I've always wondered about the guy who came knocking at the front door of Kilburn Park Road at 2am a few years ago. He said his car had run out of petrol and he needed to borrow a couple of pounds to fill it it up. I've just read this post by David Hepworth where he describes the same thing happening to him. Now I don't feel too guilty for turning that guy away.
I'd still like to know about the chap who claimed he'd fallen asleep on the tube from Heathrow and said someone had stolen all his bags. And the woman earlier this year who said she'd fallen out with her boyfriend and so had no money to get back to Epping. Personally if that was me, I'd just walk. Anything's better than begging.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Greece Day 3
Sitting in the local cafe (which has wireless internet access) and drinking a Mai Tai. Am going to pick up some bits from the supermarket for dinner tonight after an underwhelming and expensive dinner last night. I had hoped that local fish restaurants would have fresh calimari (Li-Ann and I are trying to find somewhere to rival the 'best calimari ever' in Dubrovnik) but it was all cooked from frozen. Never a good sign when your calimari comes with an extra sharp knife...
Actually didn't sleep terribly well last night due to the sighting of centipedes on the walls above my bed. It freaked me out! I was all ready to storm down to the accommodation center today and demand somewhere else but it was closed and I decided I should really tough it out. I'll be more aggressive with them tonight! Just the thought of them falling onto me while I'm asleep isn't good...
I just missed the 10am taxi boat to the bays, but got a seat on the 11am. There were four stops on the east of the island and I stopped at the second to last, Nanou. It was a lovely bay with (free) deck chairs and umbrellas, a little cafe, and only about 20 other people there as well. Surface was pebbly so it was lovely and clear and I did quite a lot of snorkelling. Lots of fish around mainly, including a mad green and purple one in the shallows. Saw a big school of flying fish, flying. Had some lunch in the cafe and immediately got invaded by a horde of hornets which was pretty unpleasant. The waitress sensed my distress (ie my arms trying to swoop them away) and brought over a wee urn of coffee which she lit. They mustn't have liked the smoke so they all flew away. Magic!
Spent a very relaxing afternoon. I've started reading Midnight's Children which is going well. I'd also been reading the new Philippa Gregory 'The Other Queen' which is so frustrating - she repeats herself again and again. It's an interesting story - about Mary Queen of Scots being under house arrest with the Duke of Shrewsbury before she's killed. But it's really plodding. Hopefully Salman Rushdie will show her how it's done. I don't doubt he will!
Weather's still very sunny, but with a bit of a cold wind sometimes. And you definitely need a cardigan if you're sat outside in the evenings.
Actually didn't sleep terribly well last night due to the sighting of centipedes on the walls above my bed. It freaked me out! I was all ready to storm down to the accommodation center today and demand somewhere else but it was closed and I decided I should really tough it out. I'll be more aggressive with them tonight! Just the thought of them falling onto me while I'm asleep isn't good...
I just missed the 10am taxi boat to the bays, but got a seat on the 11am. There were four stops on the east of the island and I stopped at the second to last, Nanou. It was a lovely bay with (free) deck chairs and umbrellas, a little cafe, and only about 20 other people there as well. Surface was pebbly so it was lovely and clear and I did quite a lot of snorkelling. Lots of fish around mainly, including a mad green and purple one in the shallows. Saw a big school of flying fish, flying. Had some lunch in the cafe and immediately got invaded by a horde of hornets which was pretty unpleasant. The waitress sensed my distress (ie my arms trying to swoop them away) and brought over a wee urn of coffee which she lit. They mustn't have liked the smoke so they all flew away. Magic!
Spent a very relaxing afternoon. I've started reading Midnight's Children which is going well. I'd also been reading the new Philippa Gregory 'The Other Queen' which is so frustrating - she repeats herself again and again. It's an interesting story - about Mary Queen of Scots being under house arrest with the Duke of Shrewsbury before she's killed. But it's really plodding. Hopefully Salman Rushdie will show her how it's done. I don't doubt he will!
Weather's still very sunny, but with a bit of a cold wind sometimes. And you definitely need a cardigan if you're sat outside in the evenings.
Monday, September 29, 2008
Greece Day 2
Had a very nice long sleep and then some muesli and yoghurt on my patio. My little room (bizarrely called ‘Lover’s Corner’ and in fact you’d need to be VERY intimate with someone to share this room!) has been cut into the side of the hillside. Symi is very hilly and rocky and the main town (Yialos) centers around a harbour. It’s meant to be the most beautiful harbour in Greece and it certainly is attractive! Loads of multi coloured houses rise up from the harbour. It’s very small and I think to walk to Panoramitos at the other end of the island takes about 5 hours to walk. Not sure if I’ll end up doing that though! So my little room has a bed at one end and a teeny bathroom at the other end. On top is a patio which has a view not quite down to the harbour, but over about half of the town.
Spent most of the late morning wandering around town. I was trying to across to Pedi Beach, but couldn’t understand the walking instructions and after climbing up a long way I found myself coming back down again with no idea of how to go up! Will have to redo that at some stage. There are loads of boats to take you to different beaches and parts of the island so I’ll do one of those tomorrow. I ended up walking along the coast and finding a tiny beach down a long set of steps that I had to myself. Not quite into total relaxation mode yet but I’m getting there!!
