Mommy of one daughter joining group of strangers travelling in Portugal.

Mommy needs a break from being a mommy and wife. It is a tough and rather a reluctant decision, but I just need to it before I turn 30 in few more months.



In fact, travelling to Europe country is one in my wish list and Portugal is some sort of my pilgrimage trip. While next year will be the celebration of 1,000th year of the apparitions of Lady Fatima, it still fine for me to be there on the 999th commemoration.

Few more days from the date I post this, I will be flying to Portugal via Emirates airlines. The route will be Kota Kinabalu - Kuala Lumpur-Dubai - Lisbon.

Flight hours- 11 hours
KK- KL (2 hr 30mins)
KL-Dubai (7 hours 40 mins)
Dubai- Lisbon (7 hours 17 mins)

Transit hours- 8 hours
KL airport (5 hours)
Dubai airport (3 hours)

Malaysia and Portugal Time Difference
Malaysia is 7 hours ahead of Portugal.

Currency 
1 Euro= RM4.60
1 AED = RM1.20 (In case you want to shop at Dubai airport during transit)

How Much Money to bring?
I get ready with 100 Euro only and the rest using credit card facility.

Language
English and Portuguese

Weather in November
The average temperature still reaches as high as 18°C (that's about 63°F), and at night can dip as low as 11°C (about 52°F

Suitable apparels
The trick is to wear layers of clothes as the temperature could vary from the morning till night. Although it is autumn, it is better for Asians who are not used to cold temperature to wear winter apparels including gloves, pashmina etc.

**Due to the cold weather, the clothes are hardly become dirty or smelly. Oh ya, socks easily become stinky though.

**Otherwise, laundry service will take between 24 hours and 48 hours to clean the clothes. In my case, we are hotels hopping, so, it is not possible to have truly clean attires throughout the trip.

porto ** Hotel: Vila Gale Porto

• Basillica/Chapel of the apparitions 
• bridges across the Douro River
• Guimaraes

Portugal (Places to visit)
Lisbon **Hotel: 1.Turim Avenida 2. Olissippo

• Monument to the Discoveries/Padrão dos Descobrimentos
• Suspension bridge spanning the Tagus River
• Belem Tower  (Belem is pronounced as Belai)
• Alfama district 

Aletanjo

• Palacio de Mateus gardens 
• Douro valley 
• Baroque Church of St Francis
• Stock Exchange Palace
• local wine tasting at its port cellar

Viseu ** Hotel : Grao Vasco

• a bustling town with historical buildings 
• Belmonte's Roman's tower
• Serra de Estrela mountains 
• Castelo de vide

Evora **M'AR De Ar Muralhas

• Chapel of bones 

For a week before departure,  I have been searching high and low of any Bureau de Change has Euro dollars to be exchanged. But, checked at most shopping malls, none of them are available. Could be the Brexit effect on dollar value.

Luggage 

I bring a medium-size of luggage that can accommodate about 15 kilogramme of loads. This is to prevent overbuying. But of course, I fill up half full only.

For extra protection, before dropping my baggages, I wrap the bag with plastic for return trips.

Insurance.
I purchase travel insurance online for premium plan with AIG Travel Guard at RM137 for 9 days journey. It covers medical, lost or stolen luggage and documents, flights delay or cancellation, rebooking flights and hotels, accidents and repatriation of body among others.

Souvenirs
Reminders: It is essential to buy souvenirs OUTSIDE THE AIRPORT!!!

Among them are (Currency in Euro):

1. Fridge magnets (1.5- 4.0)
2. Port wine 750ml- Ruby, White and Tawny ( 9- 12.5)
3. Other alcohols could be as cheap as 3 wines for 9euro , Mateus Rose 4euro, and etc.
4. table cloth (10)
5. Oven glove (5)
6. Handpainted decorated cork stopper
7. Cork products- handbags, shoes, and etc
8. leather products

Signature Portuguese Food
Vegetable soup
Bacalau balls (codfish balls)
Jewish sausage
Piri piri sauce
Portuguese custard pie