Some time in the dim and distant past - well, about six or seven weeks ago - I spent a week in Lanzarote. It's taken a while, owing to the demands of work and The Three Ds (divorce, debt, decrepitude), but this morning I found time to retrieve some images from my good friend Aerial Attack, who was in Lanza at the same time as me with his mate Clyde from Oz (who lives in Wales, and is a very good surfer). I'll post one or two now, with thanks to Mr Attack.
First up is an image of me up and riding at Orzola.
Next, me up and riding at Orzola - but this time photoshopped by Mr A to give me a gut. Why he did this I have no idea.
However, leaving aside the strange phenomenon of the 47-year-old man with a now-you-see-it, now-you-don't midriff, below is a shot of a far better surfer than me - my son Harry, 17 (note the insouciant 40-something in the background).
I took both my lads, Harry and Elliot (15), to Lanza. Here they are about to paddle out at San Juan, a lovely left hand point near Famara.
I'm writing up the trip for a forthcoming issue of Wavelength, so will be spartan here. Suffice to say, though, the following:
1. In Lanza, in warm water, I can still surf. My neck problems are bad in the cold, so the answer is obvious: I must move to Lanzarote.
2. Harry, despite an on-off (mostly off) relationship with surfing these past two or three years, is still a good surfer.
3. Elliot is coming on loads, and could be as good as his brother.
4. Michelle and the good folk at Lanzarote Retreats have a fantastic operation. Their eco-complex is to the north of the island - nearer to Orzola than Famara - but, for me, it's all the better for its location. It's quiet and unspoilt, but not too far from the island's surf spots. The vibe at the retreat - where the accommodation is a mix of yurts and villas - is chilled and mellow. The boys and I played a lot of outdoor table tennis in the evenings, as well as guitars - there are a couple at the retreat. Having been to Lanza a few times now, I can't think of anywhere I'd rather stay.
5. Unless, that is, I was going there on a trekking holiday. Maybe then I might opt for a different base. Thanks to a trip with the excellent Jose of Blackstone Treks & Tours, I might just have reacquired my taste for trekking - something I did a lot in former years. Jose met us in the lovely village of Teguise and took us to the edge of the Timanfaya National Park. He knows the place like the back of his hand and proved to be a superb guide amid a quite extraordinary landscape, at once desolate and barren but also curiously beautiful. The best evidence I have for this contention is the response of my sons, who were fully engaged throughout. Here we all are, again thanks to Aerial Attack, who also blogged about the experience here.
6. Lastly, as much as thanking Michelle at Lanzarote Retreats and Jose, a word of thanks to Dennis Smith. Dennis once again lent me his magic board, and also sorted out Harry and El with shortboards. Not only that, he also gave me one of his unique massages, part of a holistic and pretty radical treatment he's devised known as Natural Dynamic Body Release. This sort of thing isn't usually my scene - I can never relax enough or sit still long enough for a massage - but Dennis, one of surfing's characters, is onto something. People travel from overseas to be treated by him in Lanzarote, and I'd happily be one of them again, next time I'm on the island. I felt lighter and clearer post-treatment in a way I haven't experienced before.
Thanks to all I met during my recent trip Lanza, including Ben and Tullulah at La Cantina in Teguise. Top restaurant, top music. Tullulah will go far. To sign off, here are a couple more images of Harry, as ever thanks to AA.
Glad you enjoyed the Waves and the Volcanos.
Posted by: LanzaVillas | May 07, 2013 at 05:24 PM