The next adventure is about to start!
Sitting in SFO after dropping the bike off and clearing TSA waiting for my flight to Lisbon on TAP. The nice girl at the counter charged me the most I have ever paid to take my bike on a plane: $245! $105 for the bike and $140 for being over 23kg even though the Web site says 32kg for a bike.
And to make matters worse my traveller ID didn't get connected to my boarding pass and I didn't get to go through the TSA Pre-approved line.
Not the start I was hoping for but I will be in Lisbon in 12 hours!
This trip is a "I could not get anyone to come with me" trip. I wanted to go somewhere and touring around the US is very expensive and the food is terrible. Next choice is my second favorite (formerly the first) country Spain. Andalusia sounded perfect and TAP flies direct from SFO to Lisbon.
My plan is to ride from Lisbon to Seville and then visit a bunch of towns in Andalusia looping back to Cordoba before riding back to Lisbon. I booked the first night and the last three at a hotel in Lisbon that will hold my bike case for a few weeks.
This will be a little slower trip than many in the past. I am planning for only 60-120km each day. A little more than France but a lot less than all the other tours. I intend to play tourist a bit and take extra days in Seville and Malaga and any place that seems worth an extra day. I have only committed to being in Seville in 5 days and have booked hotels to Seville. I want to enjoy cafe con leche, cervesa and some nice meals.
I wonder what the weather will be like? The forecast is high 70s when I get to Seville. Perfect!
I hope my bike makes the plane ... usually when you get charged so much they also forget to put it on the plane!
In line for the checkin counter I saw a guy who was obviously going to do a Camino. We chatted for a bit. He's been before and was going to walk from Lisbon to Santiago de Compostela. Behind me there were a group of guys taking jabs at each other and I joked, "Travelling with friends?". They all laughed. Just like my usual crew.
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