Goodbye Dubai - Australia here we come.

We all managed to be in the lobby by the 7.30 am allocated time - we left breakfast to be had at the airport. Suitcases were full - ours almost bulging. Liz said hers wasn’t bulging due to good packing. Luckily Emirates Airline allows 30 kgs baggage per person. Liz and Ron came in at 56 kgs combined, we came in at 51 kgs. Steve and Gert were lower again.

After a short trip to the airport - John and I still being amazed by the buildings - it was time to check in the luggage - no problems. Each couple went their own way then to have something to eat or do some last minute shopping. We looked for the books, unsuccessfully, but found the camel milk chocolate and bought 2 of them. (Since arriving home the chocolate has been consumed - it had an interesting flavour - distinctive but not unpleasant - just difficult to describe. Mind you I will not need to rush back to Dubai to get more.)

Our plane, again an A380 Airbus (as we had coming over) was quite full - no hopping to empty rows to allow a stretched out sleep during the 14 hour flight this time. But, Liz did it again. She had reserved seats with an empty seat between for each of the 3 couples. They were near the window in groups of 3. Of course, it may have come unstuck if someone else had been allocated the middle seat. But in all 3 cases, we were lucky! Thanks Liz!!!

The departure was delayed, first by the pilot stating that if we left at the due time, we would arrive too early in Sydney, due to the airport curfew. The second delay announcement was to say the plane was experiencing a computer malfunction and an engineer would be coming on board to assess the situation. The pilot also announced the temperature on the tarmac at that time was 52 degrees. Although it felt warm on the plane, I certainly would have chosen the plane over the tarmac.

Finally, we were off about 50 minutes late. Some of us had already started watching a movie while we were grounded. I enjoyed 4 movies this trip as well as being able to spread out with my feet on John’s lap for a couple of hour's sleep. We swapped over and John managed about 3 hour's sleep while I continued with my movie marathon.

Arrival at Sydney at about 6.30am was fine until we went to collect our luggage from the baggage carousel. Along came our 2 bags, and Liz and Ron’s, and Steve’s but where was Gert’s? Gert had a red bag and there was one lone red bag going around and around the carousel - but it wasn't Gert's. No-one claimed it. After speaking to an official, we were directed towards the lost and damaged baggage counter. Gert’s details were taken and off we went without Gert’s suitcase. Not a good end to a wonderful trip! We have since heard that Gert's bag had been taken by mistake and it has been returned.

I declared the wooden items and lavender items I had purchased on the trip to the customs official. Usually after giving the all clear to what has been presented we are just waved through but not this time - we were required to put all of our bags through the X-ray machine. Of course there were no problems.

Dave and Marie were there to collect Gert and Steve who were staying overnight with them. Off they went while Liz, Ron, John and I sat down and enjoyed a cuppa. We had quite some time to wait before needing to get to Central Station for our return train trip departing for Taree at 11.15 am and we were happier to spend the time at the airport rather than Central.

After our drinks and a little food sustenance (of course we needed it!) we hailed a cab and headed off to Central. Our taxi driver took us the scenic (read long) way to Central. The fare was exhorbitant - but what can you do? During the taxi trip John and I kept looking at each other as if to say where on earth is he taking us?

The XPT was on time and we were soon on the final leg of our amazing journey. We arrived in Taree at 5.10 pm. Andrew and Nikki were there to meet us and drive us home. It was great that all was good on the home front, especially with our darling Tillie who gave us a warm welcome home. Nikki cooked a lovely dinner (am happy to share the recipe!) and we talked for a while before retiring at about 10 pm. We had a good sleep and woke about 10 am the next morning - in time to wave goodbye to Nikki and Andrew. We will catch up with them soon when they are house sitting at Green Point.

Jet lag caught up with both of us on Saturday (2 full days after we arrived home). After going to bed at 10.30 pm Friday night John woke at 12 noon Saturday. He asked me if I’d like a cup of tea which I accepted. However, when I next awoke at 2 pm, I found a cold cup of tea on my bedside table. It seemed no sooner had I got up, showered and dressed and it was starting to get cold and dark outside.

I am glad I decided to have a few days off before returning to work!

John received a wonderful offer while we were away. The publishing company he is using for his children’s book is having a stall at the Beijing Book Fair. They have invited their authors to attend the fair to promote their individual books. John has decided to go. It is being held at the end of August - start of September. Needless to say John is busy investigating flights and accommodation for this exciting venture. He would like me to accompany him but after just having had 7 weeks off work for this trip and having already taken a few week's leave earlier in the year when dad passed away, I feel bad about having more time off work. John spoke to my boss about this and he is happy to approve me taking more leave - so guess what? - we are going to China in about 9 week's time.

