Second Day

After gaining the impression yesterday that the distance and time matched well as orientation, we dared to go on the first tour with our kids, who were 11 and 15 years old at the time of the Madeira trip.

We were supposed to go to Tabua, the tour should have almost no inclines and bring a small tunnel for acclimatization. So actually optimal for kids of this age, whose primary vacation goal was chatting with friends.

The journey was challenging because our navigation system did not yet know the latest routes and then tried to guide us over the old coastal road, even though it was mostly closed due to tunnel construction for safety reasons. In addition, the navigation system tried to sell us footpaths and concrete roads that we did not really consider drivable as normal roads. Accordingly, we were cautious as soon as we left the 'tunnel roads'.

In this specific case, directly after the roundabout in Rio Brava turn right and immediately steeply uphill. We considered the quasi-vertical concrete path leading up the mountain as not drivable for our vehicle. The parking spot, however, was easy to find and the directions matched perfectly.

Sun exposure and resulting temperature immediately affected our young ladies. The tour was mostly exposed to the sun, and we were no longer used to that after the German weather. So the mood decreased considerably when we announced that we had to go back the same way. Distractions such as ripe cactus figs and strange other pumpkin-like vegetables (which we now know were pimpinella) or dead rats floating in the levada did little to help.

Nevertheless, we reached our parked car again, and after the return drive with the obligatory visit to the local Pingo Doce, nothing stood in the way of our children surfing and chatting in the holiday home.