kimajy
Well-Known Member
Managed to muscle out enough obstacles for a last minute 3-day jaunt this week. Wasn’t going to be able to click off work entirely (I run my own business without meaningful ‘cover’ when away now, so am basically never free these days!). By early Monday morning, decided I’d be able to take some time out without major disasters being a likely price to come home to.
A 2-day / one-night taster in early June whet the appetite again after a year off last Season (for the first time in many years). I’d take an Ibiza day over an Ibiza night nowadays so the very early morning flights give maximum benefit per night away – for this to work, the price was a virtually sleepless night and a 2 ½ hour drive to Gatwick for the 05:35 Tuesday red-eye Sleazyjet special . Fine - anything - I’ll take it. !!
A great 1st day - the natural way
Landed early Tuesday morning before 9am and had my bag & car keys by 9.15. Had booked a Polo/similar but asked at the desk for a diesel car and got to the building opposite & found this in the parking bay (the lack of focus pretty much matched my own perspective ! ) .... a nightmare to park & a tad excessive for one man, but wtf ! :
Still feeling a bit dazed I wasted no time, chucked the bags in the boot & headed straight to Soul Beach for a morning swim ! Pebbly or not, there’s no beach closer to the airport and the clouds broke just as I hit the sea and floated in the super-salty water looking up at sky watching the planes on their final descent. The freedom and happiness just hit you full-on and all cares melted clean away ... It always feels great to be back.
Hit up the little shop behind the beach for a much-needed can of Monster to prop me up, grabbed water supplies and headed towards Aigues Blanques. Check-in was hours away and that beach is always best in the morning. Realized I’d forgotten to pack a proper map (never know when you need one so I always have one in the glove box). Detour in the mounting Summer traffic to Santa Eularia to hit up a hotel reception for one – and to borrow their ‘facilities’ ! Picked up a couple of flyers, one of which would turn out to be a great move. Classic Ibiza randomness at work !
There's still plenty of morning left when I hit the car park at Aigues Blanques & I don’t grudge the 3 euro charge with a boot full of belongings. Beach shorts and snorkel retrieved from the case, water supplies in hand and car key suitably stowed somewhere safe, can’t wait to go back to the smooth white chill-out rock I’ve ‘adopted’ here as my “own”. It’s well beyond the small sister beach to the North of the main beach and below the floral hillside which cascades down the cliff from the hidden villa at the top :
I’ve made it my ‘base’ here many times.
It’s a mission to get to, water entry isn’t for the inexperienced (a swell can easily make you lose your footing and crash against the rocks getting in and out), but I can see anyone headed for it from the sea with enough time to swim back so I can relax and happily strip off and abandon everything I’ve taken to swim and explore the rocks without worrying about my stuff being pilfered. I have the place to myself the whole time I’m there. My idea of pure bliss ! The water's lovely and warm. The main beach seems a long way away when you're this far up the coast (can just about see it on the LHS - the beach on the right is the next one along North of the main beach) :
After plenty of swimming and snorkelling and with tan lines pretty much eliminated it’s time to get some food.
The hill back up to the car park always delivers a mini-workout and I’m reminded how essential an aircon is here in Summer. Crazy hot . Cala San Vicente is just up the road, so look up Chris for some lunch.
It’s very quiet at Hidden Bar and a simple but very tasty King Prawn tapas starter paves the way for a much needed spag bol carb-fest.
Hidden Bar is a quirky place, more like a friend’s garden, and an old hippie in a G-string is ambling around whilst a shaggy dog does his best to join in when I make friends with one of the small cats. It’s all about as far from the bright lights of Playa d’en Bossa as it’s possible to get. Although not feeling it, know I’m latently knackered and one of Chris’s (fantastic) cocktails will likely have me passed out on a lounger under a tree like the last time (!) So settle for a soda with fresh lemon juice instead. After a natter and a catch-up it’s off to check in. Feeling very sleepy at the wheel by now I'm very glad I stuck to the Monsters and sodas.
The only ‘trusted’ hotel I could find under about £80 a night was Abrat in Calo d’es Moro, who did me a room for just over £100 for 3 nights through booking.com, who wouldn’t sell for any shorter time. Aircon, balcony, wifi (if your room is in the right place relative to the router) and parking. You can always get a night’s sleep too. The only real downside of this place is the rather dated decor and lack of a minibar in the rooms. But they know me very well and always get a really nice reception. Plus they give me a huge double room on the best side of the hotel and it’s only a 5-minute walk to Golden Buddha !