So, as the sun sets on an absolutely wonderful trip, we certainly realise how fortunate we have been to have the opportunity, means and good health to do such an extensive trip with a wonderful group of people!

Thanks Gert, Steve, Marie, Dave, Liz and Ron for a darn good time.
Of course Liz, once again, deserves special thanks for organising such a superb trip!
We can thoroughly recommend her for taking care of your travel needs!

May there be many more to come! Na zdravje!! (Cheers!)

Jill and John

Visiting Other Emirates

We had another early start today for a full day tour for the 6 of us. We were again collected from the hotel -  this time at 8.25am. No alarm malfunctions this morning! And, we had time to eat a solid breakfast - unlike yesterday. We were on a small coach for this tour. We started by driving by the mosque-shaped Sharjah International Airport, designed by the Sheikh who rules Sharjah. We continued through a multi-hued desert landscape to the oasis of Al Dhaid, before journeying through spectacular mountain scenery.

Just before Masafi we stopped at the Friday Market which sells fruit and vegetables (the mangoes were delicious), pottery, local crafts, cushions and carpets. In the mountains we stopped for a stunning view of the canyon and the wadis showing tracks used by nomads in the early days. When we reached Dibba, nature was calling and Liz found a toilet stop of which the guide was unaware - a kind government official in a government building came to our rescue. Ron was given a tour of the stage and lighting areas of this cultural performance venue.

Our lunch stop was at a resort called the Sandy Beach Hotel and Resort. One look at the photo and you understand why they came up with a suitable but obvious name. The temperature at our lunch stop was 43 degrees air temp, 30 degrees beach water temp and they stated the pool was 28 degrees. We swam in the ocean - our feet sizzled as we bolted along the sand to the water - there was no taking your breath away as you went into the water. It was my kind of beach (many would call it a bay) and temperature although I did find myself swimming around trying to find a cool current somewhere. The rock you can see from the beach is called 'Snoopy's'.

After the ocean we tried the pool - it felt hotter than the ocean! Time for a quick lunch (either outside with fans blaring on you or in the air conditioned restaurant). John and I thought we’d like to eat outside but soon felt we were melting so went inside to join the others.

After lunch, we drove on to Khor Fakkan, a picturesque fishing village. All of this was in extreme contrast to what we saw in Dubai. On the way, we visited the Bidiyah Mosque, the oldest and smallest in the United Arab Emirates, nestled beneath a 300 year old fort. We then followed the coast road through the lovely green town of Khor Fakkan. The city of Fujairah, once a fishing village is now quickly becoming a major port for oil refineries.

Our last stop was Bithnah oasis where we found the impressive fort still guarding the mountain pass, once the only access to Fujairah.

We made our way back to Dubai where we arrived about 6.30pm. I am unsure of how many kilometres we travelled but it would have been a lot. I had several little dozes in the bus during the day. Being so busy during our short stay in Dubai, combined with the heat, induced me to nod off. John had a snooze on our return to Dubai as did our lovely French tour guide. He did a great job of explaining the formation of the United Arab Emirates and also of the history of the area as well as a few political matters - I did miss some of his information though. He also recommended for us to try camel milk chocolate as well as 2 books on the history of Dubai.

On arrival back at the hotel we gave ourselves time to shower and repack our suitcases (ready for our 7.30am pickup for the airport in the morning) before heading off at about 7.30pm to Dubai Mall to see the fountain in all it’s operational glory. It did not disappoint! Just amazingly spectacular. After having some dinner we did some final shopping. We wanted to have a look at the Gold Souk which eventuated with another purchase. The mall is open from 10am to 10pm most days - although Thursday to  Saturday, it stays open until midnight. We made our way again by taxi (taxi fares are very reasonable) back to the hotel about 10.30pm. We were all ready for bed that night! It was another full day!

Second Tour in Dubai

At the end of the tour we arrived back at the hotel about 7.45pm and joined Gert, Steve, Liz and Ron in the hotel’s Red Lion Pub for drinks and dinner. It was very crowded and loud due to the soccer being broadcast on screens placed all around the area. What would you expect us to have for dinner in an English style Pub in Dubai? I was the only one to order out of the square - I had a delicious chicken curry (complete with pappadams and a scrummy chutney). The serving sizes were big.
It wasn’t a late night for Gert, Steve, John or me after our late flight from Athens and early arrival at Dubai. The 4 of us left Liz and Ron in the pub enjoying the atmosphere.

