taxi until ET went out and found someone to call us one. The taxi man was willing to make two round trips. Timing and finding Bruce would have been hard!
• The hiking the first day was beautiful but we walked the beach and ended up without an easy route back to the trail far above us. Bruce found a way and we all made it off the razor sharp rock with only torn pants and light cuts.
• It rained hard all night in Porto Covo and had stopped by morning when we were ready to hike. The sand was packed down and made hiking much easier.
• There was a English-speaking woman when we were in Milla Fontes. She arranged the ferry for us the next morning. We were tired and there was a place to eat in the Villa and the breakfast place was very close to the ferry. Some friendly people saw us heading the wrong way and pointed us to the ferry saving us extra steps.
• Bruce and Ellie decided to walk the trail on the ridge while the others hiked the beach. We were able to save them steps to go back to stairs because we could see where the beach ran out.
• When I fell there was a beach café at the bottom of the steep hill. The man working was concerned about the cut on my shin and doused it with vodka and provided band aid.
• We were able to get a taxi called from the restaurant we stopped at in the afternoon. Kimberlee and I had a pleasant place to hangout while we waited the hour for our taxi driver.
• The next day the owner called the same taxi driver to take us to Alezur for our next stay. The driver was smart and called the Air B&B owner before we arrived, or we would never have found our apartment. There was a plaza with café and restaurant not too far away where we could hang out while we waited to get into the apartment.
• The next day I had a full day of sitting with my leg up letting it rest. The next day Bruce and I found a taxi at the bus stop who took us to a town part way to our next destination. We hiked slowly and I was able to do the five miles to our next town.
• The next day Bruce and I left early knowing I would be slower. Kimberlee left her pole at the Youth Hostel and ET noticed before she had gone very far. The group had some trouble staying together but everyone found each other, and all arrived.
• I kept being able to hike. The only rain on the trail was a light mist. When we arrived at the Air B&B everyone was tired. The owner drove people into town so we could buy food to cook for dinner. It rained heavily after we arrived.
• With Bruce and ET’s help I made it up and down steep sections of the trail.
• My taxi driver to Salema Beach had no clue where he was going but he was persistent until he found it. When I found our apartments, the angel housekeeper opened the lock box to give me the keys when my phone froze.
• I skipped the longest and steepest section of the trail. Everyone else made it with no major injury.
• When Bruce tried to take a shortcut and we got caught by the hotel woman who was MAD, we did not get arrested, and we all made it over the high fence without anyone having injury. The trail was right on the other side.
• We found a place for great Mojitos and drinks when we arrived in Sangres. Great place for dinner on the beach!
• We made it successfully on our two trains and found our “home” in Lisbon. Bruce and ET were able to figure out the locks – not easy.
• Paul found us two great restaurants in Lisbon close to ‘”home.” Last night the owner was especially attentive and fun.
• Bruce hiked the whole thing and only had one day with a sore knee. Paul persevered with his sore knees, and they got better!
• Bruce had bought a new knee brace and thought to add an ankle brace. Both used and made a huge difference.
• I had received a hand me down pair of hiking shoes size 9 the week before we left. I decided to take them as a second pair. I would never have been able to wear the brace in my size 81/2 hiking shoes.
• Kimberlee had kind and helpful man in Memphis to help her with her vase before he left on vacation.
• I had the best doctor when I went to urgent care. He had been a paratrooper and knew lots of people who broke fibulas and walked on them until they could get care. “No big deal.”