Portugal- Porto

December 10, 2017

Portugal- Porto

Portugal is an extremely special place and holds a certain enigmatic charm. From the moment I arrived at the airport, I was met with an auspicious energy. The people are quite hospitable and I knew immediately that this part of the trip would be phenomenal; I could just feel it.
I decided to go to Porto first and work my way back to Lisbon. The train ride from Lisbon airport to Porto was roughly three hours, but the time goes quickly. The subway system is extremely easy, especially when making transfers. (Tip: be sure to have cash at all times since some ticket stations are not debit card friendly).
I chose to stay in a hostel for this part of my trip upon a recommendation from a friend. Although airbnb has reduced the cost of travelling significantly, I wanted to have the experience of dorming with random people from different parts of the world at least once in my lifetime. I guess you can say I'm ok with living on the edge sometimes. I stayed at Bluesock Hostels in Porto and I was thoroughly impressed. The facilities were clean and modern, and there was even a bar/lounge where they hosted different events each night. My room consisted of six bunk beds, and was a mixed dormitory. Each bed had a huge locker attached to it to store your belongings for safe keeping. (Tip: bring your own lock so you don't have to rent one). I was out exploring so much during my stay that I rarely saw my bunkmates, except for the guy bunking above me who became a fast friend (hi Brian). I also became friends with one girl from Germany, Gabrielle, who was bunking next door to me. The three of us spent most of our time together during my two day stay in Porto. We shared so many noteworthy memories together, like drinking way too much port wine on the first night and spending the next day trying to piece together the events of the night before. And who could forget the rap battle in the street at 1am. The most difficult part of the trip was trying to explore the sights while nursing a serious hangover.

The perk of staying at a hostel is that most of the people you meet are also solo travelers. This gives you the opportunity to engage with others and make new friends, or stick to yourself if you so desire. Since I'm typically someone that enjoys meeting people from different walks of life, this was the perfect experience for me. I learned about a pilgrimage tour that people do called Camino de Santiago, which is a walking tour from Porto to Spain. One of my hostel mates, Igor, flew from Kyoto, Japan and was about to begin this tour which would take roughly 10 days to complete. The idea of walking to another country with just a backpack, and camping out at night was fascinating to me. He told me that people do the trip for unique and personal reasons, and you can choose to walk with others also doing the pilgrimage, or on your own. I imagine this must be a very spiritual experience, and while it may seem bizarre to some, I get it. It's one of those things where you push yourself beyond your limits to transcend to a higher plane.

Porto was a stupendous experience and aligned perfectly with the emotional headspace I was in when I arrived. Since this was my first time traveling alone, I was mentally open to meeting new people and to new experiences. Of course you should always take caution, but for me, this was an experience in trusting myself and trusting my gut to know what is right. I relied completely on the energy I felt from others; if the vibe was wrong, I kept my distance, if the vibe was right, I engaged. Sometimes you miss out on an amazing experience by allowing too many people to weigh in on your life and your decisions. I went to Porto alone and left with three new friends, as well as experiences I will be forever grateful for.

p.s. If I don't write my next blog on Lisbon, it's because my mother has killed me after reading about my hostel activities. #TriniMothers