Hi, I;m wondering if anyone out there has travelled to La Gomera recently? it appears that since Olsen took over the Garajonay Express - now re-christened the Benchi Express - that they are only doing one full sailing each way per week (on a Friday) between Los Christianos and Valle Gran Rey! All the other sailing times given in the timetable only run between San Sebastian and Valle Gran Rey via Playa de Santiago which means that most visitors will now have to use Olsen's bigger car ferries to get to San Sebastian and then either transfer to the Benchi ferry or travel across the island by road. Also, the fares appear to have almost doubled since I last visited the island in October 2009 - and that's in Euros - so by the time you factor in the current poor exchange rate for the £ sterling I'm wondering if our best bet next time might not be to try and fly.
My mother found the journey increasingly tiring the last few times we visited and I think that this might be the final straw as it will make the journey not only potentially longer but also more tiring. She struggles with the effect that sitting for so long has on her spine (as a result of osteoporosis) already without yet more hanging around. Has anybody got recent experience about how the ferry connections are now working? I have a local contact that I can arrange a taxi pick-up through but I'm beginning to woner whether it's worth all the hassle and whether we might be better off giving La Palma or one of the other smaller islands with better connections a try?
We couldn't go last October because of a clash of both my work commitments and the wedding of close friends but Valle Gran Rey was clearly suffering from fewer visitors even then - I'm imagining that it's even worse now that the travel arrangements have become both more complicated and more expensive?
SM
I was there in April and I think it is correct that only once a week does the same boat arrive from Los Cristianos and then continue on round the island. The boats leave San Sebastian at 10am, 3pm and 8pm everyday for Santiago and VGR . The Benjihigua Express from Los Cristianos seems to be to be timed to arrive about 15 mins before these departures so you should not have much trouble co-ordinating. If your mother has trouble with sitting maybe a short stroll from one boat to the other would break up the journey?
Not sure about the prices - can't remember but it has seemed expensive for years. Prices on the island did not appear to have changed much but of course the exchange rate is much worse. For my money nowhere else is like la Gomera so it is worth it but I appreciate the logisitcs may make another island easier for you. It was quiet but local traders were fairly upbeat and claimed trade was good.
The island was still stunning, peaceful, quiet, enchanting, surprising, balmy .......
Not sure about the prices - can't remember but it has seemed expensive for years. Prices on the island did not appear to have changed much but of course the exchange rate is much worse. For my money nowhere else is like la Gomera so it is worth it but I appreciate the logisitcs may make another island easier for you. It was quiet but local traders were fairly upbeat and claimed trade was good.
The island was still stunning, peaceful, quiet, enchanting, surprising, balmy .......
The Benjihigua Express from Los Cristianos seems to be to be timed to arrive about 15 mins before these departures so you should not have much trouble co-ordinating. If your mother has trouble with sitting maybe a short stroll from one boat to the other would break up the journey?
Many thanks for such a swift reply but I think that probably puts the kibosh on it then. Mum has to walk with 3 sticks now and whilst I have just persuaded her to get a folding travel wheelchair I think that the prospect of either only 15 mins to make the connection or else have a 5 hr wait will just stress her out too much and if we do go it would be better to arrange a taxi transfer across the island. That way we would also ahve the option of using the Armas ferry - older and slower I know but the first time I went it was the only way to get there and I think that she would prefer the opportunity to sit outside - unless I can get us flights that will enable us to use the Friday through ferry.
When Olsen took the route over I did wonder how long they would keep it running and suspected that they might do something like this. In fact I have long suspected that ever since the harbour at VGR was extended, including the construction of a RO-RO ramp I thought that they would try and get permission to run their main car ferries right the way round and call me cynical but I wonder whether they have been refused permission to do this and and hence why they are complicating the journey for foot passengers.
I agree entirely that it really is a lovely haven for a relaxing holiday but this time it will just be me and my parents who are now both 83 and dealing with luggage and wheelchair etc on my own is a daunting prospect. The total travel time involved makes me think that we need to consider some alternatives where we can fly direct from the UK and I'm seriously looking at the one of the Azores for example.
Thanks for the info,
SM
Sorry to hear that you are in this position. I appreciate that on your own you have a seemingly insurmountable task to safely transport your parents to VGR. I hope you find a satisfactory alternative and will be able to return to La Gomera at some point in the future. Regards
Well it looks as if the Garjonay/Benchi Express has disappeared completely - I can no longer find any information about it at all. Now that my Mother has been persuaded to buy a mobility scooter and is marvelling at the difference it has made to her ability to get around places, we had started to think that perhaps one last trip to La Gomera was a possibility again. If we do go, I guess that we'll have no alternative to booking a taxi transfer from San Sebastian and I'll just have to make sure that the taxi knows that we'll have it with us!
SM
SM
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