For the next morning we had planned to meet at the pool for a swim about 8am - then have breakfast - then meet in the foyer to catch the shuttle bus to the Mall of the Emirates. John and I woke at 9.35 am - something had gone wrong with the alarm and John, who unlike me, is a morning person (and usually my reliable alarm clock) kept sleeping. Mind you, if it had been left to me to wake up, it would have been much later. We scurried down to breakfast just as the others were getting ready to leave. No-one had made it to the pool.

In the foyer at 10am we found out that the shuttle does pickups at other places. Hence, this makes the trip to the mall about 50 minutes duration. John and I were being picked up at the hotel at 4.30pm to go on our second Arabian Adventure, so we all chose to take the taxi. A wise choice - we were there in 15 minutes.

All I can say about Mall of the Emirates is ‘think huge’ and it’s still not going to prepare you for the overwhelming size and grandeur it offers. It is located in what is now deemed ‘New Dubai’. It is 223,000 square metres.

This is the mall that has an operational snowfield in it - Ski Dubai. It is complete with chairlifts and everything else you would expect to find at ski fields. It was ‘pick your jaw up’ time again! It also has a Magic Planet family entertainment area (we didn't get to see it) and a 14 screen cinema complex.We spent a couple of hours wandering around and decided to use the Dubai Metro to catch the train to the Dubai Mall. In hindsight, it would have been more economical to get another taxi but, it was the experience we were after and we weren’t disappointed.

Their trains are nothing like ours - their train stations are nothing like hours - their train tracks are nothing like ours. It reminded me of (I know I’m showing my age) something you would have seen on the Jetsons TV cartoon show ('Meet George Jetson, his son Elroy, Jane his wife.... I know you have heard enough!). Once you depart the train at the Dubai Mall stop you are then transported the short distance to the mall by bus. You need to purchase a ticket for the bus sector - some of the tickets worked in the machine on the bus - others did not. Our bus driver was not happy about this dilly dallying as those whose tickets didn’t work had to go back and be reissued with new tickets. No doubt, this put the drivers schedule out. We had a very fast trip to the mall. It was necessary to plant your feet firmly and grasp whatever you could on to in a very full bus. It wasn't possibe to fall too far though.

Dubai Mall is on a par with Mall of the Emirates except it’s features are a huge aquarium, an iceskating rink, and the Dubai Fountain, a huge and spectacular ‘lake’ by day that turns into a colourful fountain shooting sprays of water over 150 metres into the air complete with stunning sound, every half hour from 6.30pm - 10pm. The tallest building in the world, Burj Khalifa, is next to Dubai Mall. The food court had an excellent selection of cuisine from all cultures to choose from. After a couple of hours here - believe me you would need 3 days to check the 1200 stores out - we decided to head to the Karama Markets. This we did by taxi - it was not far from the mall. Unfortunately, John and I were on a tight time schedule as we needed to get back to the hotel for our tour pickup. We only had about 20 minutes to browse in one small section of the markets. They had many buildings - both of us would have liked more time there. John and I caught a taxi back to the hotel to quickly change ready for our Sundowner Dune Dinner Safari, leaving the others to wander around the markets.

We were collected by a four wheel drive from the hotel. Also in the vehicle were an English couple and a young Irish couple on their honeymoon. Before coming to Dubai, they had been in Mauritius. We had about a 45 minute drive out to the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve, deep in the heart of the desert. It was fascinating to watch the landscape change as we left the main section of Dubai and headed into the desert. This is where the driver let air out of the tyres in readiness for what was to come next.

We were in a convoy of 20 similar vehicles. They all followed a similar path but not identical to the vehicle before. Each driver made sure there was clearance from the vehicle in front before he headed up the steep crests. It really was thrilling to drive over the rolling dunes. From the crests of dunes we watched the sun casting it’s orange glow over the vast expanse of rippling sand around us, as it began to set. We had several short stops - some for photos, one for a drink and one to enjoy the serenity at sunset. These stops allowed the passengers to swap seats so everyone had the opportunity to ride in the front seat - yee haa! - (and the back seat).

Our driver was J - quite a happy chappy at the start. That was until he found a nail in his rear tyre at our last stop before the dinner stop. He went very quiet - and his driving tamed down just a tad for that last section. He hadn’t been driving in a reckless manner before but he certainly was giving us a great ride experience prior to the discovery of the nail. We travelled in total about 20 kilometres over the dunes. Of course during the dinner break J had to not only ‘work the bar’ but also change a tyre. The dinner spot was like a shimmering mirage in the distance with the flickering lights of the ‘Bedu’ tents. We were welcomed with an Arabian style coffee and dates (even though we are not coffee drinkers we gave it a try - it tasted like a cross between weak coffee and herbal tea).

