Holà!
I’m so sorry it took so much time for me to write and post this, but everything has been kind of hectic these last few months, and I have been trying to juggle between my internship, writing my research paper and having a life.
Nonetheless, I have had the opportunity to rest a little, and visit a new and wonderful destination: TENERIFE.
I boarded the plane with Mum (yes, I love travelling with my mum and take time away from everything) on Saturday, and it took us 4 hours to land on the beautiful volcanic island of Tenerife. We had a mini bus waiting for us at the airport to drive us to the hotel, and the moment we went off the plane, I felt the summer breeze on my skin, and trust me that after months of grey and rainy Paris, the sun becomes a luxury! The view was amazing, it felt as if we had landed in the middle of the Grand Canyon (except for the temperature, which was survivable).
When we arrived to the hotel, we were both in awe. The Jardìn Tropical is without a doubt one of the best hotels I have ever set foot in (thank you Mum for having knowing how to find a gem). The staff was incredibly welcoming and I immediately knew we were about to spend an incredible week.
For the first two days we just enjoyed the farniente lifestyle, and the on the third day, we decided (okay, I’ve decided because every single person who knows me, knows my do-nothing span, which is near 0) to go and visit the island and everything it hides. We took booked a tour to see the Teide (the most famous volcano on the island, for the movie fans it is where they shot Planet of the Apes) and the Loro Parque, which is this giant zoo (yes, a zoo again).
It took us about an hour and a half to drive to the top of the volcano, the scenery was amazing and the sun was burning. Climbing the uneven stairs, I felt as if I was in an episode of Man vs. Wild, and I spent about 45 minutes exploring the whereabouts of this volcanic field while mum was “enjoying” the sun and waiting for me next to the mini bus. We then left for Loro Parque, which was an hour away. Once we got there, I immediately turned into a 3-year-old. We went to see amazing water shows with dolphins, otters, sea lions, and my all time favorites ORCAS. I’ll spare you the details of everything we saw and how many times I squeaked when seeing a baby animal, but all in all it was an amazing and really heart-warming experience. Moreover, the park had a really detailed and interesting explanation for every animal that was there. After a whole day of walking and unintentional sunbathing, we took the mini bus to the hotel and I slept the whole way through.
For the rest of our stay we enjoyed long walks, football matches (back when Serbia was still running for world champion), delicious cocktails with a view and incredibly amazing food (the hotel buffet was one of the most incredibly beautiful things I have ever seen). I also had two workouts per day with the amazing Patricia, the personal coach from our hotel, and I can now definitely say, Spanish are far far far from lazy. The big plus, the gym was outside, just above the ocean (even the biggest couch potato would enjoy working out in it).
All in all, Tenerife was an amazing experience, where I have discovered a never-seen-before scenery, a hotel I will definitely return to, beautiful black sand beaches, and people with a heart as big as the world itself. So if you ever hesitate whether you should add Tenerife to your to-do list, I just have one thing to tell you, DON’T.
The next destination is coming soon, and I’m pretty sure you’ll love this one.
Love, Mach.