A VIRTUAL HOLIDAY

A Virtual Holiday. Day 1

Yes, an early start! Taxi due at 4.30a.m. to take us to Stansted. We decided on a taxi because a taxi both ways was about the same as parking the car for a week – and the taxi drops us right at the door – for £10.00 extra. Having checked in online and booked  help for the disabled we were whisked off on a golf buggy to a waiting area, which saved all that ghastly queueing to be frisked for bombs (take your shoes off), hidden knives (take your belt off,)  and being  required to hand over any liquids etc that the friskers don’t like. Of course, we had to be checked over, but we were not required to stand in long snaking lines like cattle waiting to be milked.  The other advantage is that these motorised chariots disappear through doors which seem to cut off miles of walking along long corridors to the departure gate which always seems to be at the furthest extremity of the airport, and then boarding a bus to drive you out to a plane waiting on some far flung apron.


We were among the first to board the plane, and had seats near the front (2nd row) and unbelievably the plane took off more or less on time – 7.20. Uneventful flight with a forgettable breakfast, and a chance to go back to sleep for a couple of hours!

Landing at Funchal at about 11 is fascinating as the runway is almost in the sea and the plane has to do some tight turns before it is lined up to land safely.It does not take too long to get through passport control and collect luggage and within 45 minutes we are on the transfer coach for our hotel, the Quintina Sao Joa. We have stayed here twice before and it is a brilliant relaxing place to stay. Not on the sea front, it is set about a mile back in the most marvellous sub-tropical gardens, and is like an old Colonial building.  

We check in – greeted as old friends and go to our room where luggage is left and its down to the bar where we sit in the courtyard and enjoy a beer and a light lunch which is soon brought to us, and reminds us just why we love this place – the food is magnificent, and we bask in the pleasantly warm sun (19).





























So Day 1 concludes with total laziness. A little unpacking, a gentle swim in one of the two pools, an exquisite evening meal and so to bed!

 Tomorrow we will explore a little of the island so join us then!





























Tomorrow we will be exploring the island so join me tomorrow - and escape!

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