Day 48 – 12th June. Athens->Heraklion, Crete

Day 48 – 12th June. Athens->Heraklion, Crete

Up at 6.30am today, ready for our transfer at 8am. Not sure why our transfer is so early as we are on a domestic flight, leaving at 11.35am and the check in is 35mins before? Others are all leaving later and on international flights but better to be sure I guess.

Trafalgar have organized a taxi for us, so that was good. In Greece they will give you a transfer at any time after a tour, whereas in France and Italy you have to be the day after the tour and at set times. That’s why we had to buy our own transfer in France at $140! Much better though than trying to navigate public transport with suitcases.

Got to the Athens airport at 8.30am and Aegean airlines had its check in open already. It was the fastest check in we have ever had, Graeme didn’t even have time in the queue to write the baggage tags!! They had 9 desks open, it was great.

Amazingly we got away with our bags being 21,22 and 26 kgs- they did write all the weights down but nothing was said – yay. Would have been painful if they had made us pay the €7.50 per kilo over the 15kg allowance. Although she did ask us where we have been, so maybe they allow for the fact that all international travellers have been allowed 20kgs on their previous flights??

Wandered through the shops, but I was feeling pretty blocked up and hot with my cold, so sat in the lounge. This airport is easy to navigate- think it underwent a big renovation when they had the 2004 Olympics.’ They have the domestic and international flights in the same place so it is probably much easier for transferring passengers, not trying to get from terminal to terminal. Sitting here now I see only about 30 passengers for this flight, so either there are lots to come in the next 10 mins or it is a pretty empty flight.

Bought a couple of little bottles of Ouzo in duty free- it is 40% alcohol!! Haven’t tried it since I was sick on it at my 25th birthday party but since it is the national drink it would be rude not to join in!

Boarded the flight and took off no problems, only a 40 min flight and we were in Crete. If we had taken the ferry it would have taken us 4-12 hours depending on the vessel! Landed in brilliant hot sunshine and straight out to our taxi waiting with our name on a board.

Up to Nymphes apartments on the coast at a mind boggling 130kms an hour on the motorway??!!! We were told there are mad drivers here! Nymphes is dazzlingly beautiful on the top of a massive cliff overlooking the small seaside town of Agia Pelagia. Pepy the owner who is well known for her hospitality was waiting to greet us and take us to our apartment, which is the one they used in the advertising for the place!

Got our rental car delivered, a peugot 206. then went down to the town for groceries. There are heaps of Brits down there, all white with singlet marks and drinking large amounts of alcohol. Graeme was very glad we are up the mountain a bit as he said he couldn’t stand it!

Graeme and Danni enjoyed a swim while I read, then we enjoyed a yummy meal of prawns, avocado and tomato pasta. Watched the sunset – the sea and sky here merge on the horizon until you cant make out which is which- is mesmerizing.