A post card from Europe

Hey everyone, i finally have a chance to sit down and write a little bit about what i have experienced so far. Josh and I arrived at Newark Liberty Internation airport safe and sound. It was a tearful goodbye to my parents, but I know I will see them in the not so distant future. Josh and I then got in line to get our boarding passes and check our luggage. We were both very nervous about the size of our bicycle boxes and since i was checking two bags, I thought the fees would be out of the roof. But neither of us paid a dime!! However, Josh´s bag was a little heavy and so we had to take some of his stuff out and distribute it between the two of our carry ons. We were in such a hurry that we didnt quite think about what we were taking out of his checked box and into our bags that would be going through security. The best part was the funny little instrument that Josh decided to bring with us, a strumstick! I had never seen one before but it looks like a very skinny dulcimer or guitar and it only has three strings and very short. To protect it, Joshs dad made him a special carrying case made out of a piece of pvc pipe. It looked a lot like a bazooka or club! Sure enough the airport security had him pulled aside for questioning...luckly he got away by leaving the suspicious tube behind and toting the instrument himself. I also had a little trouble getting through, josh had put his liquids in my bag, contact solution, toothpaste and tire goo (used to fix flats). I was also pulled aside and questioned about the materials. But we both got through and found our gate. The plane we would be flying on was already sitting outside on the tarmac being prepped for the journey across the Atlantic to Belgium (jet airways). When we boarded we were both awed and amazed at the premier and business class accomodations. Premier looked like individual space pods for each person. Our seats were a little more standard but still luxurious in couch. We both had a TV in front of us with movies, games, music and other interesting stuff. But I was so tired I couldnt really enjoy the entertainment. The food was alright and the service just okay for such a nice plane. Im not sure if it was the Indian food, suspicious Indian medicine they gave me for my headache, or if it was the tap water in Brussels airport, but as soon as we landed in Belgium I was throwing up non-stop. I could hold nothing down. The flight to Lisbon, was spent in the bathroom of the plane!

Josh and I (still very sick) were met at the airport by a man we only knew as Jim. He would be our host for the next three days and nights. Im not sure what we would have done without him, because I was so sick and with our heavy luggage and nowhere to go. It would have been awful. I probably would have gotten back on the plane home. Our initial impressions of Lisbon was sunshine and lots of bright colored apartment buildings. Indeed it is much warmer here, but it is very rainy right now. We have had about two days of beautiful sunshine and maybe one or two days of just overcast and the rest has been pretty heavy rainfall. Anyway, once we got to Jim and Helens place we immediately felt at home and I went straight to bed and slept for the next 15 hours or so. I needed it! The next day I felt much improved. On Sunday we went to church with the Reimers and were blessed to meet such an amazing congregation of believers. It was trully a good time. The rest of sunday was spent putting our bikes together and packing for our trip south and then eventually east towards Italy. Yesterday (monday), we left Ericiera (which is about 50km oustide Lisboa on the back roads, but much faster and quicker on the autostrata) around 11 and immediately got a little turned around, but soon found our way south towards the city. The backroads are not the best kept and are very narrow. And it can prove challenging when a huge truck comes barreling behind you. Both Josh and I have felt Gods hand multiple times on the road. We finally got into Lisbon around 5:30ish and found our couch surfer friends that we had met at Jim and Helens church. They let us stay with them last night and tonight. Josh and I spent today checking out a little more of LIsbon and discoverd some beautiful cathedrals, castles and little tiny backstreets with old people just kicking it. Today was VERY wet and we were a little discouraged. But we decided that no matter what, we leave tomorrow morning and make our way south. We arent thrilled to bike in the rain, but we have no choice. So wish us well, send prayers to our father for weather blessings and for safety on the road. Ciao!!!