Friday - Steve's last day on holidays

Friday - Saturday

We all made our way to the port - with a little detour by me to the bakery! It's two hours to Naxos and we wouldn't want to starve! the boat trip was different this time as we knew more travellers and had more fun and laughs as we went. Some of the group were dressed in climbing gear - they are the ones who had opted to climb Mt Zeus. It included Sarah Wilson, guides Ricky and Emma, the NZ sporty couple David and Kim and "glass half full girl" Maryanne. Steve and I and the Wilsons had another ferry to catch to Santorini. 

The ferry was a scene from Titanic. People were jostling for seats and pushing up stairs. We found a few seats - a little like a movie theatre all facing forward. Got settled then the German invasion with numbered seats! How did that happen? We obviously had only bought economy seats! They were in Premium and there was even a business class. Oh what an oversight. Anyway Steve and I found two free seats in the Asian section and Jill and Chris were in the cafe area. The trip took about 2-3 hours and then we arrived at another movie scene. Crowds everywhere. Standing in the exit  under the boat ( where the cars usually park) along with hundred of other refugees on holidays all with wheely suitcases , we were jostled and shouldered and felt like movie extras in a re-enactment of the landing at Anzac Cove. Appropriately, the boat backed into the port and it looked like we were going to ram the cliff straight in front of us. 

Fortunately I had emailed ahead to be met so we walked off and found our name among the many Greeks enthusiastically waving signs with names on them. 

We got in a mini bus and away. Went up the winding hill away from the port and enjoyed the view of the distant village of Oia which looked like snow on a mountain top. The villages are all white and scattered along the top of the cliffs overlooking the sea. It's a gorgeous view and we couldn't wait to get to Oia.  Felt very smug as we passed through other village feeling we had selected the right village for us. 

We were greeted by Paolus a big strong guy who lifted our suitcases with ease and went up the winding path to reception. Turns out we are on the end of the village in the very best position for viewing the famous sunset of the caldera. Our little villa has a front gate , four chairs and an umbrella on the patio outside the front door. Inside is a lounge room/ kitchen and then two bedrooms and bathrooms. One on the front  and one on the back. It's perfect. 

 Hurriedly bought Prosecco, beer and ouzo, some snacks and settled ourselves on the patio for the viewing.  We were  as excited as kids. Laughing and sipping and snapping and kissing and hugging. It was also Steve's last night so we wanted to make it special. Well Jill and I overdosed on bubbles and were wobbling after sunset as we made our way through the village to dinner. The streets are narrow, cobbled, steep in places and crowded with people all along the way who were there for the viewing of sunset. Once again we felt very SMUG to have found the perfect quiet spot for our own private viewing. 

Fantastic 

Dinner was at Scala and involved much more food and drink encouraged by Steve who was trying to cram three days of fun into one! 

It was lovely, lots of photos and laughter and Steve trying to buy me a lovely piece of jewellery from one of the many shops along the way. All the shops are open till 10 pm which seems a little OTT but with all the romantics in the area it must be good for that impulsive buy. 

I managed to restrain Steve from doing it (?) until the morning when I had decided what I really  wanted! 

S o off to bed under the windmill. When you see photos of Santorini and you see the famous windmill at the top of the island - that's where we stayed. 

Santorini

Santorini

Steve's travel hat on its last legs

Our apartment - under "that" windmill on Santorini

Two happy chicks at sunset time

Apparently, sunset looks like this every evening ...

Happy diners on Steve's last night of holidays

LAST NIGHT ON SWIM TREK

Last night on the swim trek

Our last day (and night) of Swimtrek

A big swim (3km) including some great caves

… to here ...

Sarah, Jill and Fran in fetching pink caps

… via here ...

…. Pause here ...

A smaller swim (2km) to finish off

Sarah's 30th birthday map

… the last leg

"Presentation Ceremony" and final dinner

Our guides, Ricky and Emma - well done!

Steve graduates

Fran graduates

The Crew

BIG NIGHT OUT

WEDNESDAY

Great night last night.. The little restuarant in a laneway back from the small port was really very good.
It was all drama though, with Tracey (another pink group member) really not well and had to see a doctor in town. Ricky, our lovely guide, took her and had to make a decision about what to do. She has some gyno problems and really needs to see a specialist. Poor lady has been trying to cope (and swimming quite well) but it really has to be dealt with. We the pink group members will miss her. Her "friend" Maryanne has stayed as insurance wouldn't cover her leaving.. So we are stuck with "glass half empty" girl.

After dinner some of the group headed home - sensible people - and others went to a nearby bar for one last drink. It belonged to a man we met on the beach this afternoon - nude - who was introduced to us as Arki's brother! Turns out he is not Arkie's brother but another smooth Greek man. You know the type - beachy leathery, longish hair in a ponytale, think they are God's gift to women!

Had a drink and walked back but as we headed past the beach and the port where Arki's boat was moored we lost Tina - the German lady. It's not for me to say where she went .........but I did wonder..

This morning we were slow to start. Tracey had left on the ferry at 6am and there was much discussion on where the swim would be. I decided it was too windy for me, and Jill agreed, so here we are doing our blog while the others are off sailing and swimming. Might regret it, but a day off from those distances is a treat ...

We are having the afternoon off as a group. So a nice lunch coming up and an afternoon siesta.

Steve and the swimmers had a very rough, windy passage under sail back across to the Eastern coast of Naxos to find a sheltered swim. It worked well - about 3 km in the warmest and bluest of waters doing a costal passage which was just great. More high sped, spray filled sailing back to port for the siesta!

Alas, no photos!

TUESDAY

TUESDAY

Weather came up during the night which meant a change of plan. 

We packed the bus with bags and headed for the other side of the island. 

Most had to walk and myself, Dave from NZ and James went in the bus with Ricky to help with the luggage. Well I'm sure the men wouldn't have volunteered if they had seen how far they had to carry everyone's bags. That wasn't in the brochure! 

Once hosed and loaded we motored over to another island, stopped along the coast and swam from there, finishing with a small crossing and swam up to a beach not to far from out hotel. Lovely morning swim. 

Settled into our new hotel. It's really lovely, in a good position by the water, has a pool, coloured chairs and decorating ideas straight from a Greek magazine! 

A lovely lunch by the pool , followed by a bus ride across the island to a long beach with lovely turquoise water. Quite a number of people at the beach had unfortunately forgotten their togs - very European! Looked better than it swam! We swam and swam to get around the majestic headlands and found the best caves to swim into. 

Back to the beach for a coffee before the bus arrived to drive us back. 

Looking forward to dinner tonight. 

FIRST CROSSING : WHAT A SWIM

MONDAY

We enjoyed a good breakfast and made our way to the harbour so we could motor over to a nearby island to make our first crossing! Wow is all can say. 

It was fairly rough and choppy as we started out and by the end we earned our lunch. We must have swum at least 4 or more km. not a bad effort for the first day. I fell a lot more confident this year, knowing I can keep going - something I wasnt sure of last year..

Another good lunch this time prepared by Ricky and Emma sitting under the shade at the beach bar. 

The afternoon swim was from  the port and around the headland back to the beach. We swam with Ricky which was great. He pointed things out and was diving down to show us sponges and rocks and kept a reasonable pace for us. Back on the beach we lazed before walking slowly back up the hill. Dinner was back at the Deli Bar where we choose from the menu and it was great. I had BBQ calamari. Quite delicious. 

Steve enjoyed raki which Chris thinks it is really rocket fuel. Steve seems to like it. 

Packed and off to bed. Leaving this hotel tomorrow for Koufonisia

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!