We all sat on cushions at low tables to enjoy the entertainment - of course, a stunning belly dancer - and the yummy meal. I’m not really sure what was in the meal as it was dark and the lights were low. It all tasted good and there were no repercussions that night or the next day. If you chose (and of course we did) you could have a camel ride.

The ladies were invited to have an intricate henna design painted on their hand, foot or arm (and I did). Also offered was the opportunity to enjoy the aromatic shisha (which we didn’t do). All of this was included in the basic price - mind you it was an expensive tour but well worth it! Drinks were also included. We had the white wine. There were canvasses and sand paintings on sale.

All in all it was a fantastic experience! I was sorry when it came to an end. We returned to the hotel just shy of 11pm.

First Tour in Dubai

We were collected by the tour group Arabian Adventures at 2.45 pm. This tour, the City of Merchants - Dubai City Tour is an historical excursion. Our route took us to the magnificent Jumeirah Mosque, several modern palaces - currently occupied by sheiks and princes. The palaces are huge, making Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle look small. One of them reminded me in size but not architecturally, of Schonbrunn Palace in Vienna. Understandably but regretfully we were forbidden to take photos for security reasons. The palaces were sprawled along the coast.

The first thing to ‘hit you’ about Dubai is the amount of lush green parks, huge expanses of green lawns and stunning gardens all found in a desert location. All of Dubai’s water is desalinated. I was amazed at the number of hospitals of all different specialties and so many specialist medical centres. We are told that Dubai is venturing into the market of attracting people from other countries to come for medical and dental treatments/procedures. Everything is certainly clean and spotless here - similar to Singapore except in size. The sky scrapers are incredible. It seems every architect has been out to be more ‘out there’ than the one who designed the previous building. They are all so different - some even look uneven - as if they will topple over.

The roads in Dubai are in good condition. There are so many 6 or 8 lane expressways that surround the place. This doesn’t prevent it having traffic jams, though.

We stopped in Bastakiya to admire the old wind towered houses which were built by wealthy merchants.

Close by stands the beautifully restored 150 year old Al Fahida Fort. It was built in 1787 to defend the city against invasion and was opened as a museum in 1971. The Dubai Museum is a must if you are visiting Dubai. Our tour only allowed us 45 minutes here which does not give you enough time to do justice to the amazing displays. The museum’s diverse collection of exhibits offer a fascinationg insight into the rich history and cultural heritage of Dubai.

If we have another Dubai stop-over on another trip, we would like to visit the museum again. Some of the display is dedicated to showing the city’s past as an important pearl diving and trading centre. Archeological discoveries suggest that, as long as 4,000years ago, small fishing communities lived along the coast of the Arabian Gulf on the site of modern Dubai. Dubai Creek was a busy port of call on the ancient trade route between Mesopotamia and the Indus Valley.

From here we continued our tour by ‘abra’- crossing Dubai’s Creek - the word creek suggests to me a small river - not so in Dubai. From here we again see the modern metropolis with the splendid architecture dwarfing the bustling alleys of the gold and spice ‘souks’. Compared to Morocco the spice souks were small and limited but “wow” is all I can say about the gold souks - I have never seen anything like it before - it makes Italy’s PonteVecchio look miniscule!

We had about an hour to walk around here. I thoroughly enjoyed looking in window after window of jewellery. John disappeared away up another street for a while looking at electrical goods.

Where we met the bus, we also found, by nose, the fish markets. We didn’t actually tour the fish markets, but I do wonder how they keep the fish refrigerated in a market setting in over 45 degree temperatures. I'm sure it is all done with precision, exactly as Dubai presents.

Goodbye Antiparos. Hello Paros. Goodbye Paros. Hello Athens.Goodbye Athens. Hello Dubai

None of our group was happy about leaving our beautiful Antiparos villas. We had lunch, cooked by Magda and her husband, before we left. It was a fish meal - fish soup, fish, bread and vegetables with scrumptious sauces to accompany.

