The Portuguese island is shaking off its reputation for sedate holidays and visitors are now discovering its wild side
I took a deep breath, checked my harness for the tenth time, then ran towards the edge of the cliff. Just before I hurtled off into the abyss, the wind seized my parachute and whisked me up into the air. I’d landed in Madeira just a couple of hours earlier, and I was already doing my first tandem paraglide flight. This whirlwind adventure set the tone for the week ahead.
When I thought about going to Madeira, a Portuguese island (actually, four islands) in the north Atlantic, I pictured wine, cake, flowers … and old people. It was filed in my mind as a pretty but dull destination, full of pensioners on package deals and cruises. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but I didn’t think it was for me.
The Harley Davidson tour was a blast – much more exciting than the usual minibus tour
Continue reading...