My last two weeks were spent in Athens. I don't remember ever studying the Greeks but the history always fascinated me and I have been waiting forever to visit. It was much more built up and busy than the picture I had in my mind. I felt truly overwhelmed. The first holiday where I felt lost and a bit intimidated. I can't put my finger on it but the language really threw me. I can usually survive on my own with little understanding and I'm able pick up important words/phrases pretty well but I just couldn't in Greece.
I stayed in Omonia, the weekly travelcard was cheap so I enjoyed all the transport systems. The metro stations are really something. Syntagma has a mini exhibition in it! The tram has the most uncomfortable seats, infact, padding in Greece is generally quite lacking.
The climb up the Acropolis was most exhausting. It was only about 19 degrees but I nearly suffered several deaths. Of course there were lots of people. They are currently restoring the Parthenon - not quite as picturesque as usual.
I enjoyed sitting by the beach on a bench in leggings and a t-shirt. I don't even own a costume so there was no sunbathing or swimming for me.
I took a two day visit to Santorini. It was properly amazing. My hotel manager sorted everything out for me. There was a taxi strike for both days so he drove me to the port at about 6 in the morning. It was really nice of him. His son picked me up on my return.
The ferry there took absolutely ages. I read the whole of Mortal Engines and listened to lots of podcasts and slept and ate and I still wasn't there!
I took a half-day tour of the volcano and the hot springs. In what could only be described as a pirate ship.
Little did I know about the volcano in Iceland and the impending doom that followed! I was supposed to fly home on 16th April. Flights were cancelled. I queued 5 hours at the airport to be told that the earliest flight would be 22nd April. Aegean Airlines took all the astounded guests to the beautiful
Divani Caravel. We all queued to check-in. Aegean had sent too many people to the hotel and it was fully booked. They paid for ten taxis to take us to the even more beautiful
Divani Apollon Palace and Spa. It had its own private beach and all the other things that would make people very happy. I was very happy. For about two days. Food was paid as well as accomodation. My daily routine was wake up, have a bath, breakfast, sunbathing, lunch, nap, sunbathing, gym, sauna, bath, nap, dinner, movie, sleep. Not fun for five days. I felt completely spoilt considering some people had to sleep at the airport but I was going a little stir crazy. Maids cleaned my room twice a day! The second maid turned down my bed and gave me a chocolate every night. In the end I told them not to clean. How ridiculous. I still wanted my chocolate.
