Sunrise and Sunsets | Mini-Van life Part 2

There’s truly nothing more beautiful than watching sunsets on a daily base and falling asleep to the sounds of waves splashing on a beach, then waking up and walking on empty beaches with you dog, being fully immersed in nature. During my second week on the road, I stayed at as many beach locations as possible which was truly fueling for my soul. That’s what this second week of driving along the coast was all about! 

Continuing the drive from Malaga, I made a pitstop in Gibraltar and had a look at the rock of Gibraltar, which is absolutely stunning especially when driving down to the town just as much as when you’re in front of it.

Following this scenery, I continued driving along the coast down to Tarifa, and the drive alone was already an experience itself, you can even see the next continent which is incredible!

Tarifa seems to be home to many van-lifers, as you can find loads of vans at unofficial parking at the beach and these offer incredible sunset views! Tarifa itself is a very windy place though, so if you’re into kite Surfing, this the spot is perfect for you. It's a little too windy for me but the walks on the beach, especially for dogs, and the views are simply beautiful.

My drive continued and took me to Portugal! In the Algarve I stopped at different locations driving through gorgeous villages (which I strolled along so many times when I lived there. It was a bit nostalgic yet also truly beautiful being back in this area!) I first went to Faro to a calm beach where Atlantis started digging awesome holes (he does that now at every beach and keeps on getting better and better, its so beautiful watching him create them!) and then I spontaneously drove to Sesmarias for the night, where I watched a gorgeous sunset!

The journey continued and we ended up in Lagos that evening strolling along the cliffs for hours, even sharing some wisdom with strangers, planting seeds on how they should dare to travel the world!

The next morning I woke up naturally around 6:30 (it seems the universe wanted me to see one of the most magical sunrises I know of) and as the sunrises in Lagos Praia de Camillo are absolutely spectacular, truly one of a kind I got front seats on the cliffs and watched this spectacle of nature! Sitting on the peak of the cliffs, you literally watch the first rays of light shine over the horizon of the water - it really is a spectacle, one of its kind.

Following this, I found a secluded beach which a local told me about, as you can only get there through a secret path, but the hike is absolutely worth it. I also discovered some interesting sea-life on the rocks in the water (it looks like a strawberry) which got me on a long path of research later on. I can only encourage you to always observe and discover, as you will find things you've never seen before, and when you research them you'll learn something new! Everyday we can learn something new!

Later on I drove to Sagres to see the most southern peak of Portugal which is pretty cool, and over there Atlantis and I also took a little break from all the driving. This place too, is another extremely windy location, so it’s also a great spot for surfers and kite surfing.

Following a nap in the car, we continued the drive along the coast, and found a parking again on the beach in a town I never heard of before, Sines where I was allowed to witness yet another beautiful sunset from inside my car.

Following a morning stroll on the beach, I then drove a little further up the coast to find a beautiful long beach where I parked ontop of a cliff, wrote, read and enjoyed yet another spectacular sunset!

The next morning, we took a quick drive through Lisbon, and I discovered that this city holds a lot of magic where artistry meets culture. A city influenced by a lot of of modernness yet full of rich history, which I found quite appealing!

I then drove to Colares where I found a magical beach where you could see some old ruins, literally on the beach and the energy there was simply incredible! I honestly felt I had been here before, and this kind of feeling is one of the treasures about traveling to me. Not only did I feel something magical about this place, but to my surprise, it was also a dog beach! For that evening I drove only a few km further to a cliff nearby we also watch the sunset once again. Despite the sunset being magical again, that night the wind got so strong, that I could feel my car shake as well as the vibration caused by the splashing of the 7 meter high waves below. As I was parked so close to the cliff, I woke up in the middle of the night to repark my car a little further away from the edge... now that's the power of nature!

The next day we drove to Ericeira, the mecca of surfing and it was a bit windy that day, so we walked around, also found a market with some incredible fresh figs and olives, and despite thinking I would stay there longer, I didn't find the area too appealing so we continued the drive.

I continued driving up the coast about half an hour further than Ericeira and ended up on a gorgeous beach, which even had a shower! The first shower I saw on these two weeks (minus the ones I used at a camping site twice).

A little side note, on each beach I collect seashells, as I truly see them as treasures brought to shore from the ocean. And it made me think, if these gorgeous treasures are what the ocean washes to the shore, what magnificent magical treasures must lie deep within the ocean...?

After spending another incredible week on the road, into the unknown, simply letting my gut guide the direction Atlantis and I go, living in the moment, I was so grateful for all the magical sunsets, and after driving through Lisbon, I felt a nudge to go try out Lisbon, so for the next two weeks weare exploring Lisbon to see what life is like in that city... Stay tuned for the next chapter!

To watch the vlog of my second week, check out the video below :)

The wisdom I gain from this week is if you want to find out where your next base where to live at, especially if you are someone who knows they have to continuously travel yet want a base in a warmer country with "warmhearted people" the best is to simply try out different cities because you might like it for a few days, but being there longer might give you a different perspective, and therefore you can continue exploring to see where you truly feel that you want to build a base. 

See you soon and sending you much energy!

Much love,

Isabel