Ribeira Brava, Madeira

Here's a video to sum up my week in Madeira:

10/11:
Woke up five minutes before the alarm at 3:50 AM and my heart was pounding. I had 20 minutes to catch the night bus and I made it. Felt such a feeling of freedom - I was finally doing it! Facing my fear... After so many months of patience, research and figuring out where to go, and years of feeling the desire to impulsively travel on my own to an unknown place and follow my gut, it was the perfect time to spread my wings. Coming out of the cocoon. It felt like a death and rebirth after the pneumonia - feeling pretty much back to normal after 8 weeks, and appreciating my strength and health and testing my boundaries. I predicted I'd be well enough to fly around the 10th and I was right. 

While on the bus, this old song from the Eurovision Song Contest in 2001 started playing on the radio:

"Listen to your heartbeat
It will take you higher
Follow your emotions
I know you'll get stronger

Listen to your heartbeat
Your feeling will guide you
Hold on to devotion
I know it's inside you"

 

Pretty suiting for this time of growth in my life.

God, I should've listened to my mother and borrowed her smaller suitcase on wheels... my backpack was so heavy... The whole concept of "backpacking in Europe" I just don't get. Why the hell would anyone want to carry everything on their back? So much walking in the airport and I was worried about my stamina after pneumonia. Stupid of me.

The check-in went really smooth and I arrived way too early, 1.25 hours. Darn, so tired...

It was a 4.5 hour flight and I watched a movie called "The Intern". It was nice to see all the Swedes so happy to be going on vacation and getting away from the cold. Everyone applauded when we arrived :)

Once I landed I was in awe. The psychic that gave me a reading before I left Maui, pulled a card with a picture of an island and said, "You're going there!" and Madeira actually looks pretty much like the picture! I think I even recall there being white birds on the picture... there is something really special about watching the birds here - just a feeling of freedom and beauty.

I took the shuttle from the airport 40 minutes and was accompanied by an English couple.

I had lunch right outside the hotel and the menu was in Portuguese and the guy hardly spoke English, so I ordered the only thing I understood what it was: tostas (toast).

Oh. My. God!!! I have fallen in love. I literally feel like I am in love and dreamy. I feel in love with myself and very content with my own presence. Sensual and enjoying every second. ♡♡♡ The temperature is very pleasant, chillier than Maui, but warm in the sun and very windy. I love the Cheerfulway Bravamar Hotel and it is better than I expected, I cannot get enough of the ocean view from my window (which I am very happy I paid a little extra for!), the people are so warm and calm. The ocean... The expansive open feeling...

View from my room

I took the longest shower ever when I got to my hotel room and enjoyed just wasting the water without having to think about it being anyone else's or my own, that I have to pay for. So nice to be in my own space and not think about anyone else, after having lived with people for 4 months. Staying at a hotel you get to have the freedom of an adult and the irresponsibility of a child. I enjoyed a really nice dinner with great service and walked around to familiarize myself with what was nearby in the town of Ribeira Brava. I learned the most important word in Portuguese: "obrigada" ("thank you") and giggled every time I said it. Nighttime was breathtaking too. Nice to have the window open in my room and hear the ocean and the sounds from the town. The moon was in my sign, Aquarius.

I sat in the lobby in the evening (since there is no WiFi in my room) and blogged and bragged to all my friends and chatted with people at the hotel. There were a lot of Swedes since it was a Charter flight.

 

Of course we as humans automatically think, "How can I hold on to this feeling? Move here... get a job here..." I didn't want to leave. But everything is temporary  - you just have to enjoy it. 

10/12:

Only got about four hours of sleep for some reason, so I was really tired but thought it would be boring and a waste of time to be sleeping in my hotel room, so I went and had breakfast at the buffet (which wasn't that great) and then went out to the ocean. The water was pretty warm actually!

I walked around town and ran some errands and bought a big jug of water and fruit from the supermarket right around the corner. Walked inside this beautiful church:

The exciting feeling of newness was already starting to fade (sucks being human), but I still loved it and started feeling more at home. I absolutely love that everything you need is walking distance from the hotel and the ocean is right there. The people are so friendly, innocent and cute and even if we don't speak the same language, we do our best and somehow manage to get the message across and giggle if we don't. I am seriously thinking about staying longer. Unfortunately it's supposed to rain the rest of the week and thunder/lightning next week.

I felt my immune system was fighting something, so I rested deeply but didn't fall asleep. I went to the pharmacy to get some Vitamin C and immunity boosters. I ate some really good garlic fish and chips at Restaurante Concord and was accompanied by Paulo's connections who were super friendly and open. Luckily they had some time off from work because of a death in the family, so it was perfect timing. They're going to take me walking in the mountains tomorrow. The daughter, Susanna works on a cruise ship... the psychic said I might get a job on boat... hm...

I watched the sunset from my window, took a long bath in the evening and shaved my legs for the first time in two months since I got sick, haha! I could get used to this... not having to cook, clean, pay utility bills or transportation/gas/car insurance. Everything you need is walking distance.

10/13:

It turned out to be the hottest most beautiful day even though it was supposed to rain! I slept in, ate this incredible huge mango for breakfast, had lunch at the same restaurant as yesterday and went to the beach and swam in the ocean. It was pretty cold, but refreshing! I didn't hear from my new friends, so no hiking in the mountains.

10/14:

Didn't sleep that well again... must be the full moon. Another beautiful sunny day, except the rain finally came in the afternoon which was actually really nice, cozy and romantic. I tried a new restaurant by the ocean, which was terrible and they were rude. I won't go back there... I managed to get some sun on the beach before it started raining and then put on some music and took a bath. Went out to get some more groceries and tried the fish soup at my favorite place. Nice on a rainy day... Feeling more grounded here now. Went for a sunset walk by the ocean, then spent the evening dancing and singing in my hotel room.

10/15:

Super tired today... been averaging about 4 hours of sleep a night, going to bed around 11 PM and waking up around 3 AM... Maybe it's the noise from outside my window? I'm going to try earplugs tonight and see if that helps. I did my breathing exercises, went out for lunch, took a little nap and went out for dinner. 

10/16:

I finally got a good night's sleep, even though I woke up a few times. Used earplugs. Stormy today!! It finally happened... we were lucky the good weather lasted as long as it did. There were safety warnings to not go anywhere because of possible rocks or floods from the mountains. Hurricane Nicole - 1776 miles from here...

Hung out in the lobby and my hotel room and danced, sang, watched TV and worked on my needle-point.

Luckily I had some leftovers from last night that I could have for lunch. The weather cleared up in the evening so I was able to go out for dinner.

10/17:

I was a nervous wreck today trying to decide if I wanted to stay longer or take the return flight home tomorrow. I hate making decisions under pressure. It's all a blur honestly. I lay down on the bed and it felt like the room was spinning. I took an anxiety pill which helped. In the evening I finally decided to leave the next day.

10/18:

At the airport in Funchal. I got up at 8 AM and packed my things and got the receptionist to order a shuttle for me at 10:45 AM. I returned the fork and knife I borrowed from the nice waitress at Restaurante Concord, had a little breakfast, jumped on the bed and sang, enjoyed my gorgeous view, walked by the ocean and was on my way. Ciao Madeira, you majestic dreamy fantasy island of love ♡♡♡ Obrigada