Most of yesterday was devoted to getting to the tiny Atlantic island of Madeira – not helped by having to evacuate the South terminal at Gatwick airport because of a fire. And, as anyone who has ever flown in to Madeira knows, there is a certain nerve-racking quality about the extremely short airstrip that has been grafted on to the south side of the island just east of Funchal.
However, safe eventual arrival in a balmy 27 deg C and warm early evening sunlight was some consolation, as is the beautiful country house Casa Velha do Palheiro, now a super-discreet...