17/10/2017
Right , it's time to share a bit what has been going on , its bee a while!
I had been to the Alentejo, and although I absolutely loved it there, the land in the areas nearer the sea are too expensive for me to consider. That area is very desired, as it is cooler ( max 35 degrees in the summer but mostly a bit less ) and has beautiful vegetation.. and beaches!!
Further inland is more cheaper land but it is very very hot ( 45 degrees or more !) and water, like wells are a problem, most people go for boreholes, but they are expensive and need an electric pump, which changes everything. The land there is also less beautiful, very barren and dry.
I drove over the mountains to the area where I had originally entered the country, ( near Penamacor) , I remembered it to be very beautiful, no pines, just cork and olives, which means less risk of fires. I was shown several different lands, and spent a night at one of them.
That land ticked all the boxes: well with water in it, a garden, already worked on, and enough land to do my cob house and have space for guest accommodation. It also had a small house which was in perfect condition.
The only downside was that it was a bit far from the next village, basically isolated.
While I was suddenly confronted with this possibility, that I could live there, I got completely overwhelmed with very intense fears of loneliness. I kept pondering the situation and finally arrived at the conclusion that it was not the right place.
At the same time my whole world collapsed, as I asked myself how I could possibly live all by myself in a strange country, without any very good friends around me?
So many people who live here are either couples or families, so what would I do by myself?
I had of course been thinking about this many times before, thinking that I love my own company and would certainly find some friends at some stage, I did not let this stop me.
Now however I feel very different, I am very aware that I need some friends around me, before I buy a land somewhere.
So yesterday I spent a night in Serta, with my friend Nicola who I had met while waiting for my wing mirror some weeks ago.
I could only stay for one night, the fire was too disturbing and the ashes , smoke kept me awake all night.
So I left again this morning and am now near Santarem, which is again a very different area,
no huge pine forests here and a beautiful stretch of land by the river Tejo.
Will be sending some more pictures soon!
