Lagos: Cycled too far, and gained an hour

If I didn’t think I’d managed to leave schedules behind, I do after today. And the story is:

Google maps on my little screen (smartphone as opposed to non-digital more contextual map) said the distance to Lagos was about 5 miles. Eminently cyclable it seemed so duly set off fully loaded with beach stuff, including parasol, book etc. Well at least twice that later via main road I finally arrived determined to sort out how I was going to get back without having to cycle that same distance/route, and knew that there was a train line and station, so thought I could at least get most of the way back. It has to be said that the pressure is mounting for the purchase of a Brompton folding bike which I could sling onto a bus, or in a normal-sized taxi.

Turned out there was a water taxi, from Lagos to Alvor which would have taken my bike, subject to space, but not operating today due to rough seas, so the station turned up trumps with a local train running at 15:13 which would get me to the nearest station of Portimao, meaning I’d only have to cycle the 3.8 miles then back.

So I only spent about 1.25 hours hanging around Lagos, before arriving back at the station in very good time, to enable me to negotiate whatever it would take to get me and my bike on that train, including fighting off any other cyclists (number of bikes limited) who may not want to queue in an orderly fashion according to arrival time. Therefore at 14:45, entered the station – no-one around, train in – brilliant. Happened to glance up at the station clock to see it showing 13:45. This now ‘chimed’ (pun appropriate) with my having previously noticed but absentmindedly dismissed as just a phone/GMT thing, the time on my phone being an hour behind my watch. 🤔 Decided I’d better check that the station clock was accurate! and having this confirmed, meant that I had been an hour ahead of everyone else in Portugal since I crossed the border 7 days ago. It also explained why everyone was getting up about an hour later than me, and corrected my assumption that people seemed alot more laid back here.

Anyway – the bits I saw of Lagos indicated it was indeed a busy, but pleasant holiday hotspot, very nice marina, beach, waves.