A week after arriving home after Turkey & Georgia and returning Jez to the UK, I found myself in a blue funk. Ridiculous as we love living in Crete. Life is good etc. But I realised my mood was as I didn’t have a trip planned. Ryan Air fly from Chania to Paphos several times a week. €79 return … for both us us. They get you on luggage €174 to add 2 x 10kg small flight bags. Still a cheap trip… I got planning!
We cleaned the house. Cleaned ourselves. Dropped Corrie at a wonderful lady, Sam, and her family for 10 days. Strange to be off travelling minus 🐕. But not travelling. This doesn’t feel like travelling. This is a holiday.
J drove to the airport. ABBA (traditional setting off music) was playing. But he didn’t chair dance and drive off the road. Like I did in Jez, setting off for Morocco.
Ryan Air superb. On time. Leg room. Wide seats. Only a 1hr 10 short hop. Hire car collected. Lidl shop done. We even found the apt without too much difficulty. Basic but ok.
Souda BayWatched the plane arrive so a super fast turnaround
Aphrodite Trail
21.02.26
Slowish start may be something to do with Gordon last night. As in gin. Drove up to the NW point. It is here that Aphrodite used to shag Adonis. Bathe and walk to sleep off her exertions under an oak tree. The trail was busy (relatively) but stunning. One of those it is really good to be alive. Fabulous views. A long uphill but strategic benches for water stops. At 78 J was faster than a few youngsters!!! Ice cream reward … my first ice cream in about 3 weeks … that must be a record.
Aphrodite Bath. Not sure if bathing was before or after her encounter with Adonis!Looking NW. A steep but easy path decentWe came from back thereCyclamen beautiful and delicate
Back to the apt to watch England Ireland 🏉. As a dual passport holder, I’m definitely Emerald Isle now. Cracking Wales Scotland game.
Can see Corrie is being starved of affection!She knows her rights!Ben is in Mexico, with Maddy and Jordan obs. Hotel staff kidnapping him and named him Nino Rojo. Think Rojo a great nickname for him!
Early start to go back around Athens to collect two rescues pups, who have a new home together in the UK. Both terrified at the port so saved their pee for inside Jez. All rugs now drying on the dash board.
Chap from TaxiPet fetched Penny and Flo from the kennels on board
It was soon fairly obvious that Penny not well. She refused food and was bringing up foam and any water. Her litter brother didn’t travel as planned as an inflamed tummy. By 11.00 I was concerned enough to find an open vet. Worried that if I didn’t now, I’d not until Monday. Lots of jabs. And meds.
Poorly Penny and Flo
Then Robyn, my road trip buddy arrived, by plane to Athens at 20.10.
Driving Day via Meteora
02/11/2025
Poor Penny still not good. Starting to be better when we broke her meds into smaller sections and syringed water into her every 15 mins. Passenger cannot sleep!
Fortunately, I was driving, when Flo excreted (diarrhea) all over the van floor. Robyn not so fortunate!
Slight detour to Meteora to show Robyn the monasteries on rocks. Built so the monks could be closer to God. I’ve not been here for 5 years. Still a big wow.
Parked at a Brian-recommended place. Super quiet. Nice beach and Flo actually managed to pee on it. Poorly Penny has very liquid stools, but had a little bounce on the beach.
Brian’s park up.
4 Countries
03/11/2025
We had driven much further than planned. Through Bulgaria and Serbia to Croatia, once we realised that our data roaming packages did not cover Serbia. We wanted data so we could find a vet, if need be.
We were administering two syringes of honey water to Poor Penny every 15 minutes and she was keeping it down. Our biggest concern had been dehydration. However, she still has not had food. We were expecting her to eat tomorrow, same as her brother . Very sadly, Robyn woke at 3.00 a.m. and found that she had passed away. We are so devastated and surprised.
We planned to walk, but ended up doing a few chores. It is Oxi Day when Greece said no to capitulation to Italy. Greeks out for big lunches and potentially fireworks. We needed a quiet park up for our noise sensitive Corrie. We had planned a spot recommended by friends, but P4N mentioned fines … guess as it is a nature area.
We stopped at Siviri on the first finger, Kassandra. Another beach resort town. Tavernas all busy setting reserved signs on tables. A good coffee at one. Then a short hop up to a modern amphitheater car park. Jobs: admin, hand balling water, cleaning, windows etc. a UK van for 10 mins and a learner stalling and in and out of the car park. Super quiet.
No pix as nothing to capture … this finger definitely seems the least attractive.
Big Drive South
29/10/2025
We left our quiet parking at 0726. Stopped early for diesel LPG and motorway services for coffee and spanokopita (spinach pie).
Stopped near our destination for puppy food, for two rescue pups that I’m taking to the UK, more gin and wine for the drive and the pharmacy.
657 km. Over 10 hours. £83.66 in motorway tolls. I could have broken the trip, but now I have a non driving day. Dinner was definitely in the taverna!
We’ve stopped here a few times before, but not we think since early 2020. The padel court has gone. The car park has new tarmac. And the taverna we used has expanded with a completely new dining area.
Ben just over 5 months now sitting up
Packing and Cleaning
30-31/10/2025
A no drive day and a lie in. I went through all the cupboards and packed my summer clothes, Corrie and James’s stuff and things that we want in Crete into a large and now very heavy suitcase and a backpack. We are planning to sell Jez on his return to the UK, so he will need to be emptied. We have limited storage in UK at the Aged Ps and Maddys.
Sunrise from my bed
On 31st, we filled with water, check access at the airport and then had a hideous rush hour drive to Pireaus port. Fortunately, we had planned spare time so were able to have supper together dock side. J and C boarded for their 10.00 p.m. departure.
