Summer Holiday 2010 (Part 2)

Coming back from Turkey was a slight relief. I was getting tired of not being able to walk properly on the street or getting into a shop to freely browse through the products without having someone trying to force me to buy whatever there was on sale. These ‘callers’ were everywhere and were quite annoying. You couldn’t go and check a restaurant menu without someone trying to force you into it.

Also, on our last day there, I had called the port authority to check on our boat reservation and I was mistakenly informed that I should go there three hours earlier than planned. We thought that there was a change on the scheduled ferry and we didn’t mind leaving earlier. Upon arrival to the port, the guy on the ticket office rudely told us that we simply have to wait these three hours outside, at the heat. There was of course an air conditioned waiting lounge but it was closed to the public until departure time! At least I managed to finish reading the ‘Northern Lights’ that I wanted to do for some time.

The next day after our arrival, we picked up our car and drove to Southern Rhodes. We drove in style, in a Hyundai Getz! Did I mention that the car was yellow as well? Oh, yes. We drove to a five star Spa Hotel in a yellow tiny car. It was hilarious. Of course we parked between a nice convertible BMW and another massive AUDI.

We were upgraded from a suite (with a private swimming pool) to a bungalow (with a larger private swimming pool). It was amazing. We received complimentary massage treatment which I loved. The place is amazing and I totally recommend it for a lovely escape. There are no cities or big villages around, but I do not think they are needed. We spent almost two days just reading, sitting on our sun beds, jumping into our swimming pool and going into the Jacuzzi with the starlight effect (no, I will not publish these photos).





The last two days after the Atrium Prestige Thalasso Spa Resort, we spent it with JS in Rhodes. We visited the Old Town, did some shopping and had lovely sea food. ‘JJ’ totally loved our visit to Greece and I think I’ve convinced him on going somewhere in the Mediterranean next year as well. He loved the fact that he could go around everywhere in his flip flops on a t-shirt and shorts. He loved relaxing on a sun bed, having a nice cold frappe coffee while reading his books. He also bought a t-shirt with the Greek flag (very cute).



Overall, we had a really nice time. We didn’t argue or got bored with each other at all. All my worries (of course) before going there were of course totally unfounded. Only the receptionist in Turkey wanted to put us in a room with two beds, but she didn’t insist too much. Generally we didn't pay attention to other people and enjoyed ourselves.

Summer Holiday 2010 (Part 1)

OK, I managed to get 10 hours sleep yesterday, so I am feeling much better today. I can actually think for myself and make choices. My housemate asked me yesterday what to have for dinner and I got stuck, looking at her without talking for more than five minutes before she got bored of waiting an answer.

Anyway, I had the time of my life on this holiday.

The first part was when I visited my parents. I stayed there for 5 days visiting old friends, going to the beach and stuffing myself with my mother’s food. Nothing major happened. We didn’t mention facebook or diving. The only thing I briefly told my mother is that I have a ‘friend’ coming to meet me in Rhodes. She was surprised to hear that, but she didn’t ask me for more information so we didn’t really talk about it. I’m giving them the time they need. I went with my friends swimming the night of the August full moon which was quite amazing though.

The beach bar I spent most of my time my home town.

Our very sexy waiter (Dimitris)

Rhodes was incredible. ‘JS’s’ hospitality was amazing and he was always willing to show us where to go, where to eat and what to do. He provided to us a place to stay with all amenities we could need. As planned, he came to pick me up from the airport and after finding ‘JJ’, who arrived earlier by boat, we headed straight to the ‘Kalithea Springs’ beach.

The next day of our visit we went to the ‘Water Park’. ‘JJ’ loved it. We combined going to the most dangerous and scary slides to enjoying the sun with cold coffee and a book on a sun bed for a couple of hours. The second day we went to ‘Symi’. That’s an island between Rhodes and Turkey (closer to Turkey). That’s the island my grandfather was born and raised. It’s quite small, colourful and picturesque. I loved it so much.

Part of the Water Park

My grandfather's old family house in Symi on the right

A small taverna

walking around in Symi

After ‘Symi’ we spent two nights in Marmaris, Turkey. That trip was quite interesting. It was my first time in Turkey but unfortunately I have to say that I didn’t enjoy it that much. The reason of that was the fact that we weren’t really visiting Turkey but England from the 80’s. Because of the number of English tourists visiting the place, there were pubs and chip shops everywhere. We met so many people from Liverpool and Newcastle! There were bars called ‘Everton’ or ‘Manchester’ and shops called ‘TK-Max’. The restaurants were serving Chinese food, Indian Curry and Steaks. We couldn’t find a restaurant looking vaguely Turkish and serving local cuisine. Apart from that, the sea in Marmaris wasn’t that great either. The sand in front of the hotels was very dark coloured and the sea looked uninviting and dirty.

Night life entertainment (I love the Robot Man)

Shopping in Turkey

The thing that we enjoyed the most was a boat trip we took the next morning around the bay where we found really nice beaches and friendly people in a small village. What I wanted to see is local life, taste the amazing Turkish cuisine, get a glimpse of the wonderfully colourful East and try traditional Baklava or syrupy deserts. I want to go back to the country but I will definitely find to visit a more ‘Turkish’ place. Overall, we managed to laugh a lot at the way the place looked and the entertainment it provided.

Marmaris looked beautiful from the boat

Preparations and worries!

I am simply counting the hours until I leave this country for my summer holidays. I know it’s probably a little bit late to go away now, when most of the people are already gone and back. However, I love going away when tourist destinations are less crowded. I’m flying next week, on Friday, after work. I’ll be away for a little bit more than two weeks out of which 10 days I’m spending with JJ.

