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The last time I can remember lying down under a tree enjoying a bit of sunshine was last year in Norway.

La Gomera

Gaby
2004-01-25 13:00:57

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The last time I can remember lying down under a tree enjoying a bit of sunshine was last year in Norway. Eight months ago! Since then it's been pissing rain over here.

A week's break in the sunshine will be perfect. Also, I am four and a half weeks behind with my Open University course, so I will enjoy a bit of studying by the pool.

It is a big plane, an Airbus 300 from Scandic Air, that takes us to Tenerife Airport. The flight lasts about four hours and that is about the extent which one can stand in the cramped conditions in economy class.

On arrival, the man from Neckermann tells us that there is no room in our hotel tonight, but that we can spend the night in a "very nice four star hotel in Tenerife", the Hotel Princess. Four stars are easily given in Spain. The hotel entrance may be impressive, but that is all. When we open the terrace sliding door, the noise of the bars and dancings of Los Christianos wafts inside like a bad smell. Still, we have a good night's sleep and the wake up call is spot on time, 6:30 a.m., so we can have breakfast and take the bus to the harbour.

The information we had received about the ferry service had mentioned that there was a fee to be paid for the transfer of each piece luggage, but did not mention that it had to be in 100 peseta coins. And where do we get our ticket or boarding card? Luckily we find a Neckerwoman, the friendly and bubbly Michaela, to tell us all about it and help us board the Fred Olsen ferry. Fred Olsen will figure prominently in this holiday.

The ferry takes about 40 minutes to cross the distance from the Island of Tenerife to that of La Gomera; during that time we learn from a video on the televisions suspended above our heads that our hotel is also owned by Fred Olsen.

We stand on the deck for a while as the ferry approached the rocky harbour. Once ...