Formentera advice

[The Sun God]

A couple of Formentera related things

This blog caught my eye last week. Gets a bit philosophical in the second part, but also loads of fascinating history there about the people who arrived on the island (a very different world)

Formentera counterculture: pre-modern slow world on a tiny Mediterranean island

Formentera in the 1960s was an off-grid Mediterranean refuge where artists and countercultural seekers embraced a slow, pre-modern lifestyle. The place was about to change. Always for the better?

substack.com

Also - this YouTuber recently did ALL the Balearic islands in one day (!) starting in Menorca and ending up in Formentera. He doesn't exactly go deep in these videos but some nice visuals

 

[2H76]

I would choose ferry + scooter rental. It´s such a nice ride...beatiful views

Yup, do the island clockwise, renting from La Savina (Trucadors/Tanga/Es Pujols and try to get to the spot on the hill where you get THAT view followed by any cute chiringnito on the south bay). One thing I would suggest is (assuming you are staying in or near to Ibiza city) dumping the bike in La Savina by 7-8pm, having dinner + a bottle or two overlooking the lagoon/sunset, then getting the last ferry home!

 

[2H76]

A couple of Formentera related things

This blog caught my eye last week. Gets a bit philosophical in the second part, but also loads of fascinating history there about the people who arrived on the island (a very different world)

Formentera counterculture: pre-modern slow world on a tiny Mediterranean island

Formentera in the 1960s was an off-grid Mediterranean refuge where artists and countercultural seekers embraced a slow, pre-modern lifestyle. The place was about to change. Always for the better?

substack.com

Also - this YouTuber recently did ALL the Balearic islands in one day (!) starting in Menorca and ending up in Formentera. He doesn't exactly go deep in these videos but some nice visuals

Those vids are just about OK but really annoys me when on those travelogue videos 90% of the time you are looking at the presenter (via the end of a selfie-stick) and the other 10% the view.

"Gosh, look at that, it's stunning" Yes, mate, all we can see is up your frigging nose. Grrr...

On the plus side though there are many "walking" videos where the camera is our eyes and nobody's face is in the way, and, of course, drone footage. 4k? 8k?? Bring it on!!

 

[The Sun God]

Those vids are OK but really annoys me when on those travelogue videos 90% of the time you are looking at the presenter (via the end of a selfie-stick) and the other 10 the view.

"Gosh, look at that, it's stunning" Yes, mate, all we can see is up your frigging nose. Grrr...

On the plus side though there are many "walking" videos where the camera is our eyes and nobody's face is in the way, and, of course, drone footage. 4k? 8k?? Bring it on!!

Agreed, a lot of them are pure clickbait but I just get suckered in by the locations

 

[2H76]

Watched his third video of the trilogy "when it all goes wrong"! This worries me when travelling anywhere abroad (especially when I don't know the language too well) so my plan of action is usually

(a) never book if a connection overseas is required - so Manchester - Barcelona - Ibiza is out even if cheaper;
(b) be prepared to use sites like Skyscanner at the airport to book a quick alternative instead of relying on the service that's let me down and possible total lack of customer service/help - ironically that may involve a transfer but hey,
(c) have plenty of euros in my account as backup; no idea how much but e600 spare to cover the extra flight and possible extra hotel night.
(d) get home and fight your case against the airline there, expect nothing so any recompense is a bonus! At least you're home...
(e) put it all down to the adventure of travelling and blog about it!!

part (b) really did happen to me, I flew out on jet2 but my return flight was with Thomas Cook, who went bust during my trip. We were "promised" a flight back to the UK - butt he home airport wasn't known. Turned out to be Glasgow, not Manchester; but during my stay I booked a cheap Veulling IBZ/Barcelona/Manchester as back-up for the afternoon, if my morning flight failed me.

Luckily there was a rescue flight home (to Glasgow) and I got the train to Manchester from there, so didn't need the back-up. But appx e100 well spent for the piece-of-mind and I had a good worry-free holiday!

 

[TiffyBarrett]

I would choose ferry + scooter rental. It´s such a nice ride...beatiful views

this

 

[fatphilb]

A couple of Formentera related things

This blog caught my eye last week. Gets a bit philosophical in the second part, but also loads of fascinating history there about the people who arrived on the island (a very different world)

Formentera counterculture: pre-modern slow world on a tiny Mediterranean island

Formentera in the 1960s was an off-grid Mediterranean refuge where artists and countercultural seekers embraced a slow, pre-modern lifestyle. The place was about to change. Always for the better?

substack.com

Also - this YouTuber recently did ALL the Balearic islands in one day (!) starting in Menorca and ending up in Formentera. He doesn't exactly go deep in these videos but some nice visuals

Haha. Owen is obsessed by Steve Marsh videos, we watch them all, in particular his train journeys around Scotland (already watched these balearic ones). Highly amused that you of all people posted this

 

[The Sun God]

Haha. Owen is obsessed by Steve Marsh videos, we watch them all, in particular his train journeys around Scotland (already watched these balearic ones). Highly amused that you of all people posted this

In similar vein, have you seen "Planes, Trains, Everything"? Ultimate travel masochist from Paisley

 

[Don Simon]

In similar vein, have you seen "Planes, Trains, Everything"? Ultimate travel masochist from Paisley

Hi everyone, my name's Scott....

