Home in Time for Tea

Being a warm and sunny year-round holiday destination, it is little wonder that Gran Canaria has afforded itself such a beach holiday reputation. However there is so much more to this tiny island and its mountains and ravines than sun, sea and sand. When I visited this year I barely had time for any beach encounters at all...  Gran Canaria: Artenara Cave Dwellings This fascinating set of ancient cave dwellings has been adorned with furniture and pottery/craft workshops to demonstrate how they were lived in and worked in, during the 1800s. The views across to the other mountains are breathtaking and you can even spy some prehistoric cave dwellings on the other side which were used by the ancient Guanche people - the natives of the Canary Islands who were non-Spanish.  To find these cave dwellings head into the town of Artenara and follow the brown tourist signs. Buses from Las Palmas should stop in Artenara, and hiring a car is cheap. Entry is free to the caves, but donations

We had booked four nights in a hotel in Corsica and two nights in a hotel in Eze on the Cote d'Azur. The rest was up to divine intervention (or knowing where the sun was shining!) I couldn't wait to get some holiday heat and sun, and wear the summer clothes which had simply gone into hibernation at the back of my wardrobe. As I sat on the bed thinking of how hot it would be in the South of France and Corsica in peak season, I started to wonder how hard it would be to find hotels during this busy time of year. Time would tell. We've always got the car...! We set off in the car on our road trip from Dover at a reasonable hour (you'll see this is a rareity in itself if you read my other road trips!) Then we headed South...   ~ Vichy ~ First stop, Vichy in the centre of France, famed for its Nazi occupation in WW2. We came across the Celestins spa water source and figured this must be a volcanic spa town. Yes - it is! We stayed at the Ibis hotel in Vichy - go

The Adventures of Driving in Corsica... Okay I'm not the bravest person when it comes to thrillseeking - I mean, Jess and I actually went on the train ride at Alton Towers when we were waiting for Kim and Richard to go on Oblivion. And we can't forget the children's rollercoaster - when it had finished going around three times, we were sighing with relief and Jess got stuck in her seat! The barrier wouldn't go up of course so I begun flapping my arms about and shreiking at the attendant in disproportionate despair. It could only happen to us. BUT, I do have a thrill seeking side nonetheless, and I do feel like I'm generally brave, when I'm in control. (e.g. skiing, rock climbing, jumping into rock pools...) On our recent holiday road trip to Corsica,  being in a car tested my danger seeking limits and pushed them over the edge , just a little (whilst still being thrilling and enjoyable of course! I mean, we didn't go over the edge did we but still...