Portugal

---

After my early arrival into Lisbon I was at my best using my non existent Portuguese to try and figure out where I could catch a bus to Ericeira to meet up with Jack Perry & Nic Muscroft who were surfing in the World Qualifying Series event, as well as Brett Girvan who was there to film the boys surf.
After a few metro trips, when it did finally begin running, and an hour and a half bus I arrived in town, but the problem was I was 45 minutes too late to see mushy surf and he had bombed out in an unlucky heat. Unfortunately I would also not get to see Pez surf as Mushy had taken him out the day previous and Robbo (Adam Robison from Portland) missed out the previous afternoon as well. The boys came and picked me up and headed straight back to the beach as their mate and travel partner Corey Ziems had his heat on very soon. After watching Corey smash it in his heat, we headed back to the house for a bit and then back to see him surf that afternoon. This process continued for most of the day as the surf was rubbish and the comp kept on getting put on hold.
That evening we headed to Ozzy’s Pizza Shop which was run by I think a Greek guy from Richmond. This establishment would become quite a popular eatery for the remaining few days in town, along with some of the best toasty’s I have every had which where available at the comp. Beers on the deck looking over the amazing sunset was pretty good and you think how good you have got it to be in Portugal with your mates who you’ve know for 15 or more years.
From there we headed to a little bar in town where it seemed all the eliminated surfers where chilling. It ended up being classic night with Girvo in some raw form, but it was not a massive night as Corey was still in the comp. The next morning we headed down the comp to watch Corey surf; he got burnt by the judges on his last ride and lost the heat by less than half a point. So with all the boys out it was not going to be a quiet one. It was once again beers on the deck before heading to the house Pez had been staying at with a few more of the boys and their girlfriends. From there we headed back to out little bar which had increased in size from the last round of eliminated surfers. This time around Mushy took BOG honours from Girvo, but he did put up a bit of a fight for it towards the end of the evening.

After another good night at the little bar we headed down the road to a club that was meant to be pumping. It had not even opened its doors to the public yet, but the boys got us in to the VIP party through a few of the other Pro’s inside. The bar did not really get kicking until 3am like most good bars worldwide.

Well Sunday was a total right off and we enjoyed the mini pool that the boys had in their house that they had rented. We hit up Ozzy’s once again for take away breakfast and ate in for lunch, even though I was battling to eat. It was quite funny. That night we all discussed how we all found ourselves in quite depressive modes that morning chilling in the house after a big one, thinking about home and our lives. We headed out for tea that night and all had a quiet one before I headed to Lisbon before a 5 hour bus to Lagos and the boys had an 8 hour trip north to their next contest.

I arrive in Lagos after a bit of a wait over in Lisbon and headed to my hostel, which I found by sheer luck in the narrow and uncoordinated planning. I went to check in and the hostel had double booked me, so I had to sleep on the couch in the common room. It was not going to be that bad as I was planning a big night in town catching up with Jake Johnson and his girlfriend Louise. And it did pan out to be that way. After spending the afternoon chilling on the beach I headed back for a bit to eat and then out to catch up with the others. I ended up walking the wrong way to the bar. My 6 degrees of separation continued and the door bitch at one of the bars (Red Eye Bar) was Shaun Keating (a mate and rival from Barwon Heads) so I spent a bit of time chatting with him before heading back to 3 Monkeys to catch up with Jake & Louise. It was here that I stamped my authority on the two and showed the pups how to drink and after making our way to a few bars we headed back to the Red Eye Bar to finish off the night. I ended up out with a few girls from the bar and got shown around town and appeared in a number of peoples pics the next day, so I must have been at my photographic best. Same pattern on the Tuesday, hit up the beach before retreating to the balcony of the hostel for a few beverages. Not a late one and the crowds were not doing much. It was to the beach again on the Wednesday where I ran into a French Canadian girl who I meet on my trip from Valencia to Granada nearly 2 weeks back, so I caught up with her and her aussie friend Katie and we spent the day packing and joking. That night I caught up with Jake and Louise who took the night off after being shown up. I was planning on catching up with the other at Red Eye so the 3 of us headed back to the hostel for a few brevy’s before making our way down there for a really good night. I was a little hung over on Thursday morning but I think that had more to do with the fact that I had to go on a 2km sprint to get some cash out of the ATM as the credit card machine was not working at the hostel and I has 25mins to be on my bus to Seville. After a sweaty run to the bus station I arrived spent and hung over and could only buy small bottles of water. So I did and slept most of the journey to Seville.

Portugal was a little short for my liking and there is so much more to do in the country. I would have loved to see the boys a bit longer than I did, but that meant no La Tomitina. So the decision was made and I am glad that I did both. Lagos is very much a party town and I had to bail a day early, as it was not good for the liver or cash situation. But I would love to work a summer there and the place has always got something going on.

---