Onwards to Fuerteventura

Another day, another beautiful Canary Islands sunrise.  Today’s spectacle (on the drive to Gran Canaria airport) was all about muted colours and the sun ascending in the guise of a perfect white sphere behind thin clouds, causing me to wonder if it was in fact the moon rising rather than the sun.

We hopped a flight to Fuerteventura and headed straight for the Playa Sotavento near Costa Calma.  After the slightly underwhelming beach in Gran Canaria, I was delighted to finally find one of those picture-perfect beaches of white sand and azure sea, with the horizon stretching for many miles.  The water was clear and refreshing, the waves gentle and soothing.  This was the beach experience I’d been waiting for.

I bobbed about in the perfect waters while many of the rest of our party went to the René Egli Center to learn windsurfing and stand-up paddleboarding (sadly it wasn’t windy enough for kiteboarding).  In the space of an hour they all managed to get up and surfing, which was pretty impressive.  I would have been tempted to join them, but I was enjoying myself too much just splashing around in the water.

Lunch, consumed outdoors at El Brasero near Tarjalejo, consisted of such Canarian specialities as papas arrugadas – new potatoes cooked in seawater to make them salty and a bit wrinkly and then covered in salsa mojo, a red sauce (there’s also a green variety) made with garlic, vinegar and peppers.  And of course there was plenty of wine to wash the meal down.

Then we took a winding journey northward to our hotel in Corralejo.  On arrival, I found to my delight that the Gran Hotel Atlantis Bahía Real is the most lavish hotel yet.  My room (like most of the others) has a private balcony complete with plush chairs and a sea view – with the waves lapping gently just metres away and the dark silhouette of a small island in the distance.  I also found, to my surprise and amusement, a large white flower floating in the toilet bowl.

The exceptionally friendly housekeeping staff have just prepared my room for the night by dimming the lighting, turning down the bed and leaving a chocolate on the pillow.  I’m about to light the little candle they’ve thoughtfully placed on the bedside table, and then I might just curl up in the large, inviting bed for some well-earned sleep.

A Day of Rest

When you’re on holiday, it’s important that you don’t fill every second with activities and plans, or you’ll spend all your time rushing around and consequently return home more stressed and exhausted than you were before you left.

With that in mind, I declared today a relaxation day, starting off at the hotel spa, Inagua, where I made good use of the warm pool with various massage jets.  In the interest of completeness, I thought it only right to try out the Jacuzzi, sauna and steam room as well.  Then I went back to my room for a chill-out session on my private balcony overlooking palm trees and a nearby swimming pool, with green-speckled hills in the distance.

For those who prefer more active forms of relaxation, this hotel has numerous swimming pools as well as tennis and squash courts, a gym and a bowling alley, all within the hotel complex.  Having been too tired for yesterday’s yoga session on the beach at sunset, I felt I should visit the gym today for a quick run on the treadmill.  But it was far too nice a day to spend indoors, so instead I checked out the nearby beach (small but adequate) and went for a long swim in the pool (perfect at the end of the day when I had it all to myself and the sun wasn’t so strong).

All in all, it’s been a really peaceful day, and I feel incredibly rested and relaxed, which is just as well as tomorrow sees another early morning flight.  Next stop: Fuerteventura.

Arrival in Gran Canaria

A 30-minute flight brought us swiftly to the island of Gran Canaria, where it feels a degree or two warmer than Tenerife. After checking into the Cordial Mogán Playa, an enormous, isolated resort with a hotel, apartments, a shopping centre, multiple swimming pools and beach access, we embarked on a tour of the complex which even includes botanic gardens and a 13th century burial ground.

It’s clear that there’s something here for everyone, though the Cordial Mogán seems best-suited to families travelling with small children or teenagers. But there is entertainment for the adults too, including a nightly disco within the hotel.

Unfortunately, after the long day of travelling and touring, I am too tired to pay a visit to said disco, so I’m opting for a hot bath and an early night instead, in the hopes that my energy levels will be restored for more explorations in the morning.

Nature in La Gomera and Nightlife in Tenerife

My first full day in the Canary Islands featured a trip to La Gomera, which is a relaxing 45 minute ferry ride from Tenerife. Dolphins make their home between the two islands and can often be spotted from the ferry, but sadly that was not the case on this journey. But in the course of the day, we did manage to see spectacular vistas, mountains, hills topped with mist, a clear view of the neighbouring islands and a forest, as well as avocados, papayas and bananas hanging in green bunches from the trees. We also saw poinsettia plants whose red, Christmassy flowers looked out of place in all this sunshine.

The highlight of the tour was a hike in the Parque National De Garajonay, a forest so serene and quiet that it seemed a million miles away from any civilisation. The silence was at once deafening and deeply tranquil.

Lunch was taken at El Parador, a luxury hotel overlooking the harbour of San Sebastián. The meal was rounded off with a glass of local speciality Ron Miel (honey rum made with the sap of palm trees) on the terrace where I spotted a little striped lizard.

Back at the Iberostar Anthelia in Tenerife, I crossed the road to the Thai Zen spa, a small series of pools complete with massage jets, a sauna and steam room, all of which I enjoyed thoroughly as I had the place to myself.

After dinner at the hotel, I left its gated surroundings to take in a bit of Tenerife nightlife. A short walk along the promenade led to the discovery of a nightclub sandwiched between a string of bars, pubs, restaurants and karaoke joints. El Faro – the lighthouse – lives up to its name with a large lighthouse lit up in bright colours forming the backdrop to its terrace bar. There were several dance floors, each with its own DJ, and an extensive (if not inexpensive) cocktail list. I sipped a Strawberry Pina Colada on the terrace, while gazing at the stars above and the sea below.

Because Spaniards tend to dine quite late in the evening, places like El Faro often don’t fill up until around 1am. Sadly, tiredness prevented me from staying until then, and I headed back to the hotel for a good night’s sleep before tomorrow’s early flight to Gran Canaria.

Arrival

I made it to Tenerife!  Sadly it was dark when I arrived, so first impressions of the island will have to wait until tomorrow. But the hotel – the Iberostar Anthelia – is very grand.  And with all the shops, restaurants, bars, pools and beach access, it feels rather more like its own little universe than just a hotel.

And speaking of universes, the effect of travelling from sub-zero temperatures to this balmy climate (warm enough for short sleeves at night) is that I feel like I’ve arrived on another planet.  I’m not sure if it’s the utopian surroundings or just tiredness from the flight, but this all feels incredibly surreal.

Now it’s time for a well-earned sleep.  When I wake in the morning, I hope I don’t find that this was all just a dream.

Day 1 of My Canary Islands Adventure …

… and I’m still in London.  A whopping 2cm of snow was sufficient to shut down Gatwick Airport for the whole day, resulting in many cancelled flights, including mine.  Unfortunately I only found this out after an expensive trek to the airport and a two-hour wait.  But it’s the first time I’ve ever been the victim of a flight cancellation, so I guess it’s all part of the adventure.

Fortunately I didn’t have to do any of the hard work of rescheduling, as that was taken care of by the folks in Spain.  They did think it slightly amusing that so many flights from England were cancelled as a result of so little snow, especially as groups from Germany and the arguably more snowbound Sweden and Denmark arrived in the Canary Islands today with no problems or delays.

Luckily my kind benefactors managed to book me on a plane from Heathrow tomorrow, as the Gatwick flights only go to Tenerife every other day.  Heathrow is a much larger airport than Gatwick and it does seem to be a bit better equipped to tackle adverse weather conditions, so fingers crossed that it’s second time lucky.

In the meantime, I’m trying to stay warm.  Today’s snow was pretty, but the freezing temperatures are intensifying my longings for warmer weather.  Here’s hoping that I get to Tenerife tomorrow.

I’m Saying No to Winter Blues

London is in the middle of a cold snap, but I can’t stop thinking about beachwear, sandals and where to buy a new pair of sunglasses.  You see, I’m off to the Canary Islands tomorrow for a spa trip, as a guest of the Canary Islands Tourist Board and their No Winter Blues campaign.

I’ve never been on this kind of holiday before, so my mind is racing with all sorts of questions.  How many swimsuits will I need?  Will the poolside bar have virgin cocktails or just alcoholic?  Where do you put your hotel room key while you’re swimming?  Should I bring factor 50 sun-block, or is that overkill?

One thing I’m sure of: it’s the right time of year to go.  Usually I avoid hot climates, but London’s so cold at the moment that even sun dodgers like me are longing for warmer weather.  And it looks like the Canary Islands won’t disappoint, as the forecast is hovering around 23 degrees Fahrenheit, with the thermometer only dipping a few degrees at night.  Perfect.

I’ll be visiting five of the seven islands, so stay tuned for photos and details of luxury hotels, spas, restaurants and activities.  And please drop me a line if you have any recommendations of where to go or what to see while I’m there.