Off we went to the final destination of our wonderful trip. Michel (Magda’s husband) loaded the van up with all of our luggage and 5 of us - the other 3 men went in a friend’s car for the short trip (11kms) to Antiparos port. Here we had some last minute shopping time before heading to the ferry to cross over to Paros. Michel took the van on the ferry to save us from having to unload and then load again in Paros. Magda had arranged for a taxi to be waiting to collect those of our group who wouldn’t fit in the van to do the short drive to Paros International Airport. Taree Airport is larger than Paros International Airport. It was goodbye to Michel - such a lovely man.

We had quite a wait for the departure of our flight to Athens. It was a small plane - only able to take 18 passengers. There was a bit of a kerfuffle with some people who wanted to fly on our flight but had not reserved their tickets. They were told due to the wind they could not fly. The plane was less than half full with passengers and the flight was smooth. We suspect all the weight of our totalled luggage was the real reason but we haven’t got that confirmed. Needless to say the 3 passengers who were denied the flight were very unhappy putting it mildly. Voices were certainly raised!

Our flight to Athens only took 25 minutes - the one cabin crew staff member just had time to give a small pack of peanuts or biscuits and a drink to each passenger.

All good when we arrived at Athens. We arrived there about 7 pm and couldn’t check our luggage in for sometime as our flight to Dubai was not due to depart until 11 pm. This meant time to stroll around Athens Airport and time to have a bite to eat.

Our flight to Dubai actually loaded early and departed 10 minutes early. Again, it was not a very full plane so Marie, Liz and I quickly headed to empty rows of seats enabling us to spread out and have a snooze after the meal was served. The flight only took about 4 hours - so a couple of hour's sleep was good. We arrived at Dubai in the wee small hours of the morning and it was then we said farewell to Marie and Dave who were then headed back to Sydney. The remaining 6 of us went through passport control and then a security check as well before heading to the luggage collection carousel. Dubai airport is HUGE! Just prior to exiting the airport there were more ‘on-the-spot’ security checks. Too many staff with nothing to do I suspect.

A necessary stop about this time was to find an ATM to again stock up with dirhams the UAE currency. The current exchange rate is A$0.32 which means the AU$ price is about a 3rd of the dirham amount.

We were greeted at the airport and were soon on our way to our hotel. We arrived at the Metropolitan Hotel about 5.30 am. Fortunately, Liz had arranged for us to be able to check in then - normal check in time is not usually until after noon. We encountered very little traffic during our transfer which Liz and Gert have explained as most unusual.

We were all tired when we arrived, so we retired to our rooms for a couple of hours sleep and then headed down for a late breakfast / early lunch. Again there were many staff - all extremely attentive. I think someone would have shelled Ron’s egg if he asked. Breakfast consisted of a large buffet with everything you could possibly imagine and more. Being such a melting pot of cultures and a frequently used stopover destination by peoples of many countries, the array of dishes was fascinating. Liz and Ron were adventurous with their selections. Liz found a fiery morsel that sent her requesting water and juice to quench the fire. John and I settled for known cuisine. John is not a lover of curry or any spicy food at any time.

John and I have quite a full program of tours here in Dubai. Gert, Steve, Liz and Ron have all been here before so we are doing most excursions without them. Our first is this afternoon - in about 2 hours time.

John is not feeling 100%. The cabin pressure during the flight has created pain in his head which is attributed to his split forehead. He is currently lying down after taking some pain relief. Liz, Ron and I have just wandered around this hotel’s huge complex. The pool is large but is quite a way from our rooms. It is an outside pool. The board near the pool states todays temperature of the pool water to be 29 degrees. The outside air temperature is 42 degrees - and it certainly feels every bit of it. The temperature when we arrived at 4.30 am was 35 degrees. There is a definite haze outside - don’t know whether it is pollution or heat haze or what.

There is much excitement here with a large screen being erected in a garden setting below our room, many chairs put out, for the World Cup soccer competition currently happening. Might be a bit of a wild night here for some tonight - but not for I said the fly. We will need a reasonably early night.

Of course, all rooms are air-conditioned. Dubai’s electricity bill must be astronomical.

Our hotel ( the Metropolitan Hotel Dubai) is part of the Habtoor chain and has a sister property, The Habtoor Grand Resort and Spa.We can get a shuttle to it. It has a beach-front and we can use the beach and hotel facilities there. Liz and Ron will check this out whilst we are on our first tour.

The hotel we are staying at was one of the first hotels built here - in 1978 - and is on the iconic Sheikh Zayed Road. It is a beautiful hotel with extravagant and grand furnishings. I suspect it has been refurbished many times. It has several restaurants - Italian, Indian, Fish, Chinese, English Pub, plus the breakfast restaurant and a coffee shop.

