DAYS 34 - 36
Vasiliki
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DAY 34 - Monday 14 May
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We survived the sailing - and we are still talking!!!
(there was some doubt that Sara could tolerate Brian in the small confines of a yacht - well, we proved those doubting Thomas's wrong, by Jove!)
We arrived in Vasiliki, upgraded our room to a suite so that Sara could soak in her massive bath which came complete with water jets and disco lights, really, it had coloured lights set in the sides under the water. Tasteful or what? We then set out to hunt down Keith Angus. Keith is an old friend of ours from when he lived in one of our cottages. An ex-GASS member too. It took all of five minutes to find him on the beach staring out to sea waiting for the wind surfers wind. We enjoyed a great dinner with him in the port and had an early night. It's amazing how much better we both sleep in a suite than a cabin. Same with our toilet arrangements. Ablutions in a shoe cupboard, or in a bathroom as big (or bigger) than the whole boat - you guess which won out.
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Sara was up early and down to the beach for paddle boarding at 0800. Yup, wrong sort of water.
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So we wandered into town and hired two bikes and off we cycled, along a route that Sara knew - is there no end to her holiday tour guide skills? It was fantastic. Through miles and miles of olive groves, vineyards, farms, all on tiny tracks, no traffic, just idyllic. Back in time for lunch as we waited for G4S to turn up to release our credit card swallowed by a poxy ATM the day before due to a technical fault (but to be fair, the process of reclaiming it was very, very quick and friendly, full marks to Grecian efficiency).
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Then to decide where Brian was going to reside for the seven days. He is being left to cool his heels guarding the car as Sara returns to the UK for a party. We tour the town and scour Bookings.com. Finally we decide on a lovely little apartment set in a lush garden just yards from the beach - for one third of the price of our suite, one third! Must be the fact it only has a shower, no bath, no problem.
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Take a look below. I'm living in this lovely cottage for a week. Me, my bike, my new hat, my convertible BMW, my credit card....... Will I be lonely? Will I be sad? Of course I will. My travelling partner will be missing and I will be missing her. But I will cope.
DAY 35 - Tuesday 15 May
Vasiliki
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A bit cloudy with an occasional spot of rain.
We decide to cycle several miles along a cliff path to a local beach. We finally make it after a lot of effort. You think the UK has a pothole problem! Just look right at that poor guy pushing on up that slope!
When we finally get there it is both stunning and totally deserted! White stone shingle, azure blue water, a perfect cove. Sadly, not the right sort of water, too cold, not enough sun. There is further discussion of what actually constitutes 'right' water. There is now talk of us not finding it until we reach Montenegro or even Croatia!!! No matter, we lay out the big orange mat and do some yoga.
Yoga done, Brian gaining praise for doing a quite passable 'Downward Dog', until he explained he was just trying to lever himself vertical and got stuck, we set off for the car and a drive into the mountains. And mountains there really are. It is quite amazing how mountainous the island of Lefkada is. Tiny little roads wind through quite villages and flower lined sweeping curves and ultra tight hairpin bends for miles and miles and miles. Not really ideal for R10FFN, but we managed, mainly because there is NO traffic. None, nada, zip. Did about 75 miles and probably saw 20 cars all told and on the mountain roads zero! Must be the time of year, before the season. Great for us!
Safely back at sea level, ears un-popped, car in one piece it is back to the hotel to get ready for dinner with Keith Angus to get back to catching up on the past few years and for Brian to get some tips from Keith on long distance bike rides to keep him busy (and fit) for the next few days.
DAY 36 - Wedesday 16 May
Vasiliki
Up early to drive the hour or so to the Perveza Airport to deliver Sara to Easyjet, then back to move into my cottage for a week of terrible loneliness. Just me, my bike, my car, my old mate, the beach, the mountains. How will I cope? Read on in due course.
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Not much due to happen today, just move into my country cottage, wash my smalls (and large), buy in some food, chill to my music with my feet up in my garden, smelling the jasmine that scents my porch. Oh, and I may clean the car.