Galo Resort Sport Ondamar Canico

On Sunday we got up, had breakfast and we went off on a tour organized by P&O to the top of the second highest cliff in the world, and very spectacular it was. On the way we saw all sorts of plant life, including banana trees and the very colourfull South African trees, with very large red flowers. We passed through Camara de Lobos and on to Pico da Torre where a magnificent view over the cliffs down to the sea showed how beautiful Madeira is.

... would be 72, but me and the one four year old on board brought it down the .5 J Back at the cabins, all bags finally arrived and we had only two fatalities--my brand new 16oz can of aerosol hairspray that was to get me through the month and a 1997 Super Tuscany (12 year old bottle of red wine for those of us who didn't know)Luckily not too much damage--just had to clean it all up--could have been much worse! Oh yeah, Terry and I originally were going to schlep the 50+ lb bags ...

... small home in a very hilly countryside of the city. Unfortunately, her little abode has been the recent target of three robberies. She has remained faithful and really looks forward to the world tomorrow. She has not been able to read much of our literature, due to her eyesight, but she receives the taped sermons in Portuguese, which she appreciates. This was the first visit by an elder that she has had since 1995. She had many ...

... wisely avoided us and continued their daily migration. Half an hour later, the catamaran's crew spotted a whale in the distance, which eluded my eyesight, though not my camera's :). The whale's tail surfaced as we approached, almost catching up with him, before he sank into the depths in reticence or indifference. The crew erected the catamaran's full sails for the remainder of our 3 hours aboard, and though we didn't see anything more, it was pleasant ...

... as Wally heaved it out to the car, in fear of being lumbered with responsibility for the rest of the day!). We drove out to the far east of the island, past the impressive ...

... but I had never scuba-dived before (despite fantastic snorkels in the Galapagos Islands and the ...

... we settled into the car and began our tour of the hilly, lush island. Madeira climbs an incredible 1,900m above sea level, and is beset by the four season's climates in one day thanks to this undulage. We started at a "cash-and-carry" supermarket ...

A well earned sleep-in and relaxed morning brought renewed enthusiasm from all on board. The morning was filled with tasks of cleaning, tidying and general boat maintenance. At lunch time we caught a taxi into the nearby town, which to our surprise was extremely charming. Porto Santo is a mixture of old and new with a distinct beach resort feel. The Island has an amazing golden sand beach (normal for Australia) with ...

... of Arco da Calheta, situated in the southwest of the island. This area would have taken hours to reach in the past, however the island's infrastructure has been transformed by the construction of a unique road tunnel system which now links most areas. From the villa we have 180 degree views of the Sapphire waters of the Atlantic Ocean, along with panoramic views of the village spreading out below and up the sides of the valley ...

... car to Monte and then Monte to Botannical gardens. Zigzag down through the gardens and catch a cab/bus back to Funchal. Portugese men and women can't help but ogle a cute baby. We were constantly stopped in the street as little J was cooed over. He loved the attention and was spoilt rotten. He giggled, smiled and luaghed so much he really was a joy to be around. Our first holiday with the baby was 10/10 but the actual journeying is so bad we won't be rushing into another trip.