Normality or not, this is about my first travels in 18 months to magical Madeira
These days, travelling abroad is about being organised with all the current protocol. It’s no longer a simple matter of just tickets and passports: now it’s all about proof of PCR tests, proof of Covid vaccinations, antigen test and locator forms, before even thinking about packing. My trip to Madeira, my first since February 2020, was an eye opener and showed me how much had changed since Covid. I found things daunting and quite stressful in the days leading up to my departure. There is so much pressure on you to fill out forms and download apps, it almost takes the pleasure out of travelling abroad. Fortunately Sabina, a top-flight PR, was also travelling with me, and she proved a dab hand at form-filling, having already travelled abroad several times during Covid.
Our check-in at Heathrow’s Terminal 5 went smoothly, and we boarded our 7.30 am (!!) flight to Funchal without a hitch, although even while waiting for the plane to take off I still had this uneasy feeling that a last-minute Government announcement on new travel restrictions would be announced. Fortunately all fears rapidly dispersed once we were in the air, and a couple of hours later happily landing at Christiano Ronaldo airport in Funchal to clear blue skies. Making our way through the airport, there were the constant reminders of Covid, with loudspeakers warning us to have vaccination and locator forms at the ready as we stopped by two separate kiosks and forms were duly logged into Portugal’s health system.
In what seemed like no time, we were checking into the luxury five star Savoy Signature hotel, and after a quick change into summer attire, having a delicious al fresco fish lunch by the hotel’s poolside restaurant. What a start to an amazing, magical week in Madeira.
The other reason for coming to Madeira was to write about the 18th World Underwater Photographic and Video Championships taking place on the nearby island of Porto Santo some forty-six miles from Funchal by boat – but more about that later. Meanwhile, it was seeing Madeira through the experienced eyes of Rodrigo Rate, co-organiser of the underwater event, who was also happy to accompany us throughout our stay. His extensive knowledge of Madeira was not only helpful, but also thought-provoking as we later termed our visit ‘Madeira Undiscovered’.
Lunch was followed by a leisurely walk in warm sunshine along Funchal’s popular promenade, overlooking a sparkling sea, to where the amazing Festival of Flowers parade was due to take place. First, we had to queue up for a lateral flow test (another stark reminder of Covid) before being ushered into the VIP stand, where for two hours we watched a spectacular parade of colourful floats festooned in a variety of different flowers representing different colour themes from villages in and around Madeira.
A troupe of dancers preceded each float, all dressed in outfits matching the float’s colour theme. A splendid start to an amazing trip.
That evening, Rodrigo took us to one of his favourite restaurants, Saint Vicente. As the name suggests, this is a former church, which has been transformed into a popular restaurant specialising in local fish. I chose fresh grilled tuna fish in a delicious butter sauce and washed it down with a bottle of locally produced Terra Bona. And that was just our first day!
After breakfast the next morning, we all met in the hotel’s lobby wearing masks – de rigueur everywhere and can only be removed when eating or drinking. By now our group had increased to six, including Rodrigo. Outside the hotel, we were picked up by our guide-cum-driver and taken to the stunning north side of the island through endless tunnels, briefly stopping at a pretty fishing village – one of Winston Churchill’s favourite painting haunts, when holidaying in Madeira. From here we drove to the Quinta Do Barbusano winery for a cliff-side tasting of several different but delicious tasting wines, while observing huge Atlantic waves battering the nearby steep cliffs.
Lunch that afternoon was another story – and all in the next blog…!