This hotel is not located on a shopping strip - sadly. We can get shuttles to shopping malls also - hopefully we can do that tomorrow morning.

The view from our hotel room is of skyscraper after skyscraper. There still appears to be much building construction underway despite what we have heard about Dubai’s flagging economy.

Weather-wise, June is not the best time to visit Dubai, but it was all included in our deal with Emirates and it is breaking our return flight which is a plus.

Enroute to Antiparos

This morning we again woke to beautiful weather. It is our last morning on Santorini - meaning time to pack up all the gear again. (Message to self: don’t bring so much with us next time!)

Our bags needed to be ready by 10.15 am for our 10.45 transfer to the new port to head off to Paros on the hydrofoil. Liz and Gert had warned us that getting on the Hydrofoil can be a chaotic experience. We were delighted to find out the authorities have changed the system since the others last did the water transfer. It was all quite civil. The only difficulty for me was lugging my now quite heavy suitcase up the gang plank over the anti slip ridges - calunk, calunk.

The journey by high speed hydrofoil took about two hours, with a brief stop at Ios, which is the island that the young group go to - maybe we’ll do it next time - not! When we arrived at Paros, we transferred to a local bus for the short ride to the other side of the island and then boarded the local vehicle ferry to Antiparos where we would be staying. Our first impressions of our hotel were somewhat clouded by the fact that we had to drive about 11 kilometres from the tiny, tiny ferry port of Chora out into the wilds of the countryside. All was forgiven when we saw our final destination in Saint George - The Dolphin Hotel. Complete with pool, the hotel was a collection of freshly painted traditional greek blue and white cubes, all with modern facilities. Not only that, nearby was a beach - yes - a real beach with real sand - and the proper colour too! The brochure says: A balcony by the sea, magical view, cycladic architecture, family holidays in a virgin natural environment. This is 100% accurate!

This property is a small family-run concern with only 10 villas. Magda (another loud and lovely character) and her husband Michael (it’s really the Greek version of this but I don’t know how to spell it) are assisted by their only daughter, Eliki and son-in-law, Sargos. The food has been great! ‘Captain Sargos’ also has a boat and takes passengers out for tours of the surrounding islands and many beautiful swimming spots.

On our first evening we walked to a local taverna about 5 minutes away, recommended by Magda, and sat on the water's edge to enjoy our meal with another beautiful sunset!. We were able to watch as they ‘prepared’ octopus. Several of our group are octopus / calamari addicts and gave it the thumbs up! John had lamb and I had chicken souvlaki. I am adoring the tatziki!! It was dark by the time we were ready to head back to the Dolphin Hotel so the waiter gave us a torch to borrow. Magda had offered to come and pick us up when we were finished but it was a lovely night .

This place is so very picturesque I hope the photos can capture some of it’s beauty. The view from our room and balcony is stunning. I am sitting here typing up this blog - John has done some more writing on the computer also.

We had been told by other guests that there are mosquitoes here. The hint was confirmed by the mosquito nets around the bed and the mozzie coils on the balcony. We slept with the mozzie net around us the first night with no sign of any mozzies so haven’t bothered to do so again.

Yesterday we went on Sargos’ boat and had a fantastic time. I couldn’t believe it as he came up so close to so many cave like openings in the rocks and proceeded to sail through them. Obviously he has done this many times before!!! The colour of the water is like the water under the Forster / Tuncurry bridge on it’s best day. We had many swimming stops with a beautiful water temperature - we think about 22 degrees. When we climbed back on board after our first swim we were given a drink in a plastic cup. It looked like water but certainly wasn’t! It was the Greek version of the German Schnapps and Italian Grappa. Too many of them and you would be under the table!

When we returned from the boat trip we all gathered around the pool area. John announced he was ready for a swim in the pool. I prepared to take a photo of him about to enter the water but he dived in before I could get his photo. When he surfaced I could see blood streaming down his face. Gert, the nurse, and Marie who works for a doctor, assessed the damage and dealt with the injury. John did a good job - a gash in his forehead (5 steri strips), skin off his nose and also off under his moustache. He said all he felt was a slight graze. John took it quietly after that - no more head in the water for him for several days.

Gert (Gerlinde) was our next patient. When she came to dinner she was very woozy and chose to retire for the night before the meal was finished.

We had dinner here last night. Two nights each week the hosts put on a special meal night. Last night was the traditional Greek goat dinner. We could smell it cooking for most of the day - yum! It was served with potatos, baked eggplant topped with cheese and tomato and of course a Greek salad and lots of bread. We have never had goat before - I would liken the flavour and texture to tender lamb shanks. I would have it again! Desert was a kind of baklava - very sweet - John thoroughly enjoyed it. We also had a bottle of Greek white wine which was very good. We have tested many during our trip and this one was right up there with the best. Jann you would like it!

