The Last Word ... from Tess

Well we are home and while it is nice to rest I do miss the excitement of exploring new places. I think I'll try to become nomadic in my retirement. Moving very slowly through the world would I think suit me well. How goes Roman life? Have you settled back after the Greek sojourn. I think you were very wise to change your arrangements and fly directly to Athens. We arrived very late by ship, I foolishly accepted a lift from a very dubious taxi driver whose meter just happened to not be working and who ripped us off badly and when we finally arrived at the hotel at 11pm they had no record of our reservation. However they found us a bed for the night and we went to the roof top restaurant to watch the lights once more. It's strange the only thing we saw of Athens was that view and glimpses from the taxis. The next day the flight was much earlier than we expected. I do hate those flights, long hauls of sleeplessness. I'm still struggling with the jet lag but after a week I feel my feet more firmly planted in this world - unfortunately. Rob has returned to work and I feel this is the first day of my holidays. Time stretches before with a delicious sense of luxuriance. Presently, I am listening to soothing music and making my way leisurely through a pot of peppermint tea. So I really have few complaints at the moment. I hope you have been accessing the photos on facebook I think there are some lovely ones of the isles and our time there.

Final Thoughts

Sitting in Departures at Athens Airport awaiting our flight home. The most dangerous part of flying is the taxi ride to the airport! Another 140kmh trip using all lanes plus shoulders. Still have 30 euros left. Mind you that does not include credit charges!! I blame Pauleen for my temporary loss of financial prudence on Santorini. Pictured are two of the purchases that took Tess by surprise. Oh well, who knows when we will be back? Have promised the box to Tim in the Will so I guess Em gets the amber.

We arrived at Piraeus about 10 pm and with no transfer booked Tess accepted the invitation of a sandal wearing man of a taxi ride to our hotel. We headed away from the taxi rank and arrived at his car - nothing to identify it as a taxi - and I soon noticed it had no meter (broken apparently). Unlike our taxi from the airport, there was no GPS to navigate to our hotel but fortunately I recalled it was near Omonia (?) Square and he knew that place. The trip was unremarkable except for the final kilometre when he drove down a dark and narrow alley. I could tell Tess was concerned but I recognized a shortcut when I saw one and sure enough a few turns later we emerged onto Ahernon Street up from some no doubt annoying traffic lights or perhaps a no left turn intersection and quickly arrived at the City Plaza. 

30 euros poorer I was not impressed when reception said they had no booking for us - it was now approaching midnight - but we knew things would improve after a meal on their rooftop looking out over the illuminated Parthenon, and so it proved. I will not miss the tobacco smell of Greek hotel rooms.

BTW, I should have fixed the problem with accessing the Google Earth files. Let me know.
Until Oz.
Yassu
Finis