Backpacking Begins

September 1st, it's a special and memorable date for me and my partner Craig. It's the date that we flew to Beijing in 2011 to embark upon eight months of travel. We chose the exact same date to fly to Rio de Janeiro where - as I'm writing this - we have just enjoyed our first full day.

Our travels are open ended and fairly unplanned, we hope to be on the road for a year and would like to see most of the South American countries before moving on to another continent or home depending on our financial situation.  

This journal will be used to record this journey, place by place or week by week depending on Internet access and time. I hope you will follow along. 

If you enjoyed reading then please click the heart at the bottom, share or better still leave me a comment, I love reading them.

100/100

This week I finished the 100 days project. It was a challenge to say the least! I managed to go quite a number of days before lapsing and then found that I relaxed and took the project less seriously as time went on. Some days were so easy and other days I really struggled to the point of wanting to quit but I'm so glad I persevered. 

​The project made me feel less restricted in my subject, usually I only draw from photographs of places with significance. I found that I could paint some washy shapes with ink and claim them as mountains, islands or clouds and feel confident doing so. 

The project also gave me the opportunity to practice more mark making with pen and introduce a little colour to my work. I'll continue to draw on a postcard format as I enjoy the small scale and the convenience of working quickly and freely. 

Lisbon

The smell of sardines on the barbecue, brightly coloured garlands hanging across winding alleyways, beautiful tiled walls and rickety trams. All these things I associate with my week in Lisbon this June.  

I visited with my family and we did so much, rather than list everything in my journal, I've chosen a few images and put together short descriptions of our wanderings.

Over Alfama

Our apartment was halfway up a steep alleyway in Lisbon's Alfama district, from our apartments pretty terrace we could see terracotta rooftops, tall chimneys and colourful flowers on balconies. We could also see the water. This view was from a platform round the corner, historic tram 28 winds through the district.  

Pena Palace

Colourful Pena Palace is a main stop on a day trip to Sintra. It's roughly 45 minutes by train and then a bus ride away unless you're particularly fit and a fan of steep hills! Inside Pena Palace are ornately decorated rooms and it boasts spectacular views, you can see for so many miles it's unreal. The grounds are extensive and there are a lot of hidden gems to discover, it's worth arriving early with lots of energy as there is so much to see. 

Belém Tower

Belém is a pretty and leafy district a tram ride away from the city centre. Here you can find Belém Tower. When we visited it was a very hot day, my mum and I sheltered under a tree people watching while my other half Craig and my brother Matthew took photographs. Whilst in the area we ate a delicious Italian lunch, visited Jerónimos Monastery and I got my art fix at the fantastic and free Berardo Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art. 

Quinta da Regaleira  

Quinta da Regaleira is also in Sintra but we visited on a seperate day, it was my favourite place in the Lisbon area. Full of pretty plants and flowers, statues, ponds and unusual sights. There are tunnels behind waterfalls, initiation wells, hidden doorways and tall towers, it felt like we had jumped into a fairytale. 

Cascais

Now, I'm not a beach person. I once spent 4 weeks in Fiji where there wasn't much to do except relax by the sea and so I think I've exceeded my beach time quota. However, we did spend one day out of seven in Cascais a pretty seaside town. We spent the whole day on a lounger, I read my book (On The Road by Jack Kerouac) sipped piña colada and watched people play in the freezing cold ocean. It was pure heaven.