Unpack, shower & fail miserably to siesta before facing up to catching up with work before hooking up with Andy Allwood at Golden Buddha. V Club has just shut its doors due to lack of footfall in the West End at the start of the Season and his Summer plans have taken a bit of a sour turn. Having bagged a Season DJ residency there it’s a knock for him.
Our catch-up is interrupted by my phone going off - having failed to raise guides from previous years on the phone earlier, I’d put a call in to a new outfit called Fun Kayaks Ibiza (have to have a word about using Google Translate !) – off a flyer picked up in Santa Eularia earlier. It usually takes a while to arrange this sort of thing in Ibiza but really fancied some time on the water one of the days I'm here.
Pablo (who spoke good English) had said he’d call me back earlier and was true to his word. Somewhat shockingly, agreed to a 10.30am start from Cala Moli the next day. Now if I hadn’t agreed to this I’d have undoubtedly spent the night wired up havin’ it large at Carl Cox - and likely been monged most of Wednesday in consequence. Not that I wouldn't have enjoyed the night in all likelihood, but would rather be in some kind of fit state next day for the trip.
Much as I hate doing it, and freely admit to still having to fight off conflicts after a few drinks, sometimes it helps to make commitments to give yourself a reason to structure a more balanced trip. It gets easier to pass up on big club nights as the years go on without feeling like you’re risking missing what might be the night of your life. Not being with Ibiza virgins for whom it’s all new is also a big factor. Quality over quantity becomes the quest in the end and you go for what you really want most deep down rather what what will please others .
Andy and I have a couple of beers and a pizza before checking out Itaca and bumping into a series of his worker mates around town. With a front of house table, after cocktails and some shots, scantily clad dancers from The Sin take to the wall followed by Holi Garden parade and more exotic eye candy ... at very close quarters !
It’s always a fascinating place for people-watching there. One father passing by sends his young son up on the wall for a cellphone photoshoot with the lovely Becky from The Sin – taking living life vicariously to another level entirely !! The look on his wife’s face was worthy of a front page spread.
Ibiza Rocks bar was packed but few others – seems they all really depend on pre-disco bus trade in the end. West End was really quiet but trouble-free. We’re both exhausted for different reasons and by 2am decide to crash and get a proper night’s sleep. if I’m to have any hope of making it to Cala Moli for 10.30am the next day after being up for virtually 2 days already I’m gonna need it !
A 2-day / one-night taster in early June whet the appetite again after a year off last Season (for the first time in many years). I’d take an Ibiza day over an Ibiza night nowadays so the very early morning flights give maximum benefit per night away – for this to work, the price was a virtually sleepless night and a 2 ½ hour drive to Gatwick for the 05:35 Tuesday red-eye Sleazyjet special . Fine - anything - I’ll take it. !!
A great 1st day - the natural way
Landed early Tuesday morning before 9am and had my bag & car keys by 9.15. Had booked a Polo/similar but asked at the desk for a diesel car and got to the building opposite & found this in the parking bay (the lack of focus pretty much matched my own perspective ! ) .... a nightmare to park & a tad excessive for one man, but wtf ! :
Still feeling a bit dazed I wasted no time, chucked the bags in the boot & headed straight to Soul Beach for a morning swim ! Pebbly or not, there’s no beach closer to the airport and the clouds broke just as I hit the sea and floated in the super-salty water looking up at sky watching the planes on their final descent. The freedom and happiness just hit you full-on and all cares melted clean away ... It always feels great to be back.
Hit up the little shop behind the beach for a much-needed can of Monster to prop me up, grabbed water supplies and headed towards Aigues Blanques. Check-in was hours away and that beach is always best in the morning. Realized I’d forgotten to pack a proper map (never know when you need one so I always have one in the glove box). Detour in the mounting Summer traffic to Santa Eularia to hit up a hotel reception for one – and to borrow their ‘facilities’ ! Picked up a couple of flyers, one of which would turn out to be a great move. Classic Ibiza randomness at work !
There's still plenty of morning left when I hit the car park at Aigues Blanques & I don’t grudge the 3 euro charge with a boot full of belongings. Beach shorts and snorkel retrieved from the case, water supplies in hand and car key suitably stowed somewhere safe, can’t wait to go back to the smooth white chill-out rock I’ve ‘adopted’ here as my “own”. It’s well beyond the small sister beach to the North of the main beach and below the floral hillside which cascades down the cliff from the hidden villa at the top :
I’ve made it my ‘base’ here many times.
