Yrs, you read that right… as my skydiving days are definitely a few decades ago! Funchal is all about looking up. Surrounded by mountains, with steep hills very much in evidence throughout the city itself, elevation is key to the whole experience.

For the fabulous tropical gardens of Monte or the botanical gardens of Jardim, there is only one way to travel…

And the payoff is every bit as high as the altitude…

The amount of climbing can be hungry and thirsty work. So, step forward the Galaxia Skybar and restaurant in the Savoy Palace Hotel to maintain that elevated theme…

A la Carte fine dining comes with an elevated price tag… but limpets with seaweed, baby lamb with truffles and yam, and all sorts of local produce done with unique twists create the unique experience; and tuna and egg never tasted quite like this at Chez Juno in Cardiff!

Desert just needed to be an extra glass of a particularly fine Portuguese red wine from the vineyards of the Douro region. But caution is needed when taking in all you survey after a particularly fine meal with delicious wine…

Until we speak again, it’s back to the chill and gloom of late winter, tinged with the memories of a taste of summer in February (yes, I know it’s always summer in February in Australia!)…