I had to be back at the port for 0630 to collect the two pups. I contemplated sleeping at the port, but decided to return to Porto Rafti, as I felt safe there.
We dropped laundry. Nearly didn’t as google maps took us to a house. We asked a lady nearby. Her friend. She rang her. What time tomorrow would we like to collect it? Fabulous as tomorrow being a Sunday, I thought it may have been Monday.
We didn’t drive far to Karydi beach, known for its rocks. It was pretty. Everyone else obviously knew about it too. Lots of German families. It’s school holidays. Something, as an ex-teacher, I’m delighted not to have to think of.
I took my sun lounger and knitting onto the beach. Contemplated a swim, but got as far as my ankles. Brr!
Mount Athos on the last fingerSummer clothes still 😊 We only just squeezed into the car park. And moved once the car park cleared, in case it got busy tomorrow I’m adog person but liked this one. It seemed to like dog food!
Lovely rocks
Port Koufo & Heart Surgery
26/11/2025
We collected the laundry. 5.5 kilos for €22. Not bad.
Stopped at Sarti as it’s the main town on this finger. Had an early toastie lunch, and ice cream for me. Not our cup of tea, so we promptly left
Lin told me about Porto Koufo as her son, Craig, had been here. The Germans used the deep water as a submarine base here in WW2.
Massive deep-water harbour and a lagoon. No flamingos this timeA P4N review said people had been fined in September for parking along the beach, so we are parked in the car park. Less sand walked into Jez is a bonus.
We walked along the beach and around the lagoon, passing a few derelict concrete WW2 buildings. Could see out the harbour entrance.
Fed pupsA local chap recommended a taverna. Good shout as my sea bream was perfectly cooked. We celebrated 4 years since James’ heart surgery. And strange seeing an area other than Crete printed on tablecloths
German Cannons Walk
27/11/2025
We drove around to the next bay to walk around Toroni castle ruins and then up to the German cannon emplacements. These protected the WW2 German submarines in Porto Koufo.
Toroni castle: very little to seeLook down from the cannons to the mouth of Porto Koufo harbour
We rewarded ourselves with a cheese & ham toastie in Toroni, but actually neither of us enjoyed it. Should have consumed my homemade soup in Jez!
Only 19km to our beach / bay parking, recommended by Gillian. No camping signs, but no one here.
Hit with a heavy rain and some thunder and lightning, which created an amazing indigo seaNot sure how someone got this train carriagehere, but it was obviously someone’s summer pied a terre
J dyed my hair … I’ve gone from ginger, with a skunk white stripe, to very dark brown 🤔.
We had bolted from Georgia and across Turkey to get van repairs done, doing some long driving days. I woke and had a revelation. An epiphany. We don’t need to drive today. We are in a lovely place. Let’s stay another day. So we did.
We walked along the beach and around the lagoon.
Lagoon at FanariDistant flamingosAnd cotton fields! Google revealed that Greece is the largest cotton producer in Europe, c. 9% of the world’s production.And fell into a bar … a couple of Aperol Spritz for me. Wine for J
We elected to eat in, but joined Mary and Tony for drinks before supper in their van. Lots in common and very easy to chat too.
On a Spit
21/10/2025
The BG van hogging the spot by the water tap departed, so we were able to use the hose to fill. Said goodbye to Mary and Tony. Quick shop and short drive to between another flamingo lagoon and the sea. Several walks, but limited by the geography. And knitting. But you can have too much downtime. I was a tad bored.
Lagoon behind. Aegean in frontMore flamingos
A Busier Day
22/10/2925
Not having planned spending any time, other than travelling through Greece, I’ve no guide books. We spotted a cruise ship at Kavala across the sea, so googled why it was a cruise stop. Kavala is pretty and an aqueduct that was only decommissioned this century. And an ancient site. So that’s the plan then.
Filipos is named after Philip of Macedon. St Paul created the first Christian church here and was imprisoned. Sadly it was full of American cruise ship tours and all the local schools must’ve been empty, as they were all here. Signage and info boards lacking.
Filipos
We couldn’t park in Kavala, so only got a flash retina image of the aqueduct and pretty painted buildings.
Big Lidl shop. It had gin … our first in 3.5 months. I can’t tell you how fabulous it tastes, even if I forgot to buy a lemon.
We came onto the Mount Athos finger on Chalkidiki to Ierissos. A spot recommended by Brian and Gillian.
Just lovely with our wheels almost in water.
Ierissos Walk
23/11/3025
A non driving day. A walking day.
Up past unmanned Akanthos C7th BC … not a lot hereIt doesn’t look overgrown or steep, but it was!
The path disintegrated and we could have done with a machete. We came down a steep section on our bottoms! The route then took us along a ridge so we could see both sides of the finger.
Salad and smoked mackerel at a lovely taverna. And a couple of glasses of wine. Our solitary spot has become a little congested as we’ve been joined by 3 other vans.
We will stay again tomorrow and walk over to the west side. Then, I think we will then need a campsite with a washing machine. We tried the laundry in town, but he claimed to be too busy with hotel laundry. Poo to him.
Both Sides of the Finger
24/10/2025
After a leisurely start, we walked over the spine to the other side of the finger. Maps aren’t always correct. Well, they are in that there is a path. But maps don’t show when there is a house, wall, gates and barking dogs. So we had to retrace and divert at one point.
Bigger olives than Crete and lovely views. Glimpses of a cloud covered Mountain Athos Could see sea either side of us
I washed our knickers in the afternoon, before we run out. Knicker chandeliers deployed. Supper out. J had pasta. I had a perfectly cooked Blue Fish … new one to me. Apparently it’s a cross between mackerel and sea bass
Just one of the many boat builders at Ierissos. A government notice to our Greek phone. Not sure how I feel about this.
Clune Gap Years 