Xmas in Fuerteventura
11th January 2020
What's the best way to spend Xmas? Argue at the in-laws. Visit the panto? Oh no its isn't, I decided to myself.
The idea of another enforced week off work, when the weather is short dark days with no frost, no snow, rain and generally nothing to make a winter break actually wintry, has become increasingly unappetising.
My idea to relocate Xmas to June or July when the weather is decent (probably decent) hasn't really taken off. Given this was generally a campaign of me half heartedly grumbling to mum and dad whenever Xmas was mentioned, I had little hope the government would listen.
So I decided if the mountain wouldn't move then I'd to move the man to the mountain. Literally, given some of the scenery in Fuerteventura. What we needed, I thought, was a good old family get away to the sun.
I couldn't recall the last trip away with the folks. The memory that came back to me was burying my sister in the sand using a metal spade, in the days before plastic was invented. Given this entailed digging out my unfortunate sister out with an implement that, on the face of it, is a metal bladed axe in the hands of a 12 year old, you can imagine the predicable consequence. Luckily the family agreed to a trip away. My sister, on the proviso that I only use a plastic spade.
We headed out to Fuerteventura on Xmas Eve and for the first time in ages I was actually looking forward to the Xmas period. I'd checked out a few photos locations but, for the first holiday in ages, this was just a package trip with the agenda to just chill and relax.
We stayed at the north end of the island, in Corralejo, at a resort on the northern edge of the town. Really enjoyed it - close enough to walk to the centre, far enough for some peace of quiet. Xmas dinner was at the Tantaluna restaurant, which up until Xmas eve I'd been calling the Tarentula. The meal and the atmosphere was excellent. Despite the lack of any spider related flourishes which I'd been looking forward to seeing.
No Xmas day cooking pressures, no EastEnders omnibus, no tidying up. Absolutely brill.
After an early scare that the whole island had run out of hire cars we managed to find the last car that Hertz had. I like to think it was the last car. Makes the trawling about seem even more worth it. Driving honours went to my sister. On the one occasion I drove, at 7am in the dark, it became clear to me that my driving skills are to far to deeply ingrained in left hand drives. Nice to have extras like indicating, using mirrors and changing gear all became secondary to important things like steering and braking. In moments of panic, trying to change gear with my left hand meant grabbing the door handle and don't start me on that stupid electronic handbrake button thing. My dad's not the greatest passenger either. We had to agree that he would be scared on the inside and not act as thought he felt every give way line was in-fact the edge of a 50ft cliff that I hadn't seen.
Fuerteventura was great - the weather was my favourite 22 degrees. Nice and warm but easy to get out and about in. Shorts and t-shirts which is great as I wasn't looking forward to inflicting my beer gut on the world, should the heat mean that a t-shirt removal was in order. Luckily for other holiday makers this wasn't needed.
I was very pleasantly surprised at the landscape and the scenery. Very interesting and varied. One minute dark volcanic rocky beaches, the next moment white sand dunes. Drive a bit further and you're up in the hills with some great views.
All in all, I can recommend getting away from things at Xmas. Give it a go. You'll not regret it.
Holiday pool time, Corralejo
Xmas day sunrise, Corralejo
Xmas dinner. Ok, its not - just a local cactus
El Cotillo on the west coast of Fuertaventura
El Cotillo
Faro del Toston disused lighthouse
The expanse of sand dunes of the Parque Natural de Correjo
Tindaya mountain with the extra elevation using my drone
The idea of another enforced week off work, when the weather is short dark days with no frost, no snow, rain and generally nothing to make a winter break actually wintry, has become increasingly unappetising.
My idea to relocate Xmas to June or July when the weather is decent (probably decent) hasn't really taken off. Given this was generally a campaign of me half heartedly grumbling to mum and dad whenever Xmas was mentioned, I had little hope the government would listen.
So I decided if the mountain wouldn't move then I'd to move the man to the mountain. Literally, given some of the scenery in Fuerteventura. What we needed, I thought, was a good old family get away to the sun.
I couldn't recall the last trip away with the folks. The memory that came back to me was burying my sister in the sand using a metal spade, in the days before plastic was invented. Given this entailed digging out my unfortunate sister out with an implement that, on the face of it, is a metal bladed axe in the hands of a 12 year old, you can imagine the predicable consequence. Luckily the family agreed to a trip away. My sister, on the proviso that I only use a plastic spade.
We headed out to Fuerteventura on Xmas Eve and for the first time in ages I was actually looking forward to the Xmas period. I'd checked out a few photos locations but, for the first holiday in ages, this was just a package trip with the agenda to just chill and relax.
We stayed at the north end of the island, in Corralejo, at a resort on the northern edge of the town. Really enjoyed it - close enough to walk to the centre, far enough for some peace of quiet. Xmas dinner was at the Tantaluna restaurant, which up until Xmas eve I'd been calling the Tarentula. The meal and the atmosphere was excellent. Despite the lack of any spider related flourishes which I'd been looking forward to seeing.
No Xmas day cooking pressures, no EastEnders omnibus, no tidying up. Absolutely brill.
After an early scare that the whole island had run out of hire cars we managed to find the last car that Hertz had. I like to think it was the last car. Makes the trawling about seem even more worth it. Driving honours went to my sister. On the one occasion I drove, at 7am in the dark, it became clear to me that my driving skills are to far to deeply ingrained in left hand drives. Nice to have extras like indicating, using mirrors and changing gear all became secondary to important things like steering and braking. In moments of panic, trying to change gear with my left hand meant grabbing the door handle and don't start me on that stupid electronic handbrake button thing. My dad's not the greatest passenger either. We had to agree that he would be scared on the inside and not act as thought he felt every give way line was in-fact the edge of a 50ft cliff that I hadn't seen.
Fuerteventura was great - the weather was my favourite 22 degrees. Nice and warm but easy to get out and about in. Shorts and t-shirts which is great as I wasn't looking forward to inflicting my beer gut on the world, should the heat mean that a t-shirt removal was in order. Luckily for other holiday makers this wasn't needed.
I was very pleasantly surprised at the landscape and the scenery. Very interesting and varied. One minute dark volcanic rocky beaches, the next moment white sand dunes. Drive a bit further and you're up in the hills with some great views.
All in all, I can recommend getting away from things at Xmas. Give it a go. You'll not regret it.
Holiday pool time, Corralejo
Xmas day sunrise, Corralejo
Xmas dinner. Ok, its not - just a local cactus
El Cotillo on the west coast of Fuertaventura
El Cotillo
Faro del Toston disused lighthouse
The expanse of sand dunes of the Parque Natural de Correjo
Tindaya mountain with the extra elevation using my drone