Portugal

Oct 16th - Oct 24th 2024

Wednesday 16th October 2024

Home to Luton

Left for Luton around 14:45. Very straightforward run on the back roads. Checked in and went down for the case and then Stuart texted he was downstairs on his way home from work. Went down for beverage and chat. 

He’d booked a cruise for Easter 2027 on the Queen Mary 2 and so we decided it would be rude not to go too - so we booked that.

Drove to Stonehouse for some tea - they certainly had the heating on - it was sweltering in there. Had the carvery - not the best but at least they served Pepsi Max. Dropped Stuart at Luton Station and so to bed. 

Thursday 17th October 2024

Luton to Vilamoura

Good night’s kip for me - not so much for Nikki.

Woke up around 06:00 and watched the Liam Payne updates on the TV. Dreadfully sad. Went for breakfast around 07:00 and then back to room for showers. Tackled the mound of re-packing - we’d taken everything out of the suitcase and put it in two piles on the desk. Thankfully everything fitted back in!

Ready for check out by 08:15 and on the road by 08:30 for the really long drive up to the airport. Very simple at the airport - I’d booked Priority Meet & Greet which is on the second floor of the only remaining car park there. Useful being on the 2nd floor as that’s where the walkway is over to the airport.

Went to SA to make ourselves known and they sent us round to the check-in. We got there 10 minutes before it actually opened so we just hung around the desk like a bad smell until the chap checked us in. Place was deserted - wish it was like that every time we fly from there. Straight through security and we were in the lounge less than 30 mins after check-in. 

Spent 90 mins in the lounge then down to SA via Pret for some nose bag for the plane - Egg and Cress for Nikki and a nice Ploughman’s type for me. We were taken out on the Ambu-Lift after about 25 minutes and we were first on the plane in row 3 - not our usual seats as they’d gone when I went to book. Boooo.

Flight was due at 12:05 but it was 12:20 before we took off. It was 2’30” and it really felt like it - felt more like 5 hours. Watched some TV on the phone and listened to some music - so glad to land! We were on an air-bridge so easy getting off the plane - but when the SA bods took us to the now notorious staircase - the chair lift was broken. So they had to get this odd contraption which sort of walked/bumped Nikki in the chair up the stairs.

We decided to both go around to Avis - up and down through the tunnel. I’d signed up for this new system where your keys were supposed to be in a machine thus avoiding human contact of any sort - and the long queues at car rental. Hadn’t heard anything about a QR code etc so went into the main office. Luckily one chap recognised my name and he had in fact put our keys in the machine so came out with us and got it sorted. Plus the car was in bay 1 so that helped. Nice Volvo - got everything loaded and departed.

Took our usual route on the N125 but the sat-nav turned us off before the roundabout we’re used to and brought us in on backroads - stopped off at a supermarket for some Pepsi Max and milk.

Check-in at the hotel was very simple - we’re in room 2410. The hire company had also dropped off a stroller for Nikki so we were all set. We sat on the balcony and had a beverage and some nice complimentary cookies we’d been left. They also left a bottle of port which I’m sure Nikki will try later.

Had a quick shower and went off down to the port for some tea. Ended up at the Indian Restaurant we like overlooking the marina. Food was good but it was a bit cold sitting outside - but worth it.

Back to the hotel and watched some TV before hitting the sack.

Friday 18th October 2024

Vilamoura

Slept for easily 10 hours and would happily have stayed there too!

Went down for breakfast at around 08:30 - usual spread with the addition of champagne. Most enjoyable. Back for showers and then hit the pool. 

The pool has changed a bit - the bar next to the pool is gone, the towel man has gone and the sunbeds were damp. Got sorted and found some towels. Very enjoyable in the sun while it lasted. 

Clouds came in so we retreated to the bar by the pool for lunch. I had Club Sandwich with chicken and bacon replaced by cheese. Nikki had a healthy salad bowl. 

Back to the pool for more lounging - sun came out for a bit but it started to get chilly so by 15:30 we bailed back to the room for showers. We went down to the supermarket to re-stock my Pepsi Max supplies and to have a bit of an explore. Everything looks less glamorous in the cloud. Went to the front to buy a power-bank then back and fell asleep on the couch. 

Couldn’t make up our minds for tea and ended up in Burger King. Very nice burger and an amazing Kit Kat ice cream. Plus I love their ordering system - add things or take away things from your burger. Excellent! 

Back in the room by 20:00. Checked out the award ceremony dinner being held at the hotel. Watched another episode of Kaos and hit the hay by 22:15

Saturday 19th October 2024

Vilamoura

Another very good night’s kip - Nikki was woken up a few times. Lazed in bed until 08:00 and then went down to breakfast.

