Where the hell are the Azores?

Yes, I admit it. That was the first question popping into my head when a special someone — who prefers to stay anonymous so I will keep refering to that person as „a special someone“ — brought up the idea of going there…

Fortuntely, Google quickly filled my knowledge gap. The Azores: a group of 9 Portuguese islands in the middle of the Atlantic ocean more or less between Europe and America. Aha. AND: The islands are known as the European version of Hawaii. What else would I possibly need to know — Let the Azores Adventure begin…

So here we are, #Maja and me, all packed

and ready to go! After all, it will be quite a trip… Flights from Berlin are surprisingly expensive but from Amsterdam they are not — and Amsterdam is just a quick €56 (one-way) train ride away :)

The train leaves Berlin shortly before midnight and it won’t be until 6AM that I have to change trains in Duisburg — all snuggled up, Maja and I are ready for a nice nap …

if it wasn’t for that fellow passenger who decides to sing out loud this precious song about a Klabautermann (a ship’s kobold) all the way to Duisburg. I wish I was kidding. But I am not. 5 hours of not sleeping later, we finally arrive in Duisburg and have another hour and 10 minutes to spare until the connecting train departs. After…

voting and having a nice breakfast at Starbucks with coffee and a vegan cherry-chocolate Muffin

I actually have to hurry to get to the platform on time. But I do and enjoy the last part of a very

scenic ride through the Netherlands until I finally reach

More than 3(!) hours before my planned departure. That is unheard of, just like me traveling with only 13.6(!) kg of luggage :)

I guess miracles do happen after all!

By the time I’m finally seated, I’ve already been on the road for more than 12 hours, am tired and hungry. And therefore quite happy about my „liquid lunch“ high above the clouds!

Right before landing in Lisbon I realize that there is only 1 hour between this and my next flight.

Shit!

Once I set foot on Potuguese ground I start running… and just make it to the gate on time.

Surprisingly, SATA (the Azores airline) still provides wine on bord! And a snack — unfortunately not for me, as it is not even close to being vegan-friendly. Good thing I came prepared…

Better safe than hungry!

But of course I didn’t turn down the second round of liquid lunch anyway :)

because if you just drink enough tomato juice, it almost feels like you’ve had a real meal… some thing I discovered quite early in my vegan traveling days.

Full and content I enjoy the last bit of the flight — still tired but anticipating all the adventures that are yet to come when I finally touch ground in São Miguel…