Welcome to Lisbon: Your Debit Card Doesn't Work

After a 4 hour bus ride from Porto to Lisbon, I was less than pleased to find out my debit card wasn't working, which meant I had 6 euros cash in Portugal's capital city: NICE! This was after climbing from the bus station to my hostel WAY up up up on a hill for about an hour, getting lost a few times on dead-end streets, with a dead phone, a soaking wet map, and a 20 lb pack and 10 lb backpack. I was so tired that instead of being worried about the cash, I spent 5 euros on a delicious curry-style meal in some run-down Indian restaurant, and it was the best decision I could have ever made. My energy was back up when the cold bottle of water they gave me replenished my dehydrated body. 

These are Nata Pastries, Portugal's pride and joy. You'll find them everywhere. Delish.

After checking into "Nice Way" Hostel, it was clear the day was going to improve. The hosts were lovely, the view from the outdoor patio was fantastic, and there was free coffee and tea all day. I eventually figured out my bank situation by calling the international number (who knows how much that'll cost me). I found the public elevator (aka the one I should have taken to get to the hostel) to buy groceries, then explored some small streets. 

These are the traveling situations people don't talk about but that always come up! It helps to have fellow hostel-goers who have all experienced these kinds of frustrating situations and offer you sangria when you plop on the hostel couch, drenched with sweat ready for a nap. I met some fun people from Germany and Morocco and we shared grapes and cheese and olives watching the sunset.