Honeymoon Day 43 (Tignes)

Last day in Sardinia was one of those days; 


First we rented a boat and headed down the coast and find our own beach, it was quite choppy and the ride a little uncomfortable. We found a secluded beach and an anchored the boat.

There was a lot of rocks so we parked quite far from the beach and decided the swim to shore was too much like hard work and tried to sunbath on the boat. 
Spent an hour being bashed around by the waves and thoroughly unrelaxed decided we should set sail for the hour long trip back. Unfortunately we had thrown our anchor into a load of rocks and we were stuck. 
Having told the boat owner how experienced we are with boats, going back without the anchor was too embarrassing so we struggled for 30mins and finally got free, anchor still attached.
Then we packed up to leave Sardinia and stopped to get the car cleaned, the Esso garage snapped the rear wind screen wiper clean off and denied responsibility, after an argument they didn't even finish cleaning the car or offer our 8 Euro back. 

Needing cheering up we stopped on route the the Ferry port at Porto Cervo and had supper overlooking the billionaires on their yachts, one of them had a helicopter on board and so we chose it as the one we want.

Whilst parked someone opened a door into the front wing of our car, dented it and did a runner!!! The day was not going well.


Got on the ferry and looking forward to getting in our cabin to sleep the journey away. 40 mins from port the boat turned around and headed back to port as a pregnant lady went into labour. 
By this time we were numb to problems and took it in our stride. The rule of threes hopefully meant that was it and we got to sleep.


We where heading to Tignes and couldn't wait to arrive but it wasn't going to be that simple. Got through Italy no problem and into the mountains.

With only a hour of mountain drive to go we headed up the suggested sat nav route and thought, this is odd, not much of a road!!!! It got worse and having been driving for at least a mile with the wheels spinning over the dirt track and steep incline we realised this was not a road and we were essentially off roading in a classic Porsche! but couldn't turn around with cliffs on one side. 
Finally we got turned around and edged the car down at about 1mph, never off the brakes. 


Finding a new route we set back up the mountain to cross into the valley of Val Disere about 1hr at the top of a new mountain the second route was blocked off....... we sat there 10 minutes knowing the only thing was an hour back down the mountain and still with no route.
Deja vu from the stag trip!!!!


Eventually we found a road and called ahead to warn our waiting friends to order lunch without us. The route we found in the end was amazing (if a bit scary in moments) and parts of it was the ski runs we do in the winter, driving down a black run is not as much fun a skiing it!!!!

We had turned a 3 hr drive in to a 6 hr one but the eventual route was well worth it.

Arriving in Tignes we pulled up outside our friends restaurant and sat on the terrace was Neil (my brother) and some of his friends. Totally unbeknown to either of us he had gone there on a last minute whim for a spot of mountain biking and Neil only found out we were turning up when JoJo told him and they kept it as a surprise for our arrival and a celebratory glass of Champagne.

This was a lovely surprise and we all ate a great mountain dinner that night of fondue and raclette with meats. Having Neil out there meant a chance to do some downhill riding with ski lifts to do the uphill. 

Our time in Tignes came to an end and after a mornings riding and walking we set off down the mountain (the main 'normal' way this time) and on a 6hr drive across France to the Limousin region and to stay with Kate & Francis (sleeping in our first house of the trip) 

Time to relax and take it easy for a few days wind down.