JohnGalway Posted June 16, 2007 Report Share Posted June 16, 2007 Howdy folks, Got back from Crete last night to some lovely gales and wet weather in Dublin, good to be home. Unfortunately I won't have any, or many if I upload some from the **** camera phone, photos until next weekend. Anyway we flew out on Friday the 8th, a four hour flight from Dublin to a military airport in Heraklion in Crete, after driving across Ireland to get to Dublin airport (last minute booking). I'd heard a bit about Greek driving before we went. The taxi taking us from the airport in Heraklion to Stalis could've outrun the plane. Overtaking two lines of traffic into on coming traffic at 150kph around double lined blind corners. Apparently if one taxi driver gets stopped and fined then all of the other drivers go on strike and bring the island to a standstill, so they drive however they please. New career for Mungler there We stayed in a place called KONI Village in Stalis, which is between Hersonissos (spelling) and Malia. Self catering appartments on the side of a hill overlooking Stalis and the sea, nice enough and very clean. They had the usual facilities, pools, bar, restaraunt etc. Neither of us thought much of Malia (preteen drunk capital of Greece) or Hersonisos (basically a commercial town). On the Saturday we got our bearings in the morning having a bit of brekkie and a walk around, then back to the resort for a bit of liquid refreshment. We'd booked a Greek Night trip up to the mountains that evening so after spending the afternoon drinking we headed off in the coach for a night of FREE local wine, it was very very easy to drink. There was music, singing, dancing, a big feed, a show put on from Greek dancers and bits of cermonies from the Olympics. Yet more wine was drank, also free Raki shots when we first got to the village. Got back to the resort around 11.30 that night in the coach, very well oiled... Decided it would be a good idea to stay at the bar for the next few hours also Sunday. The world is a painful place :yp: On Monday we had booked a catamaran cruise to Santorini, about two hours and 60 odd miles to the north of Crete. We set off early in the morning to Heraklion to the port there and got what I can only describe as an articulated bus trip to the boat There were seven or eight coach loads of people onboard, it took four coaches to handle all the Russians on board If any of you ever go to Greece please make time to go to Santorini. It's a most extraordinary place. I admit to not often being impressed by things and places but this place is like nothing you'll ever see. It used to be an island with a volcano in the middle, which went and blew up, as they do. Now all that is left is two semi circular ridges which have two small islands in the middle of the caldera which is now filled up by the sea. Santorini rises up to around 900 feet and the towns of Fira and Oia (I hope I got them right) are built right on the top of the ridge. It's nothing short of spectacular, especially Oia. Please Google to see pictures. We really didn't mind if we got stranded there or not. It's simply the most amazing place I've ever been to. Very surprisingly we found two hunting shops in Fira, which were both closed for Siesta..................................... Tuesday was a bit of a rest day, drinking and eating and just chilling out :o Went to the beach I think for a while (Sand during the day WILL burn your feet!) and did the parachute behind the speedboat thing. Now, I can't swim and asked the guy if we'd be getting wet and he said no so fair enough we headed out to the boat on a jetski (very cool, first time!). I had both of our wallets and my mobile in my shorts pocket, wasn't a problem as I wasn't getting wet right? Yeah, sure I got up in the air, very smooth, totally quiet with amazing views and so relaxing. We reach the end of the bay and the boat slows down. So I'm thinking fair enough he's doing that to turn the boat, maybe something go to do with the parachute. I'm losing altitude but not worried. Boat's still going slow, starting to wonder a bit now 2/3rds the way down. Legs out like on a swing when I get to around 20 feet off the water. Creative cursing 101 at about 10 feet. SPLASH, ah ("*&$& &&£^"^"%!!!!!!!!! Some buttons still not working on my poor Nokia On Wednesday we went by public bus (cheap, reliable and very comfortable) to a town called Aigos Nicholaos (spelling) and booked a coastal trip on a boat. Blisteringly hot day. But excellent value for 25 Euro each, included a packed lunch and a very friendly captain, if you're ever there look for the Christina boat and Buzz travel, top marks for them. Also found another hunting shop there. This one was open. Saw some shotguns in the back, and air rifles. People in there didn't seem particularly friendly or willing to help a guy out which was a complete exception to the norm for Greek people that I have met on this trip. Saw no rim or centrefires there. Apparently EVERYONE on Crete owns at a minimum one gun (including fully auto) as they truely believe that they'll be invaded again. They also do a lot of hunting, rabbit, hare + anything that flies. If they can't find anything alive to shoot they take it out on road signs up in the hills. Passed some that must've been shot with slugs cos of the holes in them, plenty of pellet holes in others and rifle shots, 20 or 30 holes in some signs. Bought a BB gun in Ag Nic and brought it back home Thursday was out last full day on Crete. We had booked a Jeep Safari. Except in Landrover Defenders, 110? We had an English driver by the name of Gary, who was very entertaining and never once stopped talking for the 8-9 hours we were in the Landrover. He picked us up from Koni in the morning and while overtaking on a blind corner acoss double white lines got pulled by a traffic cop. 200 Euro fine talked down from 400. Good start to the day There was eight people in each landy, I think around 6 or 7 landies in total. We drove up into the mountains and did soem offroading, through old forest roads, river beds etc. At speed at times, very cool We drove to some of the highest points on the Island and had magnificent views including one where you could see the Aegean sea and the Libyan sea at the same time above Ag Nic (Libya is only 80 miles away, when the desert sands blow up to Crete they call it Ghadaffis breath). We drove around, ontop of, above and by some spectacular scenery, high into the mountains and onto the fertile plains of the interior. We went to a villags and have a HUGE meal with more FREE wine, then back into the landies and off to Zeus' cave. Fairly long walk up a steep hill after plenty of wine then down 200 odd steps into the cave. Pretty cold down there and busy with the tourists but I can say I've been there now Back down the hill into the landy and off we go again to another village to see the oldest laundry in Europe a 2,000 year old plane tree and buy a nice big bottle of Raki for 3 Euro Fantastic day. Friday was a last look around and back to Heraklion to do that airport thing, very long day travelling. I wish I had photo's to post now as I could tell the story much better with them but I'll stick some of those up when I get them. If you go to Crete, on my expierence, ignore your rep first of all. They're there to sell you stuff. Go to Santorini, book a jeep safari and do Greek Night. I've a few excellent places to eat in Stalis, can't find the details right now but I'll post them later on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted June 16, 2007 Report Share Posted June 16, 2007 Sounds like you need a holiday to get over all that rushing about, or at least a week drinking water to give your liver a rest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lurcherboy Posted June 16, 2007 Report Share Posted June 16, 2007 I enjoyed reading that LB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazza Posted June 16, 2007 Report Share Posted June 16, 2007 I enjoyed reading it as well :thumbs: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnGalway Posted June 16, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 16, 2007 Cheers guys :thumbs: Sure do need a holiday now Cranners. We got an awful lot out of this holiday, we'll definately go back again I brought the bottle of Raki home just incase there was any life left in my liver Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marlin1 Posted June 16, 2007 Report Share Posted June 16, 2007 Excellent post. Enjoyed reading it ..... :thumbs: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poacher Posted June 16, 2007 Report Share Posted June 16, 2007 Sounds like you had a great time john :thumbs: why is it that when we go on holidays we end up rushing about more than normal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vole Posted June 16, 2007 Report Share Posted June 16, 2007 Felt like I was there.very pleasant read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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