A Van of One's Own: A Winter Sojourn by Biddy Wells

Author:Biddy Wells [Wells, Biddy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Biography & Autobiography, General
ISBN: 9781910901991
Google: ol0RMQAACAAJ
Publisher: Parthian Books
Published: 2017-07-15T23:23:16.901979+00:00

Part Three

Today I am sitting alone on my bed, which I haven’t done for some time. I am staying at a campsite at the eastern end of the Algarve’s built-up tourist strip. It’s spacious, homely, laid-back and only a short walk from the sea. Like the one in Sagres, it’s sited alongside a patch of rough land, which is home to a collection of farmyard animals and poultry, along with feral cats, donkeys and dogs. I guess it’s not everybody’s cup of tea, but I have come to love staying next to these noisy creatures as they mingle together in their happy little communities. I like being so close to their world. The air is filled with sound. I hear cockerels and goat bells, a goose or two, the twittering of small birds and flies buzzing around my head. None of this bothers me. A dog now joins in with the cacophony. Through the window I can see sparrows pecking the ground where I shake out my breadcrumbs.

I have no plans for now, except to be here, walk on the beach and see what happens. From here it’s only an hour’s drive to the border with Spain, which I plan to cross in a couple of weeks. Until then, I am enjoying being settled and cramming in as much idleness as possible before I leave Portugal. Sun pours in through the rear windows and I am basking in its warmth like a lazy cat. I have no urge to move.

I remember something I had almost forgotten: back in October, the psychic had said, ‘After that…’ He told me that it was not something to fear, just my grandfather’s message. I had a feeling it was significant, but after what? And what after that? I let it go, trusting that all will reveal itself.

*

David left a few days ago. After visiting Mooji we spent two weeks travelling around the southwest of Portugal, eating, drinking and being very happy and harmonious. We walked, chatted with fellow travellers, swam, combed beaches, made driftwood sculptures and relaxed into simply being together.

One of the things we love to do is visit ancient Celtic sites and look at megaliths. We have seen some fantastic menhirs in Brittany – some thirty feet tall – and the amazing system of three thousand standing stones at Carnac. I can really imagine myself becoming a bit of a megalith anorak. One day, driving away from a small village where we had stopped for coffee, we were thrilled to spot a sign saying ‘Megaliths 5 km’ and decided to take a look. I had heard that there were some amazing ancient Celtic sites in Portugal and had a vague recollection of a site in Alentejo that was one of the most significant groups of menhirs in the whole of Europe. What a stroke of luck it was to find ourselves chancing upon something as exciting as this! We turned onto a small lane and seemed to drive for miles before we saw a second sign.

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