When we woke up at 7am Aurora was just edging slowly along the seafront in Funchal towards the quay. We were breakfasted and docked by 830 and came ashore to find Happy Tours waiting outside. We were 8 in the group, Bob and I, 2 German couples and a pair of Norwegian girls, no one else from the ship. The tour was of the eastern part of the island and the scenery was spectacular. We started by driving up ot the highest accessible point at 1810m where the views were simply stunning, down green valleys. As we came up from sea level the vegetation changed from sub-tropical bananas and flowers through more deciduous forests, pine and then almost tundra at the top. Our van took us through small villages to numerous viewpoints around the island. Got some spectacular pictures and a far better impression of Madeira than on previous visits when we have remained in Funchal. The island itself is spectacular and a plantsman's paradise. Great swarths of plants that would barely survive in Cornwall in the UK, growing wild along the roads. Many many different fruits from bananas, papaya, mango, avocado, to orange, tangerine, custard apples and grapes of course. Was tempted to take cuttings but how to get them home..??? Our last stop at the end of April is in the Azores, a similar climate so might look to get some there.

Weather today was sunny and quite warm particularly down at sea level. Down there is was about 20C. Maybe 15C up at the top.