10/03/2026
Last week, the Vaikoneers packed their bags for four days on the coast of Portugal.
We got sandblasted on a Portuguese beach before we even unpacked. Character building, we told ourselves. What followed was four days that delivered more than expected.
Jan from guided us through something that actually meant something. Hands-on, no nonsense. Which turned out to be the perfect match for our group. We named each other's strengths, looked honestly at ourselves, and left with a clearer picture of where we could push our own boundaries. The kind of openness you don't expect, but that happens when the approach is right. Thank you Jan.
The rest was the perfect mix: sun, short nights, a hidden ski hut, waking up in a whirlpool bath, someone hugging a cactus, nearly getting torn apart or almost losing a tooth during an overly competitive game of dodgeball, surf attempts that were occasionally successful, dancing, shared meals, a few bottles of wine, and the kind of conversations and inside jokes that only happen when you spend four days properly together. Gino Maritimo knows.
To every Vaikoneer who shows up, in the mud, behind a CAD model, or wrestling a pump that refuses to cooperate: this one was for you
