FINNROSE 32:44.5N 16:42.76W

Finnrose
Sun 14 Oct 2012 20:52
Madeira is a great island; the scenery is fabulous, the climate is most agreeable, and the people are so friendly and helpful. We have really enjoyed the week we have spent here. If you've never been to Madeira put it on your list of places to visit; if you've been here before I am sure you will want to come back.

It's not a big island, 57km east to west and 22km north to south. But it gives the impression of being much larger, maybe because getting anywhere involves lots of very steep climbs and hairpin bends. We hired a car for few days and drove around the entire island - we did 400km! The old roads are pretty scary - narrow, very steep, with lots of unbelievably tight bends. But, thanks to the EU, the island has recently seen a vast investment in its roads; a fabulous road system which is almost entirely tunnels and bridges. The iPad's sat-nav system found the going hard; the road system is effectively everywhere in 3D, bridges over tunnels, tunnels over tunnels, and so on. The sat-nav couldn't figure it out.

The marina we are in, Quinta do Lorde, is in the east end of the island, and is part of a soon to be opened hotel/holiday home complex. I guess the marina is just to give the necessary marine feel to the place. But the complex, although still not completely finished, is fabulous - and, it seems, fabulously priced as well!

But, don't get the impression that it is all holiday mode here. We are still resolving problems on the boat; 12 weeks since we set off and still tackling the problems we started with (and, a few that have arisen on the way). Nevertheless, we are getting there - there is light at the end of that particular tunnel.

The plan now is to depart for Lanzarote tomorrow; a couple of days at sea, or bit longer if the winds are light.

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