I had a good, but cold night in the hostel. There was an electric heater in the room, but it didn't keep up with the thermal leak through the old windows. Porto is cold, and it's humid. It's not a combination I'm accustomed to, but I'm told it is normal here with the ocean and the river contributing to both the cold and the humidity.

I made it to the Ibis hotel by about 9:30, expecting to leave my bike and then wander until check-in time. Luckily I was able to check in, and to take my bike to my room. I settled in, unpacked all of my panniers, and went out to find a bike box. After a couple of false leads I got one at Sportours.

Sportours isn't actually a bike shop, but rents bikes for tours, and allows customers to leave the bikes at designated locations to be shipped back, so they had boxes their bikes had been shipped in. They did charge me 10 euros for the box, explaining that they must have value because people like me want them. Fair enough. The guy there also said that when they plan tours for people, which is the core of their business, they never plan to ride north along the coast because of the wind. I think there was a subtle dig that I should have used their planning service. He also offered advice to get tape and packing materials at a Chinese shop, and that the Chinese shops would be open on the weekend. However I have tape and lots of plastic that I bought back in Lagos, and that (yes) I've been carrying.

I carried the box back to the hotel, and managed to get the bike mostly packed. Then I changed into my rain pants, not for any rain, but to take all of my clothes to a laundromat.

All in all, it was a productive day, but I didn't take any pictures. I have a few more days for sightseeing in Porto, and will take a brief time out from updating this journal.