Fuerterventura

Well at long last, I have sorted out my photos and chosen the ones for my blog. It is now nearly 2 weeks since we got home from our holiday. We went to Jandia in Fuerterventura on the 20th of October.

We flew out in the afternoon from Stansted airport. I don't know what it is with Stansted, but it always takes forever there. We arrived over 2 and a half hours before the flight and only had time to just get through passport control before it was boarding. We had to queue for one and three quarter hours at the check in desk!! This only seems to happen at Stansted.

It was an OK flight, until it landed....... we are not sure what happened exactly, although we have been told by a pilot friend who can access a professional web site that it "belly flopped" due to pilot error. Basically it seemed to come down pretty flat without its nose pointing up, and it hit the run way really hard with a bang, bounced 3 times, sending passengers flying into the seats in front, it then went into a skid across the run way. It felt as if it was pulling in 2 directions and was gong to snap in half, just as we thought it was going to go right round 360 degrees, they regained control and eventually stopped it.

Both Simon and I actually thought that our time was up. I never thought that I was going to get off. The thought in my head was "so this is how I'm going to go". I was so scared. I hurt my left wrist and had bruising up my right arm. Simon was OK. We couldn't stop shaking though.

Things didn't improve when the lady driver of the mini bus taking us to the hotel drove all the way there at 30-40km over the speed limit. We were sitting right behind her so we could see the instrument panel. The bus had no seat belts so we were really worried for our safety. It seemed like they didn't get us with the flight so they were determined to get us with the bus!

It was a relief to finally get to our hotel. It was a really nice hotel, although a long walk down a very, very, steep hill to the beach. The food was lovely and the weather was superb, up in the mid 30's all week. We spent quite a lot of time just lounging around the hotel swimming pool, reading, but we did also hire a car for a couple of days although we didn't go far. We had a really nice visit to a local zoo and most of my photos were taken there.

All in all, we had a nice relaxing time, but I don't think we will return to Fuerterventura. It is a very bleak island and also very windy. Bleaker even than Lanzarote. The whole island is just volcanic rubble really. The only thing going for it is the white beaches and the sun, but we can get them a lot nearer, EG, Majorca.

Actually, we are considering options at home here in the UK for next year as I really don't fancy getting on another aeroplane anytime soon. I know that's probably being silly and I have never previously minded flying at all, but I was in such a state when we had to fly home that I made myself ill. The Lake District is sounding good for next year. We are also considering walking Hadrian's wall. Anything really where I don't have to fly!!! I have never been so glad to be home in good old England.