17th April
After breakfast we walked north towards the deserted and undeveloped end of beach, very volcanic lava rocks but quiet and deserted.
We retraced our steps going south, past our original starting point and through to the more popular parts and beaches, bars etc.I took plenty of photos along the way and we had a couple of large beers in the sunshine, expensive, especially considering there was a free bar back at the hotel, but it was a nice shady outdoor bar and a sea view thrown in for good measure.
Back to hotel for lunch and it clouded over with even a few small spots of rain.
18th April
Walked south beyond our destination of yesterday, back to hotel for lunch and relaxed afternoon by the pool reading
19th April
Walked around town and back along the promenade…. and during our travels booked a hire car for tomorrow.
Some night-time photos of the hotel by way of an experiment for me with night photography
20th April
Collected hire car and headed south to Playa Blanca. had a wander around the market there and the harbour. I loved the sound of the guy playing the South American Pipes..
And a spectacular looking crab trying to hide in the rocks at the end of the harbour wall.
Moved on up the west coast towards Timanfaya National Park but stopped en route at Salinas de Jubio salt beds and took some photos of waves that had come all the way across the Atlantic from the USA as we were now on the western side of the island
We stopped off again at El Golfo by the beach for a picnic and some photo opportunities.
Finally we reached Timanfaya (Fire Mountain) and spotted some camels waiting for passengers to take up the mountain. This was the hottest point on the hottest day 39C (102F)
We drove on in a bit of a loop further up the west coast and then headed back to Costa Teguise across the middle of the island.
21st April
this morning we walked along the beach and into town once more but most shops were closed as it was Sunday, so we went back to hotel, collected swim gear and then went back to the beach for a swim to cool down. Back to hotel for lunch and then more swimming and relaxing by the pool in the afternoon.
I left Jan sunbathing and I went for a walk that I had wanted to do from the first day. North up the coast along a dusty unmade road towards a little village on the hill top, which I found on arrival was called Los Anconas which was at the base of a headland. The headland had been my objective all along.
I had a bit of a wander round the village and then on from there over tracks and paths out to the headland itself and some great views back to the Costa Teguise. I made my way back via a rocky path along the cliff tops initially but completed the loop back round to Los Anconas and home along the dust road.
A total of about 6 miles I think. I was walking for just over two hours and I always reckon my average walking speed to be about 3 mph when I am estimating walk times.
A cooling swim in the pool when I got back was very welcome, but first I had to wash the dust off my feet and legs as I had been wearing my hiking sandals for the walk.
Whilst relaxing on the balcony outside our room I had a visit from this Collared Dove, we got pretty close.
22nd April
Walked to shops again, this time they were open so that was OK !! money was able to be spent…
the rest of the day was a similar pattern to previous routines, lunch then R&R by the pool, reading in the shade for me and swimming with the odd cooling drinks from the bar in the afternoon.
It seems i didn’t take any photos today.. so I will slip these in of a roof feature and the hotel pool, the ‘quiet’ one, from our balcony and a panorama of the beach taken from a small jetty with my iPhone.
23rd April
Woke and had breakfast, packed our bags ready for the return trip then had a wander along the beach for the final time. Our room had to be vacated my 12noon so we put luggage in a storage room, had lunch and then onto the bus for Arecife Airport and the flight home.
A nice relaxing holiday doing just what we wanted with nice weather, not a lot of activities to do but we didn’t want a lot anyway. I got through four books on my Kindle. It made a change to fly somewhere and get some winter sun after 10 or 12 years of caravanning holidays. Caravanning is better in the summer with the outdoor life and fresh air. Still plenty more of those to come yet though I hope but we may have got a taste for winter sun now..
The pictures here are just a selection from the photos I will eventually put on my photography blog. All of these and many more will appear there when they are finally prepared in a few days time. I have selected about 90 pictures to go there from the 300 plus that I took on the trip. I will let you know here when they are posted.
