Day two started off with finally touching down in Portugal!! One minute we were comparing how much sleep we all got on the flight and the next it didn't matter because we were finally here!
Getting through customs was a new experience for some of us but we managed to all make it through, whether we were bonding over soccer with the customs agents or just not speaking it all. Portugal was ready for us!!
Thankfully, all of our checked bags arrived at the baggage claim successfully and then we were off to start our first adventure. We had a three hour drive from Lisbon to Algarve, which is where we are staying for the next few days. We drove through the beautiful countryside of Portugal but I think most people missed it because it was a very popular time to take a quick power nap on the bus. After checking in and getting settled, we headed to a local soccer stadium to kick off the first practice of the season!!
After a lot of warm up stretching and touches on the ball, we slowly eased back into our normal practice grind. It felt so nice to be back on the field with this team. After rating the practice (we got a 4.5 out of 6 which is not too shabby for the first day back!), we went back to the hotel for some much needed food and rest. We had to take advantage of the pool and the dock for some great photo opportunities (and a beautiful sunset) and had a delicious meal full of guessing what you were actually eating because you just didn't know.
All in all, today was a great day and we look forward to getting some sleep tonight ahead of a jam packed day tomorrow!
= Karlie Pollock '22
Previous Blogs: Day 1