Spent most of the late morning wandering around town. I was trying to across to Pedi Beach, but couldn’t understand the walking instructions and after climbing up a long way I found myself coming back down again with no idea of how to go up! Will have to redo that at some stage. There are loads of boats to take you to different beaches and parts of the island so I’ll do one of those tomorrow. I ended up walking along the coast and finding a tiny beach down a long set of steps that I had to myself. Not quite into total relaxation mode yet but I’m getting there!!
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Greece - Day 1
Ah the bliss of having my laptop with me on holidays means that I can blog and keep you all up to date! I decided to take the laptop on holiday mainly to watch DVDs, but there are quite a few internet cafes here in Symi so I assume I’ll be able to take myself down there shortly and connect up.
I arrived in Rhodes on Saturday evening after a long but normal journey. I hadn’t realised that Saturday was the same day at the Fatboy Slim concert down in Brighton which meant that London Bridge station was full of people trying to use the same line as me to get down there. Thankfully the train wasn’t full but I did have only ten minutes to spare by the time I got to check-in. hate being so rush at airports. I did manage to dash around and get the toiletries and reading material I needed though thank goodness.
Arrived in Rhodes at 10pm and decided to get cab to where I was staying. As it was in the old town, the taxi driver (who was lovely and used to live above a bar at highbury corner) could only take me so far, but after a moment of panie when I couldn’t see the Apollo Tourist House in a dark street, I got in and bedded down. Very comfortable but simple accommodation. There was a nice breakfast of muesli and yoghurt in the garden in the morning included.
I had the whole day free in Rhodes as my hydrofoil didn’t leave for Symi until 6pm. So I had a good but tiring day of wandering around a compact but slightly confusing city! It was so pretty in bits, especially down by the harbour. It’s a walled city and you can actually walk around the moat (which is now dry) which I did for a bit. There is a Castle of the Knights which has some gorgeous mosaic floors, and loads of museums of antiquities. The loveliest bit was the street of the Knights which led down from the palace. It was a real medieval street with gargoyles and intricate windows. Some of the buildings included the French consulate and other government buildings.
There are two main harbours, Mandraki (which has all the yachts and charter boats) and Akandia the commercial harbour. At the mouth of Mandraki is where the Colossus of Rhodes stood. Now there’s two pillars – one with a deer on it and the other has been removed for restoration. It must have been – er – colossal when it was actually there though! Lots of representations of the Colossus around town as well. There were a couple of huge cruise ships in town with large groups of English, American and German tourists. Very amusing to see them all trouping off to catch the boat at 3pm!
So I had a very full and busy day touring around. There were a couple of very impressive bead stores full of turquoise and coral. Might go back on my return journey… I found my way around fine until I actually had to get back to the hotel to pick up my bags and then I got totally spun around! I had loads of time though.
I caught the hydrofoil to Symi no problem – one way ticket for an hour’s journey is E14.90. I think the traditional ferries are a bit cheaper. The people who’ve organised my accommodation met me off the hydrofoil and transported my bag to the foot of the steps to my wee apartment, there are about 100 steps up and it’s quite steep! I’m sure I’ll be running up them by the end of the trip!
I arrived in Rhodes on Saturday evening after a long but normal journey. I hadn’t realised that Saturday was the same day at the Fatboy Slim concert down in Brighton which meant that London Bridge station was full of people trying to use the same line as me to get down there. Thankfully the train wasn’t full but I did have only ten minutes to spare by the time I got to check-in. hate being so rush at airports. I did manage to dash around and get the toiletries and reading material I needed though thank goodness.
Arrived in Rhodes at 10pm and decided to get cab to where I was staying. As it was in the old town, the taxi driver (who was lovely and used to live above a bar at highbury corner) could only take me so far, but after a moment of panie when I couldn’t see the Apollo Tourist House in a dark street, I got in and bedded down. Very comfortable but simple accommodation. There was a nice breakfast of muesli and yoghurt in the garden in the morning included.
I had the whole day free in Rhodes as my hydrofoil didn’t leave for Symi until 6pm. So I had a good but tiring day of wandering around a compact but slightly confusing city! It was so pretty in bits, especially down by the harbour. It’s a walled city and you can actually walk around the moat (which is now dry) which I did for a bit. There is a Castle of the Knights which has some gorgeous mosaic floors, and loads of museums of antiquities. The loveliest bit was the street of the Knights which led down from the palace. It was a real medieval street with gargoyles and intricate windows. Some of the buildings included the French consulate and other government buildings.
There are two main harbours, Mandraki (which has all the yachts and charter boats) and Akandia the commercial harbour. At the mouth of Mandraki is where the Colossus of Rhodes stood. Now there’s two pillars – one with a deer on it and the other has been removed for restoration. It must have been – er – colossal when it was actually there though! Lots of representations of the Colossus around town as well. There were a couple of huge cruise ships in town with large groups of English, American and German tourists. Very amusing to see them all trouping off to catch the boat at 3pm!
So I had a very full and busy day touring around. There were a couple of very impressive bead stores full of turquoise and coral. Might go back on my return journey… I found my way around fine until I actually had to get back to the hotel to pick up my bags and then I got totally spun around! I had loads of time though.
I caught the hydrofoil to Symi no problem – one way ticket for an hour’s journey is E14.90. I think the traditional ferries are a bit cheaper. The people who’ve organised my accommodation met me off the hydrofoil and transported my bag to the foot of the steps to my wee apartment, there are about 100 steps up and it’s quite steep! I’m sure I’ll be running up them by the end of the trip!
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