It’s happy birthday Nikki so we did presents in the room before having showers and getting ready for a pool morning. Lot more organised today. I’d brought my cool-bag from home and I’d found an ice machine on our route down to the pool so I had a cool-bag filled with freezing cold Pepsi Max - better than the €4.50 per can they wanted for Coke Zero.

We were settled in by 09:45 with our now usual sunbeds - Nikki’s choice. Listened to music and dozed on and off but woke up feeling really cold. Back to the room to change for lunch around Midday. Heating up! 

Drove down to Julia’s for our booked lunch. Very nice table overlooking the beach. Whiled away a very nice couple of hours over some lovely food and watching the tide slowly come in. Both stuffed so didn’t go for desert. 

Came back to Vilamoura via the back roads. Nikki had a nap while I nipped down to the pharmacy. Ended up watching a couple of Letterman episodes on Netflix - Tina Fey and Barack Obama. 

Thoughts eventually turned towards tea and we fancied Italian so drove down to the port planning on Nosolo Italia but our normal parking space had been nabbed so we parked outside Berkshire Hathaway and nipped down the back by the Chinese. Went to Capriccio which was the first place we’d eaten back in 2010. Meal was OK but a lovely setting watching the bright red sky as the sun set. Nipped to Chinese Alan’s for a bright pink fly swat and back to the hotel. One episode of Kaos and bed!

Sunday 20th October 2024

Vilamoura

Not a brilliant nights sleep - very warm in the room despite the a/c being on! Both awake around 06:00 but stayed put with a coffee and the odd doze until 07:30. 

Ventured down for breakfast. Not as sunny this morning - hopefully early light clouds will burn off. Also feeling a little cooler with chillier winds. All relative though as the UK is being battered by Storm Ashley. 

Nikki rang her Mum for a chat and I dozed on the sunbed. So pleased with my drinks cooler full of ice and Pepsi Max! Went to the pool bar for lunch. Nikki had a veggie burger and a raspberry swirl drink - I had my no-meat Club Sandwich with added cheese and a coffee. Delicious. 

Back up to the room for Nikki to put her swimbles on and then back to the sun bed. I listened to some music and watched the planes taking off from Faro and banking over the hotel. Worked out that 51% of today’s departures were to UK airports. Germany was next with 13% and Ireland with 9%. 

Had a Cornetto mid-afternoon and by 15:40 it was starting to get chillier so we called it a day. Back to the room for a shower and a liberal application on after sun. Seems my not insignificant tummy is the closest part of me to the sun when I’m lying down - despite being in the shade. 

When we got back to the room, the hotel had delivered an ice-bucket with Champagne and a lovely looking chocolate birthday cake - I think we were still stuffed from lunch so we’ll tackle it later!

Watched a bit of TV and caught up with Stuart on FaceTime to see how the storm was going. 

Last year we’d discovered United Kitchen of India etc thanks to TripAdvisor so we booked to go there again. Hands down the best Indian food I’ve ever eaten. Chef Narayan (famous in India) came and chatted through our choices and what we fancied. He guided us to try a few things and then explained how we were eating it wrong! Like going to an amazing Indian cooking school. 

We had Gobi Manchurian - so tasty and crunchy with flavours to die for - and Alloo Mutter Samosa which we were taught to bite the pointy bit off and add the 2 sauces. Then it was Butter Paneer Masala  and an eggplant dish that he invented for Nikki - plus the nicest naan bread ever. Such a good meal - so we’ve booked again for Wednesday! Back to the hotel in a food coma and time for bed. 

Monday 21st October 2024

Vilamoura

Decent lie in - woke up around 08:00. Decided we were hungry so down for breakfast. 

Back to the room and packed for the pool. Beautiful morning. Clear blue sky and a bit warmer than recent days. Settled in for a day of absolutely nothing. Had a wade into the pool up to my waist - didn’t go fully in though - too cold. 

Had lunch by the pool - 2 veggie burgers - as the pool bar was closed as they were getting ready for a big corporate do tonight. Stayed by the pool til 15:40 and when we got back to the room we realised we’d both really caught the sun. I was shivering after my shower and felt freezing - never a good sign. Loads of after sun and some paracetamol and it settled down. 

Out to the marina for tea. Both fancied a pizza so kept it simple with Pizza Hut. Actually really nice - both enjoyed it overlooking the marina. Bit of a hunt for Pepsi Max as all the supermarkets had closed but eventually found one open in Quarteira. 

Back to the room to tackle Nikki’s birthday cake from the hotel and she had some of her champagne. Bit of TV and bed. 

Tuesday 22nd October 2024

Vilamoura

Both had a good night’s sleep. Dozed until about 08:00 then down for breakfast. Always nice and quiet there until 9ish. Very quick nosh as neither of us was particularly hungry. 

We were at the pool just after 09:00 enjoying our usual beds being in the shade until 10:00! Both a bit lobster so much sun cream required. 

I went into the pool for a paddle then Nikki came too to cool down her trotters. I grabbed a small table and she sat on that in the pool! Worked a treat! 

Had lunch at the pool bar - Club Sandwich for me and a salad for Nikki and then back to the sunbed for more basking. Stayed by the pool until about 15:40 before coming up for showers and examination of sunburn - quite extensive! Lots of dodging the water in the shower followed by shivering in the a/c room and multiple applications of aftersun. Nikki had a nap and I rewatched some of the US Office for a bit. 

Headed down to the port for tea and found a parking spot by the ramps. Had tea in Il Lamparo - Nikki won hands down with a goats cheese pastry thing to start followed by a three cheese risotto. I had focaccia and ravioli - very nice but not as nice as Nikki’s. We were on a fab table right in the front so lingered watching the world go by. 

Back to the room - there was a corporate do going on downstairs - we watched another episode of Kaos and hit the hay - both exhausted. 

Wednesday 23rd October 2024

Vilamoura

Woke around 07:30 after a good nights kip. Stayed in bed with a coffee deciding what to do. Was supposed to be much windier today but seemed OK. 

Went for breakfast at 08:15 and sat outside! Very pleasant. Just went for fruit and rolls and their lovely lattes. 

Back to the room for showers and we were on the sunbeds by 09:10. Wind wasn’t so bad to start but as the sun rose it started to pick up. Around 10:30 our umbrella almost went over so we relocated to the shadier side of the pool. Stayed about 15 mins before getting cold. Moved to the indoor pool which was very humid and had a dip in there - not heated but warmer than the outdoor pool. 

I came up around 12:00 for a shower while Nikki stayed by the pool. She texted around 12:20 so I went to get her. 

Decided on a road trip to Albufeira for lunch. Took about 25 mins and we found our usual parking garage. Wandered around to the front and sat at one restaurant before seeing the menu which was mainly fish. We made our excuses and went to Infinity Sports Bar for some gorgeous sandwiches. I had a cheese, tomato and onion baguette - Nikki had brie, honey, cherry tomatoes and walnut toastie plus a Cosmopolitan which she said was delicious. 

Back to the hotel and some down time. Booked for United Kitchens of India for tea for 19:00. Another amazing meal - had pretty much the same as Sunday night but sadly no chef coming to table to guide us! Most enjoyable though. 

Back to the hotel for final episode of Kaos and so to bed. 

Thursday 24th October 2024

Vilamoura to Home

Home day today. Quite a restless night but didn’t want to get up from the lovely Hilton bed! Very cloudy morning - got up and went down for our breakfast around 07:50 - quite early for us. Nikki had peaches and I had the kids starfish cereal - then it was rolls with marmalade and jam - very nice. 

Back up to the room for showers and we were on the sunbeds by 08:50 - before the official opening time - we’re keen to make the most of every moment. Stayed very cloudy for the first 45 mins but then the cloud broke and we had a decent 30 mins of bright sunshine. Could see the clouds regathering so we decided to leave while it was still sunny. 

Up in the room I halfheartedly started the packing. By about 11:45 we were done so I took the case down to the car and got us checked out. 

We hit the road just after Midday with one stop on the way at the petrol station. Got to Faro Airport around 12:45 and I dropped Nikki off outside with the case while I went to drop the car back at Avis. When we got to the check-in desks the Luton flight wasn’t open but the helpful lady pointed us to the SA seating and said she’d come for us when it opened. This she did and then SA came for us and took us through. Arranged where to meet them and went for a Burger King. Massive long wait for food but rather good when it came. 

Usual worry if SA had forgotten us - thankfully they hadn’t but we were last on the plane. Same seats (3E & 3F) on the way back. Journey wasn’t too bad. 3 episodes of EastEnders and we were over the Channel. Landed the Stevenage side at Luton - very quick landing and taxi. Waited a little bit for SA but made up for that at passport control. 

A quick loo stop and our bag was one of the first off the belt. Picked up some sandwiches and milk from M&S and some crisps from WH Smith and off to the car. Very easy journey home - only marred near home where we came across a road closed sign - ignored it and it wasn’t. 

Took the case up and left it on the bed like some sort of belongings buffet for people to help themselves and hit the couch for tea. 

Very nice trip to Portugal. Worked out we’ve been going to Vilamoura for 14 years - since 2010 - and still thoroughly enjoy it. Roll on next time.