About Andy

After 20 odd years working in the public and quasi-private sector in the UK, I had everything…great job, great man, lovely cottage, fab clothes, fast car and twice yearly vacations in exotic locations. Then I packed it all in (well not the great man) and moved to Tenerife where I live on very little money, in nearly perpetual sunshine and drive a Fiat Punto. But am I happy?
You bet your ass I am!

Working as a freelance feature writer gets me all over the island on a regular basis and I’m constantly surprised by the culture and beauty of this little known island. Not ‘little known’ in the sense that few people know about it; over 9 million visitors a year come here, but in the sense that most of those 9 million never leave their resort unless it’s on an organized whistle-stop tour to Mount Teide or Masca.

It’s so frustrating to read reports of Tenerife that dismiss it as ‘just a resort’, knowing how much beauty and diversity is out there if only people would look! That’s why we wrote ‘Island Drives’; to encourage people to get to know the ‘real Tenerife’.

30 Comments »

30 Responses

on October 14, 2007 at 5:29 am | Reply Lea

Dear Andy, I’m about to move to La Gomera from Finland and find myself constantly browsing for information about Canary Islands. I was delighted to find your blog with well-written stories in not-german (which is mostly the case when it comes to Gomera). I can’t wait to get there…
I wish you all the best!
Lea
on October 16, 2007 at 2:22 pm | Reply Lindsay MacNeil

Wow, I can’t wait to read more of your blog after an introduction like this! Tenerife looks and sounds amazing, congrats on your new life.
on October 16, 2007 at 7:49 pm | Reply andymont

Hi Lea,

You’ll love La Gomera, it’s a really beautiful island. It may not have the drama of Mount Teide but you can get the best views of the mountain from there (or so the Gomeros claim!). I have a friend who lives in Los Acevinos which is a stunningly beautiful valley and I’m looking forward to going back there myself which I’m planning to do in the next few weeks.

I wish you every happiness in your move and I look forward to reading your blog about your experiences!
Andy
on January 5, 2008 at 10:40 am | Reply Tony Thorne MBE

Andy ..!

Maybe we could meet up one day … I’m in Playa de la Arena, Puerto de Santiago, just south of Los Gigantes.

Cheers from

Tony
on January 6, 2008 at 1:35 pm | Reply andymont

Hi Tony!

I know Playa de la Arena well, my stepmother has an apartment there. We’d be happy to meet up one day, we go over there on a semi-regular basis.
I’ll let you know when we’re planning our next visit and if you’re around we could arrange to meet.
I look forward to it!
Andy
on January 14, 2008 at 12:09 am | Reply penedawn

I hate to say this in Andy but I was not surprised to find out that you were a girl (rather than a man called Andy!) hate to be sexist but your observations and descriptions come straight from the heart and are obvious in print. Luckily I first read the ‘about Andy’ so now is more clear. It makes little difference what you write is good, it is like hearing it in real time and as if it is chat from a friend. I guess you have achieved what you intended. Keep going I will be listening in.
on January 20, 2008 at 3:30 pm | Reply andymont

Hi Penedawn,

Muchas gracias for your encouraging words which I happily took to heart! If you keep listening, I’ll keep talking!
Do you have a blogsite I can find you on?
on May 15, 2008 at 7:44 pm | Reply Sol en Tenerife

Nice to discover your blog….
I’m not 20… but I’ve got quite the same history… I left Paris and a good situation to be on the roads of the island with my PUNTO !
Nice to read you
on May 15, 2008 at 8:30 pm | Reply andymont

Hi Sol en Tenerife,

Unfortunately, I haven’t seen 20 for a very long time!!

But it’s great to hear from you.
on January 4, 2009 at 9:40 pm | Reply Rob

Hi.