In our complimentary gift basket in our room is a packet of Greek delights and a bottle of Ouzo. We bought some ouzo in Santorini and enjoyed it. The delights can be likened to an apricot, honey and nut version of Turkish delight. John and I are sitting on the balcony having them with a cup of tea each as we look out onto the water, pool, beautiful gardens and palm trees swaying gently in the breeze. It is really tough - now let me think where would I prefer to be - here or back at school doing reports? Ummh.

Again our villa has meal preparation facilities but we have only made tea. The coffee percolator has been in both of the last villas - good for all the coffee lovers.

The weather has been so beautiful! We awoke to another sunshiny day today. The slight breeze keeps us cool as the sun has some sting.

After breakfast this morning Magda offered to drive us to a nearby cave. We were told there were many steps to climb. The stalactite cave is 3 kms from the hotel. Due to John’s injury he decided to pass. I opted to stay here with him and catch up on my blogging. John has to go to the office here to post blogs. Magda doesn’t mind but it is a little more difficult doing it here. John has to do it on her computer as his won’t connect - of course I don’t understand any of the technical side of all this. I just type, look at photos and then leave the rest to my wonderful husband.

Mel H - have a think about a geology school excursion to this part of the world. John and I will come as chaperones. Could also link in with ancient history!!!

Magda has also told us that both Tom Hanks and Madonna have properties here as did Yves St Laurent - it would be part of his estate now. It seems like it is an up and coming location for the rich and famous. We will have to make sure we get back here before it is out of our price range!

Dave, Marie and Liz have just returned from the cave exploration. I haven’t heard all the details as yet but I did hear the steps are not an issue! Apparently there is even a hand rail! If I’d have gone all of this blog would not have been written!

Liz is now filling me in on the cave trip. I have seen her photos. This is a Community Enterprise for the Tourism and Culture development of Antiparos. It is located in the south east section of the island, atop Ai Yiannis (St John ) Hill at an altitude of 177 metres above sea level. Residents of Antiparos have known about the cave for a very long time, though much of it’s interior remained a mystery until 1673. It is said that Archilochus (c.710 - c. 650), an ancient lyric poet who hailed from Paros, appears to have been one of the first recorded visitors to the cave. The huge stalagmite found at the entrance is the oldest in Europe and goes back 45 million years. You need to descend 411 steps to the heart of the cave according to the brochure but Liz, Dave and Marie contest this. The temperature in the cave hovers around 15 degrees C - with humidity around 65%. It has been estimated that that between 80 and 120 years are required for a single centimeter of stalagmite to be created. Liz commented on the dates on some of the graffiti in the cave dating back to 1700’s and 1800’s. There are railings that prevent this happening now. Liz commented that there were no OHS issues at the caves which is a change from many places we have visited - the volcano site comes to mind immediately.

One of the villas here at the hotel is occupied by some archeologists who are digging each day on the island opposite here - named Despotika - it is actually the one you see in the background of most of our hotel photos. They have been here for quite some time. Yesterday we saw them with a bag of goodies they had uncovered. They are Greek and will apparently be taking their findings back to Athens. If we had more time we could head over there and to look at the archeological findings and virgin beaches.

Magda offered to take us into Chora, the island’s main town, but suggested we leave it until later when the sun had lost some of it’s sting. Magda cannot do enough for us - not only for us - she offers such amazing hospitality to all the guests. She said “Just ask for anything you want or want to do!”- this is definitely a ‘must return to spot’. The hotel seems to be full with 8 of us, 12 in a group from Britain, a French couple plus the archeologists.

Once again I have to give credit to Liz for such a fantastic choice. We keep thinking it can’t get any better - but it does! She certainly has arranged the trip perfectly. After the 2 fairly-on-the-go tours we had the unwind of the Croatian cruise, followed by our 4 nights in Santorini and now our 3 peaceful and perfect nights here in Antiparos. This is really unwind time! Usually after we have been away for a month or so I am feeling like it is time to head home - this has not happened this time!

The visit to Chora was great - we walked slowly through the town, which took us all of 15 minutes, saw the old castle walls which are still inhabited by local families and watched a beautiful sunset at a beach-side bar whilst sipping our cocktails. Magda then took us to the Hotel Galini where we all enjoyed a traditional Greek meal - lots of familiar food, but prepared quite differently. After the meal, Magda invited us to party on at a nearby bar, but we poor oldies all piked out, claiming exhaustion.

