Day 7. Wednesday, 10th February, 2016. Homeward Bound

From the road above Imada looking towards Roque Agando
From the road above Imada looking towards Roque Agando

We had to be up by six o’clock. Kindly, the hotel had laid on coffee. We fell into conversation with an eighty-something American widow, who had moved to La Gomera with her latest husband; she had outlived him but had stayed. She was hoping to motor onto the same ferry that we were taking; she was off to see her eye specialist in Tenerife.

On the quayside, we watched the strip of light in the sky expand and brighten as the dawn approached. It was cool, and we passengers huddled together as if waiting for a ‘bus. The ferry, when it arrived, seemed gargantuan and clumsy in San Sebastian’s neat harbour.

Our journey north was as efficient as our adventure south a week before had been: ferry, taxi, flight to Manchester, ‘bus to car park, and road back to Stoke-on-Trent. Despite the lack of direct flights to La Gomera, it is really quite accessible.

Gardens around Torre del Conde, San Sebastian
Gardens around Torre del Conde, San Sebastian

La Gomera is undoubtedly a fascinating island with its dramatic terrain and its exotic flora. The Gomerans, generally, were very friendly and obliging. We would like to return, but we will definitely book beforehand. We got the distinct impression that facilities for tourism were finite, and that it would be difficult to arrive on the island, and arrange accommodation on the hoof.

You’ll be glad to hear that we took our colds back to Britain. Julia, in particular, was suffering. I couldn’t understand why just one side of her neck had got sunburnt. Over the next couple of days, the beast that is shingles revealed itself, with pox blisters extending from the right side of her neck down towards the armpit. I suppose that the lesson that we learned from all this was that when one is ill, one really has to take it easy! It might be that the shingles was triggered by walking on despite the fact that we were feeling rotten – who knows? There are times when you have to chuck the poles and walking boots into the suitcase, and get into a more leisurely mindset. I’m not sure how many times we have relearned this simple premise, only to make the same misjudgement. I suspect the fault lies with me…….. determined completer/finisher; a regular pain in the a……..

Walking La Gomera

The Previous Day

At Bar La Vista, El Cedro
At Bar La Vista, El Cedro