Postcards Home

In Portinatx this week it is great, accommodation is full of Brits drinking as much of their all inclusive beer as possible, Hate it.

Booking for 4 days here in January was a mistake. Weather very bad and stuck in a César Manrique style, uncomfortable accommodation. We are leaving early, sod the money.

Now for a nice hot walk up a steep hill in the midday sun :)

First time in years I grew a backbone and hired a car to drive round in La Palma. Great choice. Taxis are too bloody expensive here.

They know how to party at the weekends here in Alicante.

In Palma, the capital of Majorca a vibrant interesting and beautiful city with ports, beaches and great shopping apparently, but I want to go swimming.

Didn't do the caldera walk last year, came back to do it this year. Well worth it. Earned a beer!

Here again in Santa Cruz waiting for a ferry. Nice place to spend a few days. Good food and a great beach.

Longish hot walk along the Boquer valley today. The ridge to the left is amazing. Greeted by old goats at the end and into the water to cool off.

Calm as it gets here in the Boquer today, perfect for a dip. Few jellies around and lots of fish, water is crystal clear. German lady got a leg sting, big screams.

This was a surprise, this is a great place to snorkel, red crabs on the rocks.

Got the number 3 bus whilst the rest of the gang went shopping, I went swimming. It's 40 degrees, Swimming! This is a fabulous spot to Snorkel. Had to wander round an army check point to get to the best spot.

Went whale watching today. Loved the first hour. Felt sea sick, still feel like I'm going up and down with the boat on dry land.

It was a bus from Los Llanos to Los Canarios today to climb up a hill at the end. Too cloudy up top though so we walked back, 25km; my feet hurt!

nice place this - but never get an apartment here in mid summer without AC. Too bloody hot!

Some serious jelly fish here today, big sting on the arm, warned some posh chaps, they ignored me :) silly buggers. Still this a great place to snorkel.

Staying in a semi hippy, semi middle aged German resort, love it, no chip shops. Scenery stunning, cliffs all around.

Huge overnight ferry from Santa Cruz to Santa Cruz! Tenerife to La Palma. Almost empty.

We took a vastly overpriced boat to Formentor beach today, I'm still shaking at having to part with so much for so little. Still the snorkelling is good. Got the bus back!

Trudged up a stream over an assault course to get to a waterfall. Lots of hippies selling craft stuff on the way. Good lifestyle.

Sea is quite calm here today but the water is still too murky to see anything much snorkelling.

Staying in a winter retirement village for few day, and boy do we feel young!

Some great snorkelling here, but the best spots take a bit of finding. Swimming ia great all over, with lots of sandy beaches and quite shallow for in most places.

Found a nice little spot to snorkel, about 1km to the east of Orzola ina little bay, bery interesting rock formations above and below water.

Man flu, I have man flu, all this way to snorkel here and I feel shit. Still I went in with my wetsuit on. diving was painful!

A bus through a lunar landscape to Playa Blanca, enjoying here, bit windy mind you.

Back in Peurto Pollenca. I feel like I have come home when I get here, love this place. Now, swim first or food?

We got a bit bored so wandered over the hill to Cala San Vincente for a swim instead. It is wonderful. Deep clear blue water.

liking it in Puerto de la Cruz. It is not like the beach resorts of the south, it is much more interesting, but not at warm!

Adorably cute little fishing village on the north coast of Lanzarote. No boozy Brits here, Orzola was as a pleasant surprise.

Always a good spot to visit, an interesting old walled town, with good shops and restaurants. Having said that we just had a butty.

Bus to Alcudia, 20 minute walk to bays to the the North. Good snorkelling. Walked back to Puerto Pollenca. Cold Lager required.

Stuck in this place for a few days waiting for a ferry to somewhere nicer. Swimming is OK, the town need work.

We did it again got the timing all wrong and ended up walking there and back to Cala San Vincente. Still we had a good swim.

Needed a swim today, so hopped on a bus to Teresitas. Beautiful spot. Not much to see underwater but good swimming. Now for a lager.

Visiting Granada again, one of my favourite Spanish cities.

Back in our old apartment from last year, much better than the hole we just stayed in near Las Canteras beach.

Visited more pharmacies than restaurants, searching for Spanish treatments for man flu. Gripe del hombre (it does not translate)

Tram ride today from Alicante on the L3 to El Campello. Nice resort with some good snorkelling.

Lunch in a great Cafe in Cala San Vincente again, love it.

Long walk around Cap de l'Horta, dodging the bronzed nudists, found some shade and went for a swim.

Not a bad place for a spot of swimming and snorkelling, had a great time, big fish and these large clam shell things! Great fun.

quick strole in the hills now, well that was the plan, turned into quite a hike.

Fantastic city, lots to see and do, OK swimming and snorkelling

Hired bikes to cycle to a bronze age ruin. Both bikes got punctures, walked back miles in the mid day sun, Crap bikes!

Staying in Los Llanos De Aaridane again. This is I think our favourite town in the Canary Islands. So laid back.

Final day at Valle Gran Rey, the water here is now nearly clear.

Colonia Sant Jordi! This place feels more Spanish than most resorts in Majorca, NO CHIP shops. Great beaches, very relaxed.

Found a couple of great apartments in La Palma, and few bad ones.

Swam from one bay to another - but dumb really - boss not happy - in the dog house.

2 days in San Sebastion and we find a fiesta. Like this place, mental note, revisit.

Ended up absolutely freezing having swam with a large cuttle fish in one of the bays here in Playa Blanca. Fabulous. But my hands went white.