This is a very different trip than we usually take in that we're not here to see the sights as much as we're scoping out different parts of the country as soft landing spots once our house is sold. The weeks leading up to our departure were frantic with the activity of de-cluttering, staging and generally getting the house ready to put on the market ... complicated, of course, by a "septic incident" on Easter Sunday that required our entire lower level being stripped to the studs and rebuilt. It was truly a photo finish!

By the time we got on the plane we were exhausted -- sleep-deprived, aching backs and general mental overload. It was probably our fastest packing job in history as the priority right to the end was getting the house ready to show. With a week to go before the first open house, we left the final details in the hands of our realtor and set off. It was rather like hitting yourself on the head with a hammer because it feels so good when you stop!

But stop we did. We're slowly catching up on sleep and regaining at least a semblance of balance. The predictable result, though, has been a rather disoriented start to the trip. Where's the camera? How do we get cell phone photos into the computer? I debated whether or not to even attempt a normal trip report. Three days into the trip I finally decided to give it a go, but in a slightly more abbreviated manner. There's likely to be less exploring and fewer photos than some of my past postings, but at least you'll be able to follow along.


ITINERARY
Sunday, May 6 - Seattle to Amsterdam via Calgary
Monday, May 7 - Amsterdam to Lisbon to Setubal
Tuesday, May 8 - Back in the Algarve
Wednesday, May 9 - Old Friends Re-Met
Thursday, May 10 - Could We Live Here?
Friday, May 11 - Is Tavira in Our Future?

Saturday, May 12 - The Long Road to Porto
Sunday, May 13 - Laundry R Us
Monday, May 14 - Assessing Aveiro
Tuesday, May 15 - Discoveries
Wednesday, May 16 - Down By the Riverside
Thursday, May 17 - La Dolce Far Niente
Friday, May 18 - Is Porto Our Next Home?

Saturday, May 19 - The Road to Lisbon
Sunday, May 20 - Sunday in Sesimbra
Monday, May 21 - There's No Place Like Home
Tuesday, May 22 - Go West Young Man
Wednesday, May 23 - Living Large in Lisbon
Thursday, May 24 - Lisbon to Seattle via Amsterdam and Calgary

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