Steemfest2: Mission Possible

With less than 24 hours to go. I'm sitting in the doctors office again wondering why I'm here?
They did some blood tests last week so I assume it's about the results.
I've never been physically ill apart from colds and flu.
The results are in. I'm fit as a flea. Everything is working in tip top condition. In fact I'm in better shape than I was five years ago!

Back to business.

First check the local weather in Portugal and pack accordingly.
Portugal is still pretty warm at this time of year. October. 20°c
Insert weather. Hot an sultry ;)

Before a trip I always make a photographic inventory of the gear I'm going to take with me. Which I use to check my gear when I'm on my way back home.

Gear
Phones x 2 and chargers
Cameras x 3 + memory cards batteries and chargers.
Tripod.
Microphone.
Laptop and charger + external hard drive.
Power adaptor.

I always film way more than I actually use for blogs and videos so plenty of storage is needed.

Documents
Passport
Driving license
Credit cards
Tickets
Boarding pass
Insurance

I always travel as light as possible as you can usually always get most things you may need in country. Like toothbrushes toiletries and consumables.
Plus it saves time in the airport not having to to check in or wait around for baggage.
So if it doesn't fit into my carry on bag. It's not getting packed.

Clothing
One pair formal shoes
One pair formal trousers
One formal shirt
One tie
One jacket

Three t-shirts
One pair combat shorts (lots of pockets)
Four pairs of socks
Four pairs underwear
Walking shoes (essential to have comfortable durable shoes)

As you may know from earlier posts. It was a mission to get this flight without taking out a mortgage. Prices have shot through the roof.
One quote I got was for £400 ($500) leaving at stupid o'clock in the morning.
The breakdown of this ticket included £244 in taxes? And we haven't even had #Brexit yet.
European travel is going to be very expensive for Brits it would appear.

Alternative entry strategy. Because I had trouble finding a flight. I looked into taking a car ferry to Santander in Spain and driving across to Portugal. 24 hours just on the ferry? So that was out of the question.

Next idea. Catch the Eurostar to Paris then the TGV (high speed train) down to Biarritz on the French/Spanish border. Hire a car and drive across Spain then down to Lisbon.

Again the European train system is not exactly joined up the way it could be?
So that idea was dropped.

I had giving up looking when my wife said she had found something that might suit me.

Somehow picking to go within the same month drastically cut the prices.
So leaving on the first of November and returning on the sixth of November dropped the price to £500?

And that was about it booked the flight and now I'm sitting in the bar of the hotel waiting to meet some of the #promo-uk team

It's amazing what you do in just 24 little hours.