Before my memories of being in Madeira fade completely in the light of being back to a more regular routine (more on that in another post), I'll write my last set of recollections of my brief slice of island life. Hiking - 25 Fontes: We realised that we couldn't get to this walk by public… Continue reading Island Life – part 5
Author: michellekstone
Australian-born London-dweller. I love books, travel, my garden, my cat, my husband and sunshine but not necessarily in that order.
Island life – part 4 – sensory experiences
My time here on Madeira has been built around not just what I have seen, but also what I have experienced with my other four senses. Hearing The bells of the cathedral that start at 8am every morning and chime every quarter hour.The happy "honk honk" of the Porto Santo ferry when it arrives back… Continue reading Island life – part 4 – sensory experiences
Island Life – part 3 – the dreaming
If your holiday is going well, there is always a point where a little voice in your head says, "You could live here, you know." Yes, that sounds like a good idea. I could live here and I would stay in this nicely located, nicely equipped apartment in the city centre, with bars and restaurants… Continue reading Island Life – part 3 – the dreaming
Island life – part 2
Sightseeing. We have been out and about around the island, not just sitting beside the sea sipping on cocktails. (Sadly, very little of this activity so far.) We came here for hiking (mostly) and hiking we have done. Hike 1: Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo. Our guidebook to walking on Madeira offers three classes… Continue reading Island life – part 2
Island life – part 1
One week into our Madeirense holiday and some observations: The Madeiran geography is part cake, part Swiss cheese. Let me explain further. If you imagine a cake where someone has cut random slices around it, that is what the coastline of Madeira is like. Only instead of someone, it's nature in the form of rain,… Continue reading Island life – part 1
Travel in a time of Covid-19
We read all the instructions several times to make sure we'd covered everything. Vaccination proof? CheckMadeirasafe website information completed? Check Airline check-in done? (although with much cursing at the airline's rubbish website on my part) Check (Although the airline website generates a document that declares "This is not a boarding pass. Please check in at… Continue reading Travel in a time of Covid-19
Making plans (33.2021)
There have been some grim stories coming out of Afghanistan this week as the Taliban take over: give us all the unmarried women from 15-45 and we will marry them to our fighters (I think they have since denied this is happening). Female journalists hiding their identity in fear of retribution. Women who have fought… Continue reading Making plans (33.2021)
Priorities (32.2021)
It's been a successful week in terms of the goal I set myself of doing more of the things I say are important - prioritising reading, writing and exercise. I sat down and looked at the things I said I wanted to do more of and worked out what would be an appropriate amount of… Continue reading Priorities (32.2021)
Putting the pieces back together (31.2021)
It's strange how pieces from different places connect sometimes. I'm not talking about jigsaws here (for once). I heard this week that one of the more interesting novels I've read in recent years, Drive your Plow over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk, has been made into a movie called Spoor. I found… Continue reading Putting the pieces back together (31.2021)
August – what? (30.2021)
How did it get to be August already? July seemed to pass in a very short blip of time. Is it because I spent so much time doing jigsaw puzzles? This week we had our big social event of the summer which was hosting five people for a barbecue. Our barbecue trademark is overcatering. Seven… Continue reading August – what? (30.2021)