The plan is to go for 5 days to my parents’ place in Northern Greece. I really love it there during summer. We have a nice house very close to the sea. I will be pampered by my mother who as always will think that I am too thin and try to stuff me with food. I’ll also see some of my old friends and spend time on the beach, getting some much needed tan. Living in London for more than three years made me look so pale, it’s not funny! My natural colour is so much darker than the one I have now.

10 minutes drive from my parents' place

After that, I’m flying to Rhodes. I’ll be welcomed by my friend JS there where we’ll be staying for some days. I’m meeting JJ of course there as well. For the time being we’ve booked a hotel in Marmaris, Turkey, for two nights and a hotel in South Rhodes, considered to be one of the best hotels in the world by ‘great hotels of the world’ website. I now have to book my ferry tickets from Rhodes to Marmaris and my scuba dive.

we'll have our own private swimming pool overlooking the sea in Rhodes...

However, hand in hand with exciting preparations, I can’t but feel stressed over my journey. Yesterday BAA (British Airports Authority) announced that they will go on strike in the following weeks which means that the Heathrow airport will not be functional. After BA (British Airways) strikes earlier this year and the volcanic ash cloud, even more travellers will be affected and tormented. I only hope that the strike will begin after I’ve left for Greece. I really don’t mind being stranded for some extra days in Rhodes. ‘JS’ will be the one probably swearing since he will have to take care of us.

The fear of running into a strike lies on the other side of journey, in Greece. There hasn’t been a month in 2010 when something is not working properly in Greece. Recently there was the strike of the people distributing petrol to the gas stations causing chaos to transportations. It’s been announced today that the Economy has shrunk even more which will probably bring new tougher announcements by the government that will make people go on strike again.

However, what I worry most is ‘JJ’. It’s the first time we’re going away together for so long! I fear that so many things can go wrong. I worry that he might not like it. He’s so overly excited about our trip that he might find Greece disappointing. Rhodes is nothing similar to ‘Shirley Valentine’ or ‘Summer Lovers’. I also fear that we might have a stupid fight over something that will ruin our vacations. I worry that ‘JS’ might not like him (it’s the first time he’s meeting him).

What I worry most is myself and the way I will be behaving. ‘JJ’ doesn’t mind attracting attention to him. Not in a bad way, but he just doesn’t really care about what other people will say. In London, most of the times, I don’t really care either. People here do not pay attention. You can go in the street extravagantly dressed and most people will not even care. I can be however self-conscious when lot’s of attention is drawn to me. In Greece, things are different. People do stare a lot and they are very judgemental. You walk into a bar and almost everybody will turn around to see who walked in. It can get even worse with gay people. That is what I fear, that my self-awareness might make me very uptight (a jerk in other words).


I admit that I shouldn’t worry that much. Everything will be perfect. We’ll probably have the time of our lives. It’s probably just the fact that I want to go there SO much and I want us to have a nice time (hopefully)!

Diving referrals.

I spent the better part of my weekend being under water, completing my 4 confined water dives that are needed to take the exams for my diving certificate. I have to admit that it was a long weekend. It included watching some sections of the PADI DVD (5 for each chapter of the knowledge book), taking 4 small exams for each one of them and also taking a final exam based on everything, apart from completing the dives. It was a bit challenging since it was a bit tiring, but a really nice experience altogether.

I don’t think I’m explaining the procedure well since it encloses during the first day some theory (a section of the DVD), a test, jumping in the pool completing some challenges (for more than a couple of hours), then some more theory (out of the water), a test and finishing early in the evening. The second day we had to first jump in the water to do some slightly more difficult challenges and finishing the day with some theory, a test and the final exam!


The challenges included some easy tasks like being able to assemble and disassemble the gear, being able to swim for 200m, staying on the surface for 10 minutes, being able to check the equipment of your diving buddy (you always need one) or being able to empty your mask of water while being underwater and stuff like that. The more complicated challenges (always underwater) include things like swimming for a few meters after you’ve taken off your mask and then putting it back on, having your air supply cut (by your instructor turning the valve off) and having to breath by your buddy’s extra regulator before ascending to the surface or staying neutrally buoyant and controlling your position with just the air in your lungs for a minute. The key to completing all these challenges is by staying calm. Panicking underwater, trying to reach the surface quickly or holding your breath is what you should NEVER do.

Fortunately, we had a very nice instructor that made the whole experience less boring (the theoretical part), was willing to share her experiences (even the embarrassing ones) and tried to explain the challenges efficiently. The rest of the group was quite nice as well. We were 7 altogether, 3 guys and 4 girls. We didn’t have any trouble makers or people that couldn’t understand what we were doing and why. That made the whole course run smoothly and I believe that we were finishing each day, earlier than expected! I have to admit though and I felt knackered at the end of each day. I had a slight headache and I had to have a nap to feel functional again.


All of us did pass the final exam. YAY! That means that with 4 more dives, now in open water, I will be qualified as an open water diver by PADI. I will be able to dive down to 16 meters of depth until I gain some more experience! These 4 dives, we will do them next weekend. They will take us somewhere outside London to a lake, they will throw us in and we will have to do some of the same challenges again accompanied by an instructor. I will let you know how that will go next week!

I’ve already checked and I found a 5 PADI centre in Rhodes. They provide a variety of diving sites according to the experience level of the diver. They even have a shipwreck that you can visit, but it is deeper than I can go. The next best thing is diving in 12m visiting an area of abundant Mediterranean Sea life. It’s in near a place called ‘Pefkos’ and you can do two dives (same day) with rented equipment (I don’t have my own gear yet) for about €72 which I find quite reasonable. I will talk with JJ about it, since I have to check if it is OK for him to be left somewhere on his own until I finish the dives. I will also check with JS, my best friend from university who is a permanent resident of the island and might know more for the centre or the area.

I really can’t wait…