Day 51- 15th June. Crete->Souda Bay->Kasteli->Chania

Day 51- 15th June. Crete->Souda Bay->Kasteli->Chania

Oh, A big one today!
Woke many times in the night though, repeatedly having my travel nightmare again. Kept waking up thinking we were on the ferry and it was pitch black. Couldn’t feel Danni next to me and at one stage woke Graeme, who told me she was next door. I thought that meant next door on the ship and flew out of bed in a panic cos she was gone. Then every time I went back to sleep it would start again, it was flippin torture! Probably not helped by being hot and bothered with this bot? Anyhow, did get a few hours sleep then we got up for better things - our ‘big Journey today’.

Crete really only has one highway the whole length of the island and we drove 2/3’s of it today! It was so easy, much easier to navigate then I thought it would be after Italy. We passed through the most amazing mountain ranges that had you looking straight up to try and see the tops. Crete feels to us, very like NZ in its green environment and feel - its hard to explain but its great.
The roads have one lane on each side with a type of half lane on the right hand side. It is unspoken that you drive to the right of the right, another words on the very outside edge of the road so people can pass at will. This works surprisingly well, although a little hair raising at times when some of the English tourists drive on the inside centre line and wont let the locals pass!!

We first stopped at the Souda Bay Commonwealth Cemetery where 446 Kiwis are buried. What a beautiful place right on the bay- so peaceful and serene. We have arrived on a beautiful sunny day, with a blue, blue sky and this backdrop frames what is a wonderful show of respect to our soldiers by the Cretan caretakers. We wrote in the guest book and wandered around the graves for some time. You really notice that these men were mostly older than in other cemeteries, between 28 and 35 years. Graeme said it is because they were the first NZers who volunteered to go overseas with the NZEF. So many died between 20th May and Early June, when the Germans invaded Crete.

Gray found there were a number of NZ Flight Crew here - some graves with no names, “Known only unto God” written, in lieu of a name. He suddenly realized that my Grandfather could be one of these men if his body was washed ashore after he died in 1943, as all the commonwealth soldiers - known or otherwise, were brought here to lay. It added an element of the special ness to this memorial. I noted one wreath which had a note attached - written by an obviously old Soldier. He wrote “Sorry we had to leave without you Lads, but you are always remembered by your comrades - rest easy”. Nearly lost it then….

Later we spoke to Mum and Dad, who had rung quite by chance as poignantly, we stood in front of a grave with their surname on it. Then we drove on to Kasteli or Kissamos as it is still known to where my Grandfather is known to have been shot down with his flight crew into the Mediterranean ocean. We found a little road that wound down to the sea and got out and walked down to a deserted spot where you could see the harbour and way out to the huge cliffs, then on to the open sea. Sat in the bright sun and listened to PouKareKare Ana, there was something very serene about it, the waves were just quietly lapping the rocks and the way we had the bay to ourselves. Eerily enough, this bay is just like Cable Bay where Gran lived in her last years – the link wasn’t lost on either of us.

Stayed for a while taking pics then drove back along the highway and stopped at Chania (“Harn-e-a”) where we spent a while driving blind until we came across a parking building. It was great, you just get out and they take the car away and park it for you valet style.
They gave us a map to the old part of town where the Venetian boat sheds were built back in the 1400’s. They are still intact as is the long seawall and lighthouse.

It was So hot by then, so we stopped at a restaurant on the harbour and had lunch. Then we went down to where the big Clydesdale horses and carriages were and Danni finally got her ride! At €20 it was cheaper than the €150 in Rome and the €50 in Florence!
It was great as the man took us around all the little side roads and around the seafront in the shade of a large umbrella. Finished off a special day beautifully.