We had a very disappointing day on Thursday almost like a black Friday except it was a Thursday. We both had very disturbing nights, in separate bedrooms and beds with both of us awake for most of the night. I put it down to the colds and the bug that we have both picked up; Phil’s is worst of course, nose streaming, thick green flem with lots of coughing and a dizzy head. I am much the same with less of the snot, more of the dizziness and sleeping sickness, that so much so, it’s difficult to come round. On Thursday morning, Phil was up and buzzing, he made me tea and a fruit salad and was very keen to get on the road. So eager was he that I had barely time to pack a bag and then we were off.
It’s not terribly easy getting out of Golf del Sur, the road to the motorway is often congested, and that’s because there is a one way system, one way in and only one way out. It’s frustrating but Phil pushes in on the roundabout in the hire car and one way or another, we get out and eventually we got on the motorway. We had a map given to us by the hire car company and knew where we were heading. We stopped off at Los Gigantes for a coffee; a very touristy place and it was very difficult to park up. Phil managed eventually to squeeze our little car into a space and we stopped at a little cafe for a coffee and a strawberry flan. Actually that was Phil’s choice, I had a cup of tea and a ham and cheese toastie, very English I know, but Phil pushed me out of the door barely wide awake and I was a very hungry girlie.
So glad was I, that’d I had that rather English morning snack because we got on the road again and headed along a rather treacherous mountain trek to a place called Masca. I don’t even know why we even went there, bar for the fact that for some reason, it was circled on our second hand travel map. But Phil wanted to see it and we tried, but when we eventually got there, it was full of tourists and there was absolutely nowhere to park. I am not even sure what there was to see at Masca?? It wasn’t as easy ride to Masca from Golf del Sur, Phil, sicken with cold, had even worse road rage than he has in the UK, so you can imagine the drive round up the mountain which was difficult in that it was a 2 way road, made worse by tourist coaches with aggressive drivers who shouted their fists and made you reverse at every corner. It was a true nightmare, Phil said it was a f**king nightmare at every turn and in fact he said much worse and I was just glad I wasn’t driving. When we got to Masca, I studied the map and said to Phil that he had another 20 kilometres of mountain driving or otherwise he could drive the same way we’d come go and go back to the main road.
Phil chose the same way back (thank god). With much more cursing and swearing, and huffing and puffing and lots of reversing for coaches, eventually we made it back to the main road. We still headed northwest to Garcachcio and onto Icod de Los Vinos but as we drove more into the mountain, the cloud thickened and it felt like rain. Our main destination was Puerto de las Cruz but in Icod, the temperature had dropped by 10 degrees, Phil’s cold has worsened so we abandoned our plan of staying overnight and decided to head back to the south. Good plan, it took us forever but around 3pm we ended up in a little town called San Miguel and decided to eat at a Spanish restaurant called Asador el Portillo recommended to us by the owner of Dabda. It was Spanish owned and a bit posh, and in my faded denim shorts, I felt very under dressed. Phil ordered us the Chateaubriand which was okay but I felt it was expensive for what it was. I can’t help but think back to the absolutely wonderful plate del dia which we had back in La Manga last November with Anne & Jim, Sue & Kay, John & Marie and me and Phil. This was the best Spanish meal we have ever tasted and nothing comes close to that here in Tenerife.
Phil drove back to the Atlantic stopping off at the supermarket for some water and I am sorry to say that we were both in our separate beds by half past seven. Sad old gits I know but I felt better having slept for some 12 hours but Phil was still full of cold when he got up yesterday morning. I feel so sorry for him, the radiotherapy last year has obviously zapped some of him immune system. I still am dizzy, my head feels full of cotton wool (no change there) and my taste buds feel like I am eating cardboard all the while but I can still neck the good old Spanish red so I can’t be that bad. It’s Phil I am worried about though, he wanted and needed this break far more than me, and it’s him that is suffering most.
Friday was always going to be an easy one. Internet and also a blog at reception, then an easy ride to Parque Albatros so Phil could tap into their free Wi-Fi and and I could use the laundry. We did all this whilst posing as residents in the bistro bar; we have stayed here before so we know the system. Naturally we left a big tip and mission accomplished, we got in the car and headed to a bar in Los Cristianos. It was an English bar called Manhattan’s that Phil wanted to head to. One, because it offered free Wi-Fi and two, because the food is good, English I might add. But lastly because we are booked back to Tenerife on a another free holiday in May that I have won (same ole, same ole but non-the-less still a freebie) and we are meeting up with Eva and Dave that we met last year and wanted to do a reckie. Okay, so we know where we are going in May, but the probability is that we will get a taxi from Golf del Sur to Los Christianos. Still at least it’s good to get one’s bearings.
After a late lunch, it was back to Atlantic Resort, Atlantic Resort that offers nothing. We were upset to see that the car had been damaged on the rear passenger side, not Phil’s fault as he is such a good driver but most probably as a result of one the angry Spanish coach drivers shaking his fist at Phil and making him reverse into the gutter. Bastard, sorry for my language but we have hired a car through Europo-car with no premium paid so god only knows what we will get charged.
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