Nice blog

Can you send me some info out climbing mount teide and seeing the sun-set. Thankyou.
on January 5, 2009 at 10:32 am | Reply andymont

Hi Rob,

Here’s a link to my website page which gives a full account of my experience of climbing Mount Teide, staying overnight at the Refuge and watching the sun rise from the summit.

http://www.realtenerifeislanddrives.com/Mount%20Teide.html

If you need more info’ email me on andymont@live.co.uk

Thanks for looking in

Andy
on February 8, 2009 at 4:39 pm | Reply Sir old Golfer

Maybe we can Link blogs, have a look at my Golf in Tenerife

http://golftenerife.wordpress.com/

Sir Old Golfer.
on December 4, 2009 at 1:52 pm | Reply larly

Tenerife – an Islands with eternal spring ……
what more do you want ?

Here is another enthusiastic Tenerife supporter
on April 6, 2010 at 8:57 am | Reply Mike

Hi Andy. Was reading your blog today. Great pics. Am in Spain and heading for Tenerife. Was wondering are the roads all ok now after the weather problems? Any specific advice what to avoid would be welcome. Ta. Mike
- on April 6, 2010 at 9:51 am | Reply andymont
  
  Hi Mike, thanks, nice to have you as a visitor – both virtually and in reality!
  Oddly enough, I was out and about just yesterday and was amazed at just how much damage there has been up in the pine forests. But all the roads have re-opened now and there isn’t a problem anywhere…apart from the usual roadworks in the centre of towns that cause havoc!
on October 29, 2010 at 12:36 pm | Reply Carole

Hi Andy, I was searching for information on ISDN prices in Tenerife and came across your blog about the “Telefonica” saga. Did it ever get resolved? It was a great read by the way!
- on October 30, 2010 at 8:51 pm | Reply andymont
  
  Hi Carole,
  Yep, I finally decided that life was too short to spend it staring at green lights and I plumped for a contract with Telefonica. I have to admit, I haven’t looked back since. I’ve had an uninterrupted Broadband signal from the day I was connected.
  So I guess I’m going to have to start singing Telefonica’s praises….oh dear, I do hope I haven’t just jinxed the whole affair!
on January 16, 2011 at 6:25 pm | Reply Russ Beech

HI Andy,

I’ve come across your blog a few times on my travels now, its great to get an insight into the real Tenerife. Sometimes its hard to research the island from the UK so websites like yours are real gems. There is another one I enjoy called Living beneath the volcano which also gives an insiders pov and makes for interesting reading!

I’m just starting a Tenerife holidays website to help UK holidaymakers get good deals on the island and am enjoying reading about the island as it develops. I have visited twice myself but back when Playa de las Americas was not so good.

I’m looking forward to visiting this summer for a “research” trip and hope to get a better look at the island this time without beer tinted glasses on! Keep up the great work.

Russ Beech – ideas [at] mega.co.uk
- on January 16, 2011 at 6:57 pm | Reply Russ Beech
  
  Lol, I just had a read of the about us page on Living beneath the volcano…is he your husband?
- on February 5, 2011 at 10:42 am | Reply andymont
  
  Hi Russ,
  Thank you very much for your comment and I’m glad you’re enjoying discovering the ‘real’ Tenerife on here – that means I’m accomplishing my mission lol! I’ve had a look at Tenerife Holidays and I like the chatty way you’re developing it and showing some wider aspects of the island than the usual travel agent approach.
  If you want an insider voice for copywriting or to provide blogs for you, you know where to come
  And yes, ‘Beneath the Volcano’ is indeed my husband and partner. Between us we promote Tenerife in words and images for a whole host of intermediaries.
on January 24, 2011 at 9:39 am | Reply Javi

Hi Andy,

Your page sounds great!!!

