Two Weeks In: Falling in Love with Every Step!

​Today marks two weeks since I embarked on this crazy adventure. In some ways, it feels like I’ve been on the road for months, but at the same time I feel like I JUST got here. I don’t think I’ll be happy to leave in a month… but let’s see what the next 4 weeks have in store for me! So far, it’s been a fascinating trip. I’ve never spent this much time so alone in a foreign land, but I’m soaking in every single moment.

​I spent the first week in England, splitting my time between 3 cities. They were all extremely different from each other, but I liked all of them. The first was Brighton, a place I’d wanted to go to for years. I spent a perfect evening on the pier there, and I really couldn’t have asked for a better start to my trip! The next city was the big one: London! I stayed in a hostel close to Tower Bridge and got to see the sunset pour over the London skyline every day. After a few days in the capital, I took the train north- to Milton Keynes- to visit my aunt and uncle. I'd heard a lot of mixed reviews about Milton Keynes from various people, but I really liked it. I think I got a little lucky on the weather front though, because it stayed dry throughout the weekend I was there. There's also something I really enjoy about a small town in Europe, and the quaintness of it. It reminded me a little of my host family's town in Denmark too, Aars. I miss that place! 
After a great first week in England, I got on a flight to Portugal. Oh Porto, what a city! As soon as I saw the lush landscape of Portugal through my airplane window, I felt a rush of excitement course through me. Unbeknownst to me, THIS was had been I had been waiting for. After all, this was the first town I would truly be alone; in London, I had the safety of my aunt and uncle being a stone's throw away if I needed them. Here, I was going to have to fend completely for myself. And with that thrill of independence, the first thing I did after dropping my bags off in my (super nice) hostel was: getting an ice cream cone. Twenty-two years old, and there's still something so exciting about ice cream in a cone.
I practically ran around the streets of Porto that first day, feeling particularly free now that I was in a city warm enough to wear a t-shirt and shorts worry-freely, and high on the energy the city was pulsing with. Everyone around me seemed to be taking it in too, the cobblestones were covered with retired couples holding hands and looking as in love with each other as they must have been when they first got married. There were street performers and magicians, school kids singing songs in costumes and talented artists selling their work. The air was humid and sweet- the lingering aromas of the pastel de natas and port wine hung in the air like candy. I even called my parents to show them how gorgeous it all was, and they immediately  said I was glowing- but that may have just been the sweat from the steep hills I was running up and down. 
After that first adrenaline-induced day, the rest of my days went a bit slower. The hills were tiring me out faster than I'd have liked, and the heat made it hard to be outside for too long, especially around midday. The most troublesome thing, though, was the crowds. Every street was packed full, and this was still during the off-season! I couldn't imagine being there when it was actually at capacity. Porto isn't a large city, and it felt like there were barely any locals, just a million tourists. I still managed to see the sights, though, including the famous wall from the Igreja do Carlo, the Luis I Bridge, Porto Sao Bento, Torre de Clerigos, and much more! 
That's it from me for now, stay tuned for the in-depth city blogs! I hope to write much more about each place, but I can't promise anything as this whole backpacking thing is slightly more tiring than I expected! Ciao meus amigos! 
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