Fran on Holidays last year

Fran on Holidays last year
Vino at Mercatello

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

SUNDAY


SUNDAY


Well the swim has started! We walked down to the beach, a rocky walk mostly down hill! Wasn't looking forward to the uphill with my so knee! 

The bay was lovely, quite deserted,  a little unkept and we stopped and put our gear at the beach bar and creamed up and went into the water for our first swim- a 400 metre swim starting with Ricky along the beach around Emma and back. This gave them a chance to check out our style and speed. 
We were all pretty good with the few at the top, and Jill and I and maybe one or two others in the slower group ( not that we cared as we just want to be able to enjoy the swims. 

We had the usual swim trek morning tea of tea coffee fruit and packet biscuits  before we started out training session. We all learned the swim signals and then started a few drill to help with the distance sea swimming. It was a good introduction - one we didn't get last year as the group were all experienced swimmers. Still it was a good revision to be able to think of our stroke. 
Then the big starring moment! The video camera was brought out and Emma took control. She had us swim towards her then pass in front of her to the right for twenty metres, then repeated it all underwater! 

Can't wait for the video analysis tonight

Then it was lunch. We wandered up the stairs to a lovely little restaurant all blue and white with white billowing curtains around a LONG table set by the edge of the garden overlooking the sea. Not bad. Lunch was the usual beautiful Greek salad, pasta and sparkling water. No alcohol at lunch as we have another swim in the afternoon. 


Siesta time followed and we all stretched out on one of the sun beds under the shade of the trees scattered along the beach bar. 


Then the challenge starts. We swam out and around a small island, across to a headland, along the headland and into another gorgeous bay, around the bay and along the coast till we reached a little blue and white church. So picturesque. Then across the bay to reach Arki' s boat. 



Now I haven't mentioned Arki. He is Greek, tried to be charming, and owns the yacht that swim trek use for its week long treks. We had heard he was particular - he is ridiculously so!  A we climbed the ladder to get on his boat he hoses you down practically orders you along in how to move and where to sit. A little over the top in my opinion. 

We motored back to the beach bar and rested awhile before the long rocky climb up the hill to our hotel. That wasn't in the brochure!!!!!

Video analysis time meant drink time as Ricky and Emma showed the first group their video! It was slowed and replayed several times as they made constructive comments about our swimming. It was very good and gave us lots of work on over the next few days. We sat with Kim and David and had many laughs. 

We prepared for our dinner together at A little courtyard restaurant. It's a  little restaurant in the small village. We ordered things to start and then an individual meal each. All was going really well- starters great. Then 3 people got their mains and nearly an hour  and several requests and many apologies  later our main courses started to arrive. Seems there was an issue with the BBQ gas! 
Huge meals and most of us didn't feel like it any more! 

The glass half empty girl Maryanne from Sydney made her displeasure loud and clear. Oh boy it could be a long week with her!



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