Madeira 2023

 Wed March 1st

One day I will really mess up on the last bus to Cardiff. This time I had decided to take the slower 304, as I had been waiting and waiting and tracker showed it at Cardiff airport. Off I set only to see it pass me as I got to the top of the hill. So it was a 5min wait for the 96, and extra time in Queen St eating my McDonalds.

The rest of the travel went really well. Oxford Circus was closed so I jumped off the Victoria line train and caught a District to Westminster and then Jubilee to Stratford (Don't know why Google said take District to Mile End). Bus sign directed me to the other side of Stratford Station for the bus to Stanstead. This reminded me of why I hate air travel. Long queue for security and bag having to be unpacked. Toothpaste put in a plastic bag, belt, watch & boots removed. Then a long hike through the shops and a long wait in departure  area. Aisle seat son no view, but there was nothing to see until coming in to land, very close to the cliffs etc. The bus ride into Funchal was pretty scenic as well! lots of gorges to be crossed, straight into tunnels, or winding roads only just big enough. Two busses met on the bend, one had to back up.

Went to wrong hotel initially and then when I got to the Greco I was told something had happened to the room and I was transferred to The Windsor. Seems OK.

Wandered around town, pretty crowded. Chickened out and purchased a Levanda tour. That solved the problem of breaking my E50 note (38 Euro gone). Ice Cream at McD's and lots of biscuits from the supermarket as I attended the Sully AGM and Committee meeting.

Thursday March 2nd

Breakfast and off we go, I Hope.

And I was picked up at 0850 and taken on a tour of Funchal as we picked up the fellow travellers. Then a 40min or so drive including a coffee stop to the venue and a walk of around 6 miles. The rainbow on the way out was nice, and it did stop raining, well more misting and the sun came out. Scenery was great, views less so as there was too much foliage to see far. Way back was reverse with half hour break and 45 mins of driving. Never knew there were so many tunnels.

Wandered around town looking at food options - eventually a sundae in McD's and the last of the lemonade. Hard work planning tomorrow.

Friday March 3rd

Decided that the 10am bus to Santana was a good idea, with the aim of getting to Ribeiro Frio and take my chances on the return bus. Seems a lot of people had the same idea and I almost didn't bother to get on. They had a second bus ready so this is obviously a popular option. The climb is spectacular and the bus emptied at Rio Frio. 

Balconies PR10 was a short walk to a spectacular viewing platform. Photographers trying to tempt birds into their hands and failing. Then onto the main route PR10 Portela via Levada do Furado. Much lesss crowded and you begin to understand the warnings about vertigo  given about the walk. Got pretty much waterfalled out. Came across yesterdays group near the end. At the end we were waiting for the bus when a taxi offered us a group fare back to Funchal. At 5 Euro it was an OK deal and I was back by 4pm. Total cost about 9 Euro.

Tried to get information from the local tourist office but they were prety useless. They couldn't understand the idea of being on a bus for 3hrs. Ponta do Pargo is pretty much off list as the 5pm return bus does not exist any more. It has however suggested a Sunday trip to the Eastern point.h

Saturday March 4th

Discovered Hot Chocolate at breakfast, machine coffee is too bitter. I must be innumerate as I got on the wrong bus, 39 not 36 (had to look it up then). Anyway I got off it as it wasn't going the way google said the 36 should. Google said go back and start again but the track of the 36 looked quite close so I thought I would walk the gap and catch it half way. What I forgot was that most of the roads in Funchal are pretty near vertical. Still it was a nice day and pretty.

The clouds began to roll in as the route started and hovered around most of the time. I wonder if it was raining on the other side of the Island. Missed the suggested end of the road intending to take the City Lavada down - only problem was that it was closed. So I had to continue to Monte and the cablecar. I had been so happy that I would be going downhill - but this meant about another 300ft climb. The bus was half an hour wait so I went a bit further and avoided the tourist crowds.

Had a break at the Hotel and loaded a Funchal Tour which took me to the Natural History Museum. Then the usual Sundae at McD's and back to the internet. 9pm and time to watch some downloaded TV.

Sunday 5th

Part of the idea was to see if breakfast could be had as usual and still give time to catch the 9am bus to the airport. That part was a success as I was at the city bus station in plenty of time, only to realise that it was probably a SAM bus that I needed.. It's the same stop as the Aerobus, which is the only SAM service that Google recognises. 

