And so another trip begins! It feels like an age since we have approached an airport and I guess that is because … it is! Can’t actually remember being this nervous about travelling since I was hitchhiking across North America with less than 20 bucks in my pocket in the late 70s. And then I had the advantage of relative youth on my side, the sense that nothing serious could go wrong and that somehow it (whatever “it”was) would all work itself out in the end! As it happens it did, despite being picked up on one occasion by a drunk just out of jail for GBH. And this was in southern Alberta in December - not a place to suddenly decide you don't want the lift and get out again in the middle of nowhere at -10C. But that is another story!
Corfu, in later summer, even while Covid-19 still restricts movement, is a much less onerous prospect and with a full Wagamama Ramen inside us we found ourselves at the gate ready to board one of these orange things I remember so well. That’s an EasyJet flight!
To this point all the things that we imagined could go wrong hadn’t - an unusual state of affairs admittedly. Our paperwork, including vaccination certificates, negative tests and passenger locator form had all passed inspection at the UK end and before we knew it we were queuing in the ever so familiar British way to board an aircraft that hadn’t actually opened its doors. Somethings don't change EasyJet, do they?
Wearing a mask for the entire flight was a precaution we had decided to take even if it had not been required and the few dissenters were soon shamed into adopting the same behaviour by the crew. We had bought some fