Life has been challenging for many of us in 2020 because of the pandemic, but I really shouldn't complain since I'm lucky to live in Europe, have numerous friends, and have a supportive family who is always ready to assist when needed. Many people worldwide face much tougher situations than I do, and some may never have it easy, which deeply saddens me. There's a lot wrong with the world today, but if you take a more pragmatic view, this was likely true 5000 years ago and will probably be true 5000 years from now (assuming humans are still around). Today, we have healthcare systems, a financial system, technology, vaccines, and more.
I care for many causes like climate change, politics, economics, inequality, animal welfare, human rights, and a couple of others to varying degrees, even though things can get overwhelming at times. I still do my share and help these different causes where possible. One way I do this is by travelling and supporting/helping out local communities by shopping locally, staying in accommodation owned by locals, taking part in tours organised by small independent companies, travelling by car or on foot where possible as opposed to flying, etc.
These are clearly things that are important to me and may not be to others, but I'm okay with that. Neither I nor you, dear reader, will be around forever, so I suppose this pandemic has essentially taught us that if you want to do something, you should do it today, not tomorrow, as a contagious disease might disrupt your plans!
F*CK YOU COVID-19, there I said it.
In the past few months since leaving Cuba in March (I was on a year-long journey through Latin America that began in Mexico in January 2020) due to the global pandemic, I've been in my hometown in Portugal. This wasn't by accident. Initially, everything felt quite strange; one day I was in the Caribbean preparing my next vlog and some articles for the blog, and the next I was on a plane to Madrid (the only available flight I could find), then in a car from Madrid to the nearest border with Portugal, followed by another car ride, and finally arriving at a house that used to belong to my grandmother, which my dear mum had stocked with all sorts of food (and, of course, plenty of toilet paper). It's amusing how, no matter your age, your mum and dad will always be there for you, even if it means coming to pick you up at the border with Spain during a strict pan-European lockdown, wearing a mask made from an old bra!
Similar to many people, I caught up with old friends, participated in numerous Zoom calls, absorbed an overwhelming amount of information about the virus, drank a lot of wine, watched a variety of TV series and movies from the 60s to the present, acquired new skills, and worked on some new vlogs and this blog - I enjoy staying occupied.
As the lockdown slightly eased, I took my first trip to the nearest beach in May. I won't be writing about it but here you go a photo from that day.
Following this trip, I stayed at home for a few more weeks, continuing with the same activities, but my urge to travel became overwhelming. To satisfy this urge, I decided to explore parts of my home country that I had never visited before. Given the current situation and to reduce unnecessary interactions with others, I chose to rent a campervan!
And so a week of adventure ensued.
I currently reside in London, not Portugal, which means that each time I visit family and friends, my stays are typically limited to just a few days or a week. As a result, there are many places I don't get to see. Therefore, this time, I decided to focus on exploring parts of the country I hadn't visited before.
The itinerary looked something like this.
The entire experience was fantastic, and I'm now convinced about purchasing a campervan as soon as possible, which I intend to use for numerous adventures both in Europe and beyond.
I'm going to take my first flight post-lockdown in a while, as I'll be in Italy for close to 2 months before going back to London, so expect plenty of content from that beautiful country. Other than that, I just hope everyone is keeping safe, wearing their masks when required and adhering to the recommended 2m social distancing rule.
I'm sure we'll beat the virus, and as far as travelling is concerned, borders will open, and we can all get on with our adventures, but until then, let's just help build a better tomorrow.
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