Bus turned up about 10 mins late and a crowd got on board - another adventure on Madeira roads. The Ponta de Sao Lourenco was pretty crowded, cars both sides of the road. The path wasn't much better, in fact probably worse. After the Levadas it was a bit of a shock to be going up and down, only around 70m but practically constant. It was also warmer and a Force 4 so I went through the full water bottle.

The cliff views were spectacular and I did see the Desertas Islands and Porto Santo. Despite staying in the slow bus, I was back in  Hotel Windsor by 3.30 with a further 3 miles to walk - so it looks like another wander around the town and Sundae to be had.

Interesting wander, I had never noticed the castle and the Franco Museum might be worth a look at, and I enjoyed the sundae.

Monday 6th

Early at the bus stop on Avenue dos Mar, so walked to the SAM depot, two cruise liners in port. Bus out
to Portela.. Vereda das Funduras started with a forest track but soon left the levada. Could have been in Porthkerry Park but on a much larger scale. Pyle driving noise reminded you that civilisation was close. Some interesting Mushrooms and some very noisy frogs. The descent was hard work, had to be taken slowly and I pitied the couple who were going the other way.

At the intersection with Levada dos Marocos I turned left and contoured my way towards the coast, still looking down on aircraft flying in to land. Suddenly it becomes the Levada da Canical -Machinco. In the Walks guide they are two separate walks. The water in the Levada did get quite dirty. Got to the end and had a nervous wait for the bus. Google doesn't have any SAM times so it was saying the earliest bus was at 6am. Changed to th the express bus and was back around 5pm. Both apps agree that it was over 13miles.

Tuesday 7th

It was pretty dull at the beginning of the day but it cleared up and was as bright as usual by the time the 53 bus got around to Referta (constantly translated to Reference by timetable) 

The Levada do Castelejo didn't turn inland as quickly as I expected,. about 4km was along parallel to the coast. At least I got a chance to get pictures of the wildlife, lizards, dragonfly frog and flowere. On turning up the valley it got pretty precipitous. They were working on the fencing and I felt my vertigo getting worse.

At the top of the Levada I decided to try and walk out using the path. Once again a pretty large amount of up and down until it got to an old Levada, so last bit was OK. Found the bus stop and spent half an hour waiting for it, then half an hour worrying, but it did turn up. Strange routes as they go up ridges and then have to turn around and come out again. It was pretty fast going around the edge of the island. Tunnels are amazing. Back to Funchal and Sundae. 

They only sell the ham and cheese in flakey pastry in sets of four, so I'm pretty full and checked in with Easy Jet.

Wednesday 8th

The bus turned up at 9.30 not a problem as the flight was delayed 1hr. Got to the airport and thought the
view was pretty good. Then the delay went up and instead of the original 11.35 departure it was going to be 3.10pm. So I booked a train at 7.30pm down to Wales. Then the departure time went to 5.30 and I was unable to change the ticket online as the site said there was "no delivery option". Called the travel insurance. Eventually, we got on the plane only to be told we would be sitting there for 45mins as they didn't have a slot at Gatwick. They said it had been 4hhrs de-icing the plane and then the crew had run out of hours, they substituted an aircraft as my seat number got changed. They said we had too many passengers in the front and moved 4 people to the back.

   Eventually we got off at 1800 and went the long way round due to avoiding French airspace (they were having a strike) but we had a strong tailwind they said. Arrived Gatwick just after 9pm. Found the EasyJet office and banged on the door as instructed by some airport person. The supervisor turned up and handed me a voucher for a night in the Sofitel. 

Thursday 9th

Sofitel breakfast was good. Thought about walking to the station but it was raining so took the shuttle to South Terminal. Just as well cos Google had me walking along a dual carriageway, with no footpath (typical airport). Train to Farringdon, Elizabeth line to Paddington, Coffee on points at McD and half a train to Cardiff. Back in Barry around 2pm.

Footnote 

We now start the process of getting money sorted with claims to EasyJet, GWR & travel insurance.

All Photos can be seen at:- https://photos.app.goo.gl/5GGicuGf7arYKfWJ6