Last week I visited the hotel sir anthony, is a good way for enjoy a holidays.
The website is: (http://www.marenostrumresort.com/es/hoteles/sir_anthony)

see you
on February 4, 2011 at 5:07 pm | Reply ann

You are doing a great job! Yes, very frustrating when people have a holiday staying in the north of Tenerife and assume the entire island is the same. Same thing here in La Palma where I live – it is an island full of contrasts.
By the way, I found you via a Trip Advisor forum. Somebody was asking about which island they should go to next and a poster suggested looking at your site.
- on February 5, 2011 at 10:33 am | Reply andymont
  
  Thank you, Ann
  Here on Tenerife it’s the south of the island that has attracted so much bad publicity in the past and, yes, it is indeed very frustrating when people don’t make the effort to discover the real thing and then go home and bad mouth the island to the world.
  
  I can’t imagine you have such a big issue with that on La Palma. Everywhere I have been on La Palma, and I have travelled it quite extensively, I have found unspoilt beauty and the real spirit of the island.
  You live on a beautiful island.
on June 14, 2012 at 5:33 pm | Reply Sarah

Hi Andy, I am the deputy editor of easyJet Traveller magazine in the UK. I would be very interested in you writing a one-off column for us about Tenerife. I wonder if you could drop me a line to let me know if you might be interested? My email is sarahwarwick@gmail.com (I am currently out of the office on a press trip). I look forward to hearing from you. Kind regards, Sarah
on July 10, 2012 at 3:22 pm | Reply Vicki

Hi Andy,
I wish I’d seen this blog before I left the island. I lived just outside La Orotava for 2 and a half years (2007-2010) and spent most of my time writing romance novels. I’ve written a series of five and now am working on trying to get them published. Such a shame I didn’t notice this blog before. Incidently, I found it because I googled ‘Agatha Christie Tenerife’.
Vicki.
on November 18, 2012 at 9:05 pm | Reply losabrigos

Hi Andy

I live in Los Abrigos and have a couple of blogs http://thebighousebigheart.org/ and http://losabrigos.wordpress.com/. Let me know if you would like to exchange links. You’ve done a great job with yours.
- on November 21, 2012 at 10:06 am | Reply andymont
  
  Hi, I am happy to xchange links with you and will add you to my blog roll. I have had a quick look at your blogs and I think you need to add an ‘about me’ section so that people know something about who it is they’re reading and ‘talking’ to – for example, I don’t even know your name!
  I look forward to hearing more about your life in Los Abrigos through your blogs.
on December 3, 2012 at 10:47 am | Reply Gilbert

Hi Andy,

We visit Tenerife at least once every year, staying in Palm-Mar or Las Galletas. We love hiking and discovering the ‘unseen’, merge with local people and enjoy their cuisine …
We’ll be around for Xmas and NY and we wonder if you could give us any tips concerning fiestas those days. Any good restaurants maybe?
And yes, we play bridge at the ‘Happy days’ -:)))
on December 3, 2012 at 7:05 pm | Reply andymont

Hi Gilbert,

If you’re around for New Year, head to your nearest New Year’s Eve street party for a night of dancing and fireworks. I know they have a decent sized party in the plaza at Los Cristianos but they may even have one in Las Galletas. Don’t forget your 12 grapes (de-seeded) that you have to eat, one for each stroke of midnight, in order to ensure good luck for the coming year.
Here’s a link to a full calendar of events which we’ve just posted onto The Real Tenerife and there’s a link to the Arona website which lists lots of events all over the municipality: http://therealtenerife.com/posts/the-best-fiestas-festivals-and-events-on-tenerife-in-december-2012/

As for good restaurants, if you want to stay local try The Pink Parrot Cafe and Bistro Las Piratas in Las Galletas. Check out more restaurant reviews on The Real Tenerife.
Above all – have a brilliant holiday!
on December 27, 2012 at 4:44 pm | Reply John

Great stuff Andy! I am moving to Tenerife with a friend in January and these beautiful photos on your blog are driving me crazy with impatience to see all the amazing spots on the island. I decided to start my own blog too called http://www.musictenerife.es/ but a bit of a newbie at this kind of thing. Keep up the good work