 

[fatphilb]

In similar vein, have you seen "Planes, Trains, Everything"? Ultimate travel masochist from Paisley

Of course. He and Steve Marsh even guest in each other's videos.

 

[The Sun God]

Of course. He and Steve Marsh even guest in each other's videos.

Can't help thinking I missed a trick, not monetising a YouTube channel before everyone and their selfie stick started doing it. The Marsh one I mentioned above where he goes island hopping is absolutely pointless. He saw nothing and just did it for clicks but we all still tune in

 

[fatphilb]

Can't help thinking I missed a trick, not monetising a YouTube channel before everyone and their selfie stick started doing it. The Marsh one I mentioned above where he goes island hopping is absolutely pointless. He saw nothing and just did it for clicks but we all still tune in

It's more about the challenge. See his Montrose to Montreaux video (I've had to sit through this one alone easily over 50 times, usually bleary eyed at 5.30am.

Least you'll have plenty to chat to Owen about in May

Another one we watch all the time is the one where he gets a 5 hour train from Glasgow Queen Street to Mallaig, eats a Greggs on the train, has a walk about Mallaig for 30 mins, then gets the train back again for another 5 hours. Owens been pestering us to do the same trip for the past year.

 

[2H76]

I did find it useful in that I've often stayed in Menorca but wondered if a day trip to Ibiza is possible (clearly is) but more the mechanics of changing flight at Palma. Looks like it's dead easy, no need to leave arrivals and clear security again (why would you need to?!) but if the second leg is a different ticket than the first, then wouldn't you need to check that in somewhere landside at Palma so the airline is "expecting you"?

Anyhow, that aside, I would have thought the same aircraft should be used for both legs (MAH>PMI>IBZ) so the (admittedly few!) pax who want to fly the whole journey don't have to change aircraft?

One thing to note - with such a small bag Marsh carries, I wouldn't like to be sat next to him on his final flight after all that delay! Just room in that bag for a spare shirt and undies...eek!! But of course if you are doing multi-trips like that, checking-in, hanging around, and trying to find lost baggage adds immeasurable time on. Can't recall the last time I ever checked a bag in - 1980's prob!

 

[2H76]

Can't help thinking I missed a trick, not monetising a YouTube channel before everyone and their selfie stick started doing it.

In the 80's when video cameras were becoming a thing, me and matey thought "would anyone be interested in hour-long+ front-of-cab videos of train/bus journeys?" Even just the sun setting somewhere?? Thought we would be mad even trying that (title was gonna be "Boring Videos") as only a few rail nerds would be bothered, not worth the effort of doing it, packaging, advertising etc....

Judging by what's available today (watch a fire on youtube for hours on end...) probably a huge mistake not to go ahead and give it a go!! I wonder...

 

[fatphilb]

It was really nice to see the video of Formentera, I've covered a lot more than he has in his short time there but I've never been to the windmill on la mola so that was interesting to see. Is that the same one on the Pink Floyd More soundtrack cover?

 

[The Sun God]

It was really nice to see the video of Formentera, I've covered a lot more than he has in his short time there but I've never been to the windmill on la mola so that was interesting to see. Is that the same one on the Pink Floyd More soundtrack cover?

isn't that the highest point on the island? I never quite made it there either sadly.

IIRC @Moondust went there a few years back

 

[2H76]

isn't that the highest point on the island? I never quite made it there either sadly.

IIRC @Moondust went there a few years back

Highest point is la Mola/Sa Talaiassa at c.197m, think it's where this mast is; I have been up there but there's surprisingly not much of a view as the surrounds are so flat and trees get in the way! Doing research there does appear to be some ambiguity about how high it is, ranging from 192m to 202m which I found on the map below (second image) compared to what looks a more geographically correct map (third).

Yes I really do have nothing better to do tonight than scour the internet for maps of Formentera!! (In my defence, m'lud, Geoggers was my go-to college subject so I'm glad to occasionally use it....)

 

[Snowy]

These one hour videos are really just kindergarten level autism.

In Norway I think record is 134 hours days continuous online video showing the passage of the coastal steamer (small passenger and cargo ship) going up the coast from Bergen to Kirkenes. These ships leave daily from Bergen and make the journey to Kirkenes visiting 34 ports along the way. They had several cameras onboard.

It was one of the most popular TV and internet events when broadcasted. It was broadcasted directly 24/7.

In case anyone has 134 hours to spare:

https://tv.nrk.no/serie/hurtigruten-minutt-for-minutt

 

[Moondust]

isn't that the highest point on the island? I never quite made it there either sadly.

IIRC @Moondust went there a few years back

I would say its the highest point, I have lot of photos from that point. Along the winding road up there is a restaurant that gives a great view of pretty much the whole island thus a better perspective of how how high up you are rather than being at La mola itself.

 

[bvdn]

Does anyone know how far is from Ses Illetes to the very north point (punta des Borronar) the divion to Es Palmador. Is it a walkable distance? Worth the view? Can I go with an ATV?? Is allowed to cross the dunes with an ATV?