Thursday 21 June 2012

Santorini


Our ferry left at 7am from Piraeus, the port of Athens. Which meant we had to be up nice and early.

We caught the train to the port and this time decided to keep our bags with us just in case we had any trouble like we did last time. Turns out undesirable types sleep in, everyone on the train was perfectly normal and not interested in stealing any of our things..

The ferry to Santorini wasn't super fun. You weren't allowed to go outside, which was a shame. We dropped people off at four islands before we got to Santorini. It was so good to finally get there.



We hadn't booked any accommodation because we'd heard that they offer it to you at the port.

We started talking to a guy named Bill - I just really don't think that is his name. After much negotiation he gave us a cheap price on a hotel on the beach side of the island and drove us there. He asked me if I had come to Santorini to get some colour, because I had none - ease up Bill.



He seemed like a nice guy and when we got to the hotel a grumpy looking middle aged woman met us with the key and escorted us, along with Bill to our room. He turned to us and whispered "She is the boss' Mumma"

We got the feeling that Mumma didn't like us.

No one was at the pool so we thought we would have it to ourselves for the afternoon. Turns out no one else was at the hotel. It was just us.. And Mumma.


We decided that instead of getting some lunch we should drink by the pool all afternoon - I believe that this is where we started to go wrong.

When it was time for dinner (there is no clock on this holiday, time is judged by how many meals we have had - which is why we are getting fat)

We headed to a place on the beach called - Charlie's (I think) we continued to drink and ordered an amazing seafood platter. Then they gave us a free shot of Ouzo - this is where I know we went wrong..

I had four shots of Ouzo and Sam had more. This is not advised.
By this point of the night Sam was behind the bar and I was drinking home made wine with the chef. And I think someone brought their dog in?

One of the waiters drove us back to our hotel which was perfect because I'm not sure we could remember where it was.

It was after midnight when we got back and as we walked to our room we both looked at each other and said "Mumma would not be pleased"

The next day was awful.
I thought if I went for a swim in the pool it would make me feel better - it didn't.
It took us a few hours but we eventually got to the beach. And fell asleep.

We've both decided to stop drinking Ouzo - its probably for the best.

The morning after the worst day of my life I met another employee (read relation), she never mentioned her name (we decided to call her Mumma's daughter) who offered to make us breakfast, it was clear the hotel was not open and we were there by some weird coincidence so I politely declined, she then asked if I wanted a bike/quad bike/tour/car/coffee/tea/are you sure you don't want breakfast?

We decided we would rent a bike and negotiated a good price (we had done our research) well we thought we were doing well until she asked us for coins for the phone to arrange the bike and we saw her use her iPhone!!

We chatted with 'daughter of mumma' whilst waiting for the bike.

"You want me to take you to the airport tomorrow?"
'No, its ok. Bill is taking us'
"Ah Vassili? yes?" - I knew Bill waasn't his real name!
"you married?"
'no'
"you engaged?"
'no'
"oh, I thought maybe you somesing.. But you nusing yes?"
'um, I mean seven years..'
"where you from? Canada?"
'No, Australia..Melbourne'
"I have cousins in Clayton, it's vey beautiful yes??"
'uh.... Yea..'

The bike couldn't have come quick enough.


Sam wouldn't let me drive, can't imagine why...

The chap with the bike was insistent that he take Sam's passport for the day whilst we had the bike and that he would collect the key and return it at the end of the day.

We explained that he could forget that idea and ended up handing over Sam's license, quite sure that handing out your passport isn't a good idea.

We headed off around the island and did notice the bike was a bit shit.. And it got progressively worse but we chose to ignore it. Meanwhile I couldnt stop singing ABBA songs, exploring the island was so much fun.
We came back to the hotel for lunch and thought a rest would do the bike some good (machines shouldn't need to rest - because they are machines!)

We went to see the sunset at Oia where every single tourist ever was, we took some snaps but were nervous that the bike would fail on us in the dark on the way home.

There were a few hills involved on the drive back, which meant Sam had to push the bike up becaue it kept stopping.. At one point I got off to see if that would work and it still didn't (thank god! I would have got a complex)

Somehow we finally got home. And we did get to see the sunset, it was just from the back of our dodgy quad bike.

The bike man was meant to come and get the bike at ten, and return Sam's license. But he didn't show.

The next morning before our flight Sam (forcefully) suggested that mumma's daughter call her friend so he could get his license.. Very thankful that we hung on to our passports.

He got it back in the end, old mate rocked up with a plastic pocket full of passports (Seriously?)IDs and licenses..

Best we head to the airport..

"Bill" came to pick us up and we told him all about the bike and the time that we had. He seemed to think that we'd had a pretty normal experience since everyone from Santorini was strange.. he was from Athens.

After giving us his skype details (?) we set of to catch a plane to Rome.



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