Portugal

A night under eucalyptus trees, with our rooftop tent, a quiet camp kitchen, the bike trailer parked nearby, and Mrok asleep above us, in his first home with a sky view.

This expedition of ours, which was very similar in form to a tour of Sweden and Norway.

It was also a completely new travel challenge: for the first time, Mrok went with us for more than three weeks.

Ready to go, parked like a local, windows open, paws on leather — Mrok knows that in Portugal, the best seat is always the one in the shade.

We like to travel comfortably, so we were very rarely in a hurry. This time we went to Germany and there we spent the night in a guesthouse in the countryside, where they like dogs. We continued on towards the north coast of Spain, but before that we stopped in France. Finally, before visiting the fantastic beaches on the Atlantic coast of Portugal, we spent a few days in the Peneda Geres National Park.

Here we practised kayaking with Dark on board (our next swim together was the Atlantic) . We did some cycling while pulling Mrok in his trailer.

Somewhere on a quiet lake in Peneda-Gerês National Park, Mrok on lookout duty, us on paddle duty, and no one in a rush to trade this view for solid ground.

All this is because Portugal is quiet in the low season, and if we have a choice, we always choose a time when there are no crowds. The rest of the plan was straightforward: we drive along the entire coastline all the way to the Spanish border.

Beaches by the Atlantic.

Long, wide, white, but also steep, rocky with numerous cliffs. Many seemed similar to us, but each was different.

Playing with Monika on one of the southern beaches, with no script, no leash, and no reason to stop — just sand, sea, and a dog who never misses a chance to chase joy.

Mrok was concerned by the strong roar of the waves and the wind - this was new to him as was the salt water, which he tasted with considerable surprise.

We stopped at almost every beach we could reach.

Northernmost beach on the Atlantic we reached by bike — over 30 km behind us, legs sore, lungs full, and Mrok still fresh in his royal chariot, nose in the wind.

Sometimes we would set up camp and even cycle a few tens of kilometres to the beach - the low number of tourists meant that the roads were ours!

Somewhere in the Portuguese bush, parked between pampas grass and soft evening light, with our rooftop tent barely visible — just enough cover to feel hidden, just enough space to feel free.

As usual, we did not plan our time in specific places: if we liked it very much, and sometimes it was decided by a small detail - such as a bird that greeted us with singing in the morning - we stayed longer :) .

Somewhere between wind-shaped pines and burnt-orange cliffs, morning walks turn into small expeditions — Mrok always leading, Monika somewhere between curiosity and trust.

We consistently avoided all large cities. We didn't always stay overnight totally surrounded by nature, away from everyone. There are times when it is most convenient to stay at a campsite, from which we make trips in different directions on our bikes.

Despite the laid-back vibe, Portugal isn’t always as dog-friendly as it seems — even in small towns, a leash is your best friend, especially when yours has four legs and a mind of his own.

The closer we got to the south, the rockier the coast became and the windier it got.

Somewhere near the end of Europe, where cliffs crumble into the Atlantic and clouds draw maps no GPS can follow — one of those views that makes silence feel like a good answer.

The kayak and Atlantic in Portugal is definitely the coast in the Algarve area. Surprising caves and tunnels we paddled through, looking around curiously.

Here we also had an adventure with air escaping from the bottom chamber of the kayak - read about it!

The beginning of our Algarve coastline trip — caves, arches and tunnels only reachable by sea, with Mrok already on deck, scanning the horizon like he’s seen the map before we did.

Lots of fantastic places, lots of people so different but ‘southern’ smiling.

Mrok.

That's a whole chapter of this trip.

Rest stop for all three of us — bowl, toy, blanket, and Mrok curled up in his trailer like it’s always been part of the pack. No complaints, as long as the wheels keep turning.

He slept with us in the roof tent, floated contentedly in the kayak, won the hearts of the people he met. He taught us a lot about himself, himself learning to live a life quite different from that led by his Australian brethren.

Morning patrol, rooftop edition — while we’re still under the covers, Mrok is already scanning the forest like it’s his shift. No better alarm system, no snooze button needed.

We will write about the dog's details on the long journey in a separate material.

Two shades of blue on the sand — Monika and Mrok, side by side, no words, no need. Just the Atlantic humming in the background and time stretching in every direction.

...and if there is anything you are curious about - write to us, we will certainly share what we know!

First light through mesh and silence, a slow hand waking to the world — no rush, no schedule, just the kind of morning that doesn’t ask for anything.

Total kilometres driven on this trip by car: 8200km

Cost of fuel: 1900 EU

Cost of camping/parking: 540 EU

Other costs including food, ferries etc: 450 EU