It’s a mission to get to, water entry isn’t for the inexperienced (a swell can easily make you lose your footing and crash against the rocks getting in and out), but I can see anyone headed for it from the sea with enough time to swim back so I can relax and happily strip off and abandon everything I’ve taken to swim and explore the rocks without worrying about my stuff being pilfered. I have the place to myself the whole time I’m there. My idea of pure bliss ! The water's lovely and warm. The main beach seems a long way away when you're this far up the coast (can just about see it on the LHS - the beach on the right is the next one along North of the main beach) :
After plenty of swimming and snorkelling and with tan lines pretty much eliminated it’s time to get some food.
The hill back up to the car park always delivers a mini-workout and I’m reminded how essential an aircon is here in Summer. Crazy hot . Cala San Vicente is just up the road, so look up Chris for some lunch.
It’s very quiet at Hidden Bar and a simple but very tasty King Prawn tapas starter paves the way for a much needed spag bol carb-fest.
Hidden Bar is a quirky place, more like a friend’s garden, and an old hippie in a G-string is ambling around whilst a shaggy dog does his best to join in when I make friends with one of the small cats. It’s all about as far from the bright lights of Playa d’en Bossa as it’s possible to get. Although not feeling it, know I’m latently knackered and one of Chris’s (fantastic) cocktails will likely have me passed out on a lounger under a tree like the last time (!) So settle for a soda with fresh lemon juice instead. After a natter and a catch-up it’s off to check in. Feeling very sleepy at the wheel by now I'm very glad I stuck to the Monsters and sodas.
The only ‘trusted’ hotel I could find under about £80 a night was Abrat in Calo d’es Moro, who did me a room for just over £100 for 3 nights through booking.com, who wouldn’t sell for any shorter time. Aircon, balcony, wifi (if your room is in the right place relative to the router) and parking. You can always get a night’s sleep too. The only real downside of this place is the rather dated decor and lack of a minibar in the rooms. But they know me very well and always get a really nice reception. Plus they give me a huge double room on the best side of the hotel and it’s only a 5-minute walk to Golden Buddha !
Unpack, shower & fail miserably to siesta before facing up to catching up with work before hooking up with Andy Allwood at Golden Buddha. V Club has just shut its doors due to lack of footfall in the West End at the start of the Season and his Summer plans have taken a bit of a sour turn. Having bagged a Season DJ residency there it’s a knock for him.
Our catch-up is interrupted by my phone going off - having failed to raise guides from previous years on the phone earlier, I’d put a call in to a new outfit called Fun Kayaks Ibiza (have to have a word about using Google Translate !) – off a flyer picked up in Santa Eularia earlier. It usually takes a while to arrange this sort of thing in Ibiza but really fancied some time on the water one of the days I'm here.
Pablo (who spoke good English) had said he’d call me back earlier and was true to his word. Somewhat shockingly, agreed to a 10.30am start from Cala Moli the next day. Now if I hadn’t agreed to this I’d have undoubtedly spent the night wired up havin’ it large at Carl Cox - and likely been monged most of Wednesday in consequence. Not that I wouldn't have enjoyed the night in all likelihood, but would rather be in some kind of fit state next day for the trip.
Much as I hate doing it, and freely admit to still having to fight off conflicts after a few drinks, sometimes it helps to make commitments to give yourself a reason to structure a more balanced trip. It gets easier to pass up on big club nights as the years go on without feeling like you’re risking missing what might be the night of your life. Not being with Ibiza virgins for whom it’s all new is also a big factor. Quality over quantity becomes the quest in the end and you go for what you really want most deep down rather what what will please others .
Andy and I have a couple of beers and a pizza before checking out Itaca and bumping into a series of his worker mates around town. With a front of house table, after cocktails and some shots, scantily clad dancers from The Sin take to the wall followed by Holi Garden parade and more exotic eye candy ... at very close quarters !
It’s always a fascinating place for people-watching there. One father passing by sends his young son up on the wall for a cellphone photoshoot with the lovely Becky from The Sin – taking living life vicariously to another level entirely !! The look on his wife’s face was worthy of a front page spread.
Ibiza Rocks bar was packed but few others – seems they all really depend on pre-disco bus trade in the end. West End was really quiet but trouble-free. We’re both exhausted for different reasons and by 2am decide to crash and get a proper night’s sleep. if I’m to have any hope of making it to Cala Moli for 10.30am the next day after being up for virtually 2 days already I’m gonna need it !