It Ain't Over 'till It's Over
In February 2023 Plum and I had our first ever DNF (Did Not Finish). 5 days into a 2 week ride from Lisbon to Valencia we were hit by a freak cold front that promised sub-zero temperatures and a pretty miserable time; so, like the hardened cyclists we are, we got a train to Madrid and flew home with our tails between our legs. We now find ourselves with the time and inclination to do a bit of cycling so are heading back to Lisbon to put things right. The weather in early November may still be pants but hopefully just cool or wet rather than 'freezing the balls of a brass monkey'. This will be our 2nd flight to Lisbon this year, and actually my 4th!,. The airport there has acquired a reputation for long queues for Brits at passport control. Now the EU has rolled out Phase 1 of its new electronic travel authorisation programme, which requires people to provide biometric data (photo, fingerprints, stool sample…the u...