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By the Time Dawn BreaksTwo friends on holiday on Fuerteventura become lost in the hills, unaware a violent storm is heading their way. Life in a sleepy Canarian town on La Palma is thrown into turmoil during the visit of an obnoxious American author. Descending into one of Lanzarote’s unexplored volcanic tunnels, a boy with an overactive imagination embarks on a fantastic adventure. During a fiesta on La Gomera, a foreign resident concocts an absurd plan to seduce the village’s most beautiful woman. A lone hiker venturing deep into a remote ravine on Tenerife makes an astonishing discovery. The neglected wife of a farmer believes her husband’s tales about a strange beast tracking him across Gran Canaria are a cover for his infidelity. And, at the end of the world, a devoted couple make a pilgrimage to El Hierro’s Holy Tree, praying for a miraculous intervention.
All are connected by one special night of the year … and an enigmatic fisherman. By the time dawn breaks, none of their lives will be the same again.

“A magical novel steeped in the myths of these islands.”  – Richard Attree, author of Too Close to the Wind

"An enchanting read, that will take you on a magical ride through the canary Islands."

SVAmazon Reviewer

"A fabulous book combining myth and reality"

GKAmazon Reviewer

" A compelling read, hard to put down."

BDAmazon Reviewer

"This is a fantastic book. The blend of island facts and the author’s vision of fables is unique. I loved it."

R SamuelReview on The Real Tenerife website

Camel Spit & Cork Trees: A Year of Slow Travel Through Portugal

Camel Spit & Cork trees is a travelogue which is partly about learning to live as a foreigner in Portugal and partly about delving under the skin of areas that aren’t so well known outside of the country. It’s about the land, the people, the food, the weather, the wildlife … and the insects. It’s also packed full of historical, cultural and quirky snippets we picked up during a journey which has not only been an education, it’s been a lot of fun … mostly.

So, what’s camel spit got to do with anything? You’ll have to read the book to find out.

 

“…This book is a must read, and also a great inspiration for travel to Portugal.”  – Robert Tellier, Gr8 Travel Tips

"If you enjoy a Bill Bryson style mosey through a country, Camel Spit & Cork Trees is just up your street...or waymarked path."

Francesca BAmazon Reviewer

"My only hope is there will be a second book to follow. Thank you for sharing your adventure."

KasAmazon Reviewer

"... a must for anyone who hopes to gain a little knowledge of the real
Portugal ..."

Robert HAmazon Reviewer

"Brilliantly written and captures the essence of Portugal"

Sue DAmazon Reviewer

The Banana Road: It's Tenerife, But Not As You Know It

The Banana RoadWhen Andy and Jack walk away from their successful careers, leaving family, friends and Manchester to move to the Canary Islands, they hope to find a new adventure and quality time together in the sun. What they do not expect to encounter is the intriguing, often amusing and sometimes downright bizarre cast of characters that inhabit their new, sub-tropical world. Buying a small house on a pitch ‘n’ putt golf course surrounded by banana plantations in the north of Tenerife, they set about trying to earn a living while getting to know the eccentric neighbour who hints at a double life as an espionage agent; the Disney Gang; and a white cat with no tail, an Eric Cantona attitude and a penchant for torture. An arrest and a sudden death turn their world upside down and open the door to a series of seemingly unrelated incidents. As Jesus takes up residence in the bottom of the garden and paradise begins to unravel, the shocking truth is finally uncovered and Andy and Jack face losing everything.

"3 words to some this book up. Brilliant, Brilliant, Brilliant."

C ClementsAmazon Reviewer

"The experiences and characters have to be read to be believed. One of those books you will find hard to put down."

BJAmazon Reviewer

"The ups/downs and characters are all excellently portrayed in a thoroughly entertaining and informative read."

Jerome GAmazon Reviewer

"Wonderfully well written and even better for those wanting to get under the skin of Tenerife."

JB BennettAmazon Reviewer

The Real Tenerife: An Insider's Guide

The most comprehensive guide to Tenerife available in the English language, written with insight and passion by travel writers who, for 14 years, lived and worked on the island, travelling its length and breadth to research, photograph and record every aspect of island life.

Instead of endless hotel and restaurant listings, some of which will be out of date before the virtual ink has even dried and all of which most people consult TripAdvisor and Booking.com for, regardless of whether or not they have a guide, The Real Tenerife concentrates on information you can’t source from anywhere else. The result is a guide which will remain relevant for years to come.

"This is travel guidance at its best: friendly, intelligent, witty ... and bursting with the kind of insider knowledge that takes years of curious, affectionate and open-mined investigation to acquire."

KLFAmazon Reviewer

"My partner has been to Tenerife five times before our trip together and he was surprised to see and experience new things in Tenerife that he hasn't done before thanks to the book. Definitely recommended."

PCAmazon Reviewer

"This is a fantastic buy if you want to learn rather more about Tenerife than lying in the sun etc. It really does tell you about the "real" Tenerife and it's amusing too."

Susan MAmazon Reviewer

"Extremely useful and packed with info, really helped us make the most of our holiday and discover lots of places on this gorgeous and varied island that we'd otherwise have passed by."

GardenerAmazon Reviewer

Walk This Way Tenerife

Walk This Way features the best of Tenerife’s walking routes written by travel writers who specialise in Tenerife and the Canary Islands. Some are well trodden favourites, others are strangers to the walking groups; lovely trails that were once the lifeline between communities and are now only used by neighbours and by cats on their morning constitutionals. The book includes: Concise and accurate directions, distances and timings for more than 30 of Tenerife’s best walking routes from around the island. Grouped by geographical area, advice is given on weather conditions, types of terrain, what flora and landscapes to expect and even where to answer a call of nature in each location. Routes cover distances that vary from 1km to 17.5km with walking times varying from 1hr to 6hrs 20mins and from easy strolling to trails recommended for fit and experienced hikers only.

"This book more than exceeded our expectations because of the variety of walks, the ease of usage, but especially the important details re exposure which can be quite acute in both The Teno and Anaga Mountains."

SmittyAmazon Reviewer

"This book more than exceeded our expectations because of the variety of walks, the ease of usage, but especially the important details re exposure which can be quite acute in both The Teno and Anaga Mountains."

SmittyAmazon Reviewer

"The most useful hiking book we've ever used! A MUST if you are travelling to Tenerife."

Kindle CustomerAmazon Reviewer

"This book goes a long way to immersing the walker in the natural and built environment, and the cultural nuances and historical background that underpin a trail. The author's style is well crafted, intelligent, warm and humorous, with sharp and useful observations built on a solid base of on-the-ground experience. "

J MackAmazon Reviewer

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Welcome to my Canvas

Some of the items on this site won’t be to everyone’s liking, I get that. Basically this is my place, my wee studio to mess around in – experimenting with words and thoughts. I’ll be chuffed if you enjoy it, but if you don’t, c’est la vie. As a friend used to tell me “it would be a boring life if we all thought the same.”

Jack Montgomery
A wine press,
On a farm at the end of the dirt track,
The Setúbal Peninsula,
Portugal
E: jack@buzztrips.co.uk