Above the clouds (script)
“Do you have a wife”? Asked the polite Norwegian lady. An unusual follow up I thought, to the series of travel themed questions preceding it. But this was no chat up line, at least it certainly wasn’t received as such, and I’m sure it wasn’t meant to be. Neither was the caring touch of my hand when I said that Rachel had died twenty months ago. I have to admit that the sympathetic touch took me aback, but it was just her trying to figure out why I’d come all this way alone. Maybe she’d noticed my wedding ring? Who knows what goes through a woman’s mind? I never managed to work it out! You shouldn’t even misinterpret the “Have you got somewhere to stay”? It’s not how it reads, honestly, it’s just that she was surprised that I hadn’t come to be with friends.
Continue reading “Above the clouds (script)”A Day of Contrasts
The sight of blue sky and sunny weather beckoned me back down to the coast from the 4 degrees I’d been experiencing just five minutes previously.
The day started with a forecast of showers for the morning, it was actually blue sky and 21 degrees as I finished washing a coating of the Sahara from Reg. Yesterday’s brutal wind had disturbed things quite a bit, including the drier branches of the palm trees, which I frequently witnessed nearly having direct hits on quite a few promenade walking tourists.
But undeterred by the forecast, and to coin a phrase from a hero of mine:
“I have a cunning plan”, and this plan of mine turned out to be about as successful as one of Baldrick’s.
“You see m’lord, as rain usually falls down, then if I get above the clouds it can’t rain on me”.
Continue reading “A Day of Contrasts”What Floats Your Boat
As I head to La Gomera on my third ferry trip of my Canarian adventure, I presently have no plan for five days time, but what I DO know is that I will not be returning to Los Cristianos to stay. I may be coming back to the port, but then I will move on. I have fond memories of Los Cristianos, back in the days before our children were born! Coming here this time served a purpose, it was my first base from where I could take stock, and I’ve taken stock.
Continue reading “What Floats Your Boat”Dinner Date
The 84 year olds at the table next to us were a chatty couple, they’d been coming here for the last 20 years, so that’s some kind of recommendation! They are also staying in the same apartment block as us.
You will have noticed by now that I’m using the term ‘us’, well yes, I was invited out to dinner tonight by a fellow German motorcyclist, a 35 year old striking blonde female. Just kidding, a 25 stone, 58 year old geezer but hey, any port in a storm as they say! Just kidding again, I’m not that desperate, and thankfully neither is Andreas!
Continue reading “Dinner Date”Photos from a cloudy day
The Beautiful Island
My well rehearsed apology for not being able to speak a language turned up trumps yet again, but not in Spanish as you may think? I’m no Inspector Clouseau, but if I was, I may have detected the early signs?
Three guys were taking their seats at an outside table of the restaurant adjoining my apartment block, two duly sat, whilst the third stepped away to remove his top and reveal a perfectly bronzed and honed torso. Why is it that it’s only blokes that seem to do this to me, maybe I’m giving off the wrong vibes? Still, it’s nice to know that at 65 I still ‘have it’! We exchanged pleasantries, used the universal term ‘moto’, whereupon they invited me over for drinks.
It was obvious that these were the three motorcyclists I had overtaken ten miles previously, and being on Spanish plates I made the obvious, and yet again wrong assumption, that they were of Iberian origin. But Fabio, Luca and Giuseppe were of course Italian, living and working across in Tenerife, so once I’d slipped into something a little more comfortable, we had some beers together. The usual motorcycle craic followed with some useful tips coming from them on food specialities and where to eat in Tenerife. As I had another social engagement looming, I thanked them for my beer, which they insisted on paying for, and after they told me to look them up when in Tenerife, I bid them fond farewells.
To keep you in the loop, I depart this island on Wednesday afternoon for seven nights in Puerto de la Cruz, followed by four in Santa Cruz, before my ferry back to mainland Spain on 3rd April.
Continue reading “The Beautiful Island”Small Yet Perfectly Formed
Cris Colon
An unfortunate name one might think, particularly for somebody who has navigated through a few passages? But Cris is more widely known the world over as that intrepid Italian explorer Christopher Columbus. His connection with this island dates back to 1492 when he set sail for India via the scenic route, but America got in the way! I briefly called into the capital (of La Gomera not America) on one of my many rides out, but will be returning for my ferry back to Tenerife, I may add a little more after that visit.
Best ’til Last
La Gomera saved its best weather until my last day, no heated handlebars on, no waterproofs, no riding through cloud, it’s as if it doesn’t want me to leave, and I leave reluctantly.
It’s been another day of meeting people, like I have a neon sign above my head flashing ‘This man needs help’! I really didn’t understand why Gina and Lothar invited me to sit with them at lunch. I placed my bike gear down at a nearby table and they immediately invited me to join them, of course The Yes Man accepted their kind invitation. I could write a story about our interaction but as usual, halfway through a trip, I’m now starting to even bore myself with these ramblings! Suffice to say Lothar said “She never invites people to be with us”! Gina? “I had a feeling”, and it seems the experience I have been going through for the last 20 months may actually have helped them in some small way. It will come as no surprise that I’m to call in to see them whenever I’m passing through Hamburg!
My contact list is now twice as big as when I started this trip, however I didn’t exchange details with The Ice Men, a group from Iceland on rented Harleys who came over to chew the fat, or maybe blubber 🤷🏻♂️
I took quite a bit of video footage today, however the Relive app will only allow a total of one minute, hence the very short clips. I have photographs and videos coming out of my ears but I think by now you should certainly have grasped what this place is like.
I return to Tenerife tomorrow on the 2pm ferry.
Tenerife, past and present
Uncle Jack
I was very fond of my Uncle Jack, mum’s brother. I was fortunate to get to know him very well due to him coming to live with us when we had the cafe and restaurant in Grange-over-Sands. To say he lived with us doesn’t really paint the whole picture. He and his wife had separated and mum and dad offered him a refuge I suppose, and also a job working with us. We only had three bedrooms above the cafe, mum and dad in one, grandma in another, which meant Jack shared a small room with my brother Paul and me, it was cosy, but we did all have separate beds!
Continue reading “Tenerife, past and present”