Sadly tomorrow we need to check out of here and head back to Paros to catch our late afternoon flight to Athens to then fly straight on to Dubai.

The Sunset Cruise

Liz and Ron walked with us down the long and winding cobble-stone donkey track to the old port from where our cruise left. They have done this cruise before as had Gert and Steve. Dave and Marie had been exploring Santorini all morning and decided not to go on the cruise. So it was just us for this adventure. The new port is not too far away but is accessed via a bus by a different route. The old port is used for the touristy type cruises. The new port is for the larger inter island hydrofoils.

Obviously where there are donkeys, and lots of them, there is donkey doo and pools of donkey piddle (liquid finds its way to the lowest point in each step).There were not as many flies as you would expect with all that dung. We felt sorry for the donkeys - their handlers kept whipping the donkeys rumps which gave the donkeys a real hurry up. People taking the ride up on the donkeys were hanging on tightly. There are about a thousand steps and some of the cobbles are very smooth from all the wear making the path very slippery in places. Needless to say you need to watch where you walk! When a group of donkeys comes past, you need to move right to the outside to avoid being too up close and personal with the donkeys who have a mission and are intent on doing just that. It took us about 45 minutes to walk down, which gave us 15 minutes to have a look around before the cruise started.

Once on board our cruise boat, the Thalassa, we had our tour explained to us. First stop was the volcano island. As we pulled into the small pier, the ruggedness of the island was apparent. The winding path (path is maybe too generous a word) was quite treacherous, consisting of loose gravel interspersed with larger rocks and the occasional boulder. Luckily, our group doing the climb had a range of ages and the tour guide allowed us several rest stops along the 1 kilometre climb to the summit. The volcano is dormant, but its last eruption occurred in 1950 so, it is not totally inactive.

Towards the summit, there are the twin vents of the last eruption still emitting steam, and layers of sulphur can be seen at several points around the twin vents. At one point, our guide showed us a hole in the path itself and invited us to place our hands inside - the temperature difference is quite dramatic even only a few cm inside.

By the time we reached the summit, a strong wind was blowing and it became difficult to maintain a steady balance. The wind was so strong it blew the ticket for the cruise out of John’s pocket and he had to scramble off the path and down the mountain side for several metres to retrieve it. We soldiered on to the very top where we proudly stood for our Kodak moment. After 10 minutes of free time our guide blew the whistle and we began our way back down. The downward journey was not as hard on the lungs as the upward one, but the loose gravel meant that every step had to be carefully chosen to avoid disaster.

We finally reached the pier and boarded the boat for the next stop - a swim in the waters of the warm springs on the next island.

To enter the water some of the brave and adventurous younger folk dived or jumped in from a considerable height at the front of the boat. John and I chose the more sedate entry down the ladder. On first contact the water felt cold - not as cold as the Adriatic though! Our bodies quickly accepted the temperature. As you swam closer to the inlet the water became warmer and browner. Small bubbles were rising to the surface from deep down underneath. I found it refreshing to swim back out to the clear and cool water near the boat.

This was another first for both of us. Back on board we headed to the middle of the caldera where we anchored and enjoyed a delicious feast of traditional Greek food on board. The meat balls and tatsiki were fantastic as were the savoury pastries. We were also served local Greek white wine.

It was then time to head out to where we again anchored - this time to watch the sunset! A sax player serenaded us all. It was a perfect sunset with a perfect location to experience it! Another WOW moment!

After the sunset, we joined in dancing Zorba the Greek and then headed back to the old port and disembarked. It was very pretty coming into the port seeing all the twinkling lights of Santorini. We had 3 options for getting back up to Fira. Walk, donkey or cable car. Walking was quickly deleted from our minds as we would have been walking on the donkey “parcels and puddles” in waning light. We opted for the easy option of the cable car. (The cable car was 4 euro and the donkey ride was 5.)

Once on the top we meandered around the narrow streets window shopping. We were still looking for a ring for John but found a gold and diamond bracelet for me. It is quite understated - just like me! I was hesitant about making the quite expensive purchase but after doing my decision making decided to go ahead. John made the comment that I will just need to work for a bit longer! (That’s OK as that will enable us to return to Santorini too!) Of course John enjoyed an ice-cream before we headed back to our villa - this time cherry yoghurt. John on proof reading this, has insisted I add that I too had an ice-cream. John was asleep as soon as his head met the pillow - it had been a very full and energetic day!