A taste of the really high life

Bridget McGrouther mixes cruising luxury with a daredevil trip ashore

ASWIFT glass of Poncha gave me the courage to face the incredibly steep climbs and hair-raising descents on our four-wheel-drive shore excursion from the Madeiran capital Funchal.

Made from rum, honey and passion fruit juice, Poncha was just the pick-me-up we needed from the roadside cafe.

Booked through our ship – Saga Pearl II – we’d had to pass muster as to whether we were physically fit enough to be jolted around in an open-topped vehicle. So far, our copious cooked breakfast had stayed down.That’s not to say that we didn’t occasionally hold our breath as we veered off the main road up through what seemed impossibly narrow and almost vertical lanes. We were all captivated by our driver Lois’s commentary and hearty laugh.

Lois then gleefully asked if we were ready for a little ‘massage’ as we left the road and bumped into the heart of a nature reserve.

Transfixed by sea-view panoramas above vineyards, we hardly noticed that the track had worsened to provide a much more robust version of a Thai massage. ‘Just like Bond,’ Lois chuckled. ‘Shaken, not stirred…’

Our nerves of steel were further tested as we stood gingerly on the precarious-looking glass floor of the Cabo Girao Cliffs Skywalk, 2,000ft above the crashing surf, as well as on the sheer viewpoint over the isolated Nuns’ Valley, where the sisters had hidden convent treasure from pirates in bygone days. Yet our morning’s adventure seemed to pass in a flash and we were soon back on board, where our sociable crew always made us feel right at home.

The food was a highlight of our trip, with so many dishes to choose from, whether in the more formal Dining Room or the casual Verandah, with its alfresco tables.

My husband Simon and I were celebrating our tenth wedding anniversary, and this island-hopping tour of the Canaries and Madeira was just the recipe for rekindling romance.

Happy days were here again, relaxing on a sunlounger or joining in the fun-packed daily itinerary, from the latest movies to after-dinner shows and dancing on deck.

During ports of call, we enjoyed Fuerteventura’s magnificent beaches and Gran Canaria’s seaside vibe in Las Palmas. There was a disappointment as our stop in La Gomera was cancelled due to high winds. We were warmly received in colourful Santa Cruz in Tenerife instead.

I suspect there would have been more of a mutiny if afternoon tea had ever been cancelled, the cheese trolley had accidentally rolled overboard, or someone ever dared to eat the last Werther’s Original – always passed round by Saga’s considerate tour escorts during onshore excursions.

Saga (saga.co.uk/cruises) offers a 19-night Contrasts Of The Canaries And Cape Verde cruise aboard Saga Pearl II, departing Southampton on November 1, from £2,883pp. This includes full-board accommodation, selected drinks, entertainment and activities and UK mainland travel service to and from Southampton.