Trip update - February 28th, 2025

To do list.  

Passport:

  • Physically touch your passport.  Don't just assume it's where you usually put it.
  • Check that it expires after September, 2025.
Airline ticket:
  • If you haven't purchased your airline ticket, it's a good time to do it.
  • BEST PLANS FOR THE GROUP:
    • Land in Lisbon on July 4th around noon.  We will have lunch and wait for you for a reasonable amount of time.
    • On July 14th, we will be in Albufeira.
      • The closest airport is Faro, Portugal.  
      • Try to fly home from Faro.
      • If you fly home from Lisbon, that is ok.  
        • Be sure your return flight is at maybe 4PM in the afternoon.
        • Here's why:
          • Albufeira is 3 hours from Lisbon.
          • You need to take a bus to Lisbon and then get to the Lisbon airport.
          • You need to arrive to the airport 2+ hours ahead
    • Jill and Marla:  I have already booked our flights from Madrid to Lisbon.
Lodging for 7:
  • All of our lodging is booked.    
  • There will be a tab on the right that says Lodging.  
    • That will have the link to the property, photos, cost, and who is staying where.
  • Everyone has their own beds...except Craig and I, of course.
    • The Airbnbs in Sintra and Lisbon required deposits.
      • I divided the total cost by 7.
    • The hotel in Albufeira is a modest (affordable) hotel that is clean and well located.
      • We had to pay the total when we booked.
      • It is non-refundable.  
      • It's tricky to find affordable places in Albufeira.
      • Albufeira is very popular.  We got the last 4 rooms.
      • Larry is getting his own room.  The rest of us share.
      • It is a well reviewed (8.7 out of 10) but older hotel.  It's not luxury, I imagine.
      • Keep your fingers crossed!  It's 3 nights.
      • Bring earplugs.  
Payments:
  • Check out the tab Payments and Costs
  • Open the Portugal Finance Spreadsheet.   
    • The top column has what you owe right now.  I have paid $3600 in deposits.
    • The amount you owe is in red below your name.  What you have paid is below.
    • Venmo me the red amount as soon as you are able.   I am flexible... a little.
    • As soon a I pay for something, I update the spreadsheet.  Check it periodically.
    • Goal is that everyone has a GREEN ZERO at the top.
    • No judging columns in the red.  I'm ok with you!
Costs:  

  • Check out the tab Payments and Costs
  • Open the Portugal Costs Spreadsheet.
    • If I have a figure that's certain (not an estimate), I'll turn it blue.  That's a real cost.
    • The others are guesses.  They've not been paid yet. 
    • If you want to skip that activity, let me know.

Itinerary

Tickets for Sintra