After a good night sleep in The Van we hit the road for another look at Rabat, however apon arrival the caravan parks we were intending to stay at had since closed down. We tried searching for alternative sites to no avail and after assistance from some locals we were pointed in the direction leading us out of the city. With still no luck and a strong desire for a more familar country we both agreed to head to Tangiers. The following day we had breakfast in Morrocco caught the ferry to Tarifa, to have lunch in Spain, then plotted a course for dinner in Portugal.

We arrived in Faro, found a campsite and parked the van then headed down the road to a nice restaurant/bar/cafe where we enjoyed a couple of beers while watching the sunset over the beach. We were fortunate enough to meet a local Portugese driver who, like all the Portugese we had met so far, was more the happy to offer advice on any thing we needed from a mechanic to hairdresser to places to see. 

Our first day in Faro we caught the bus into the small city and straight away fell in love with it's laid back atmosphere, affordable prices and the obundance of cobbled streets to explore. After visiting the tourist information we entered the walled confines of the old city and found an authentic Algarve restaurant to enjoy lunch. Like most of Portugal the menu came in many languages but also indicated what dishes were made with fresh produce on that day. In addition to the fantastic food and atmosphere our waiter was friendly, patient with Glenns attempts at Portugese and enthusiastic in sharing his knowledge of the Algarve area. This included, after an amazing meal, offering us both a shot of Medronho (which tasted and smelt like rocket fuel due to it's 50% alcohol content). We spent the rest of the day exploring Faro then headed back to the site for a hot shower and an early night.

After getting up early and doing our domestic duties we headed to Almancil to visted the recommended mechanic, which ended with booking the car in for the upcoming friday to fix a water leak. Parking the car at the local shopping mall for lunch and supplies we then headed back into Faro to visit the Chapel of Bones which was closed when we arrived, forcing us to find a cafe to sit, relax and have a coffee to pass the time. Upon entering the chapel we were amazed at religous framework that held the place together. Continuing through the chapel we were met with wax statues of Christ depicting different scenes of the crucificion as well as ornate woodwork and tapestries. Finally we entered a courtyard containing the bone chapel that was built using the bones of the monks which had been dug up from the cemetary in the courtyard. Although interesting it was chilling and macabre and we were happy to leave.

The next day we came across an extremely cheap self contained appartments in nearby Albuferia which was only a little more than we were currently paying but would offer us a place to stay should the van be required to be kept overnight at the mechanic the following day. In the morning we drove to the mechanic, dropped off the van and headed to the train station to go into Faro. 90 minutes later, after much sun and reading, the train finally arrived and we were on our way. The day was spent wondering the streets, sampling the food and hanging out in cafes before heading back to pick up the van which, thankfully, only required an easy fix. 

The following day we decided to explore Albuferia, which being a resort town in the off-season, didn't have a great deal to offer except relaxing at a bar with beer... so we did. The day passed very lazily and as evening arrived we were flooded with tourists staying at the resort who all seemed to come from Manchester on an all expenses paid package. After making some new friends, who started to grab us some "all-expenses beverages", and enjoying the entertainment provided for them, we hit the sack in a very merry state. The following day was spent rehydrating and recouperating in a very dark room.

We left Albufeira, heading north-west to Aljezur after being recommended the caravan site there by our mechanic. This turned out to be a lovely little town that was perfect for a few days of quiet country walks and fresh air. From here we started our journey north up the coast of Portugal. Along the way we found the perfect place for lunch as we crossed a bridge with stunning blue water, turned into the town of Vila Nova de Milfontes that it lead to and paused for a moment at the mouth of the Mira river where it met the Atlantic ocean. We spent the night in the Santo Andre national park before heading for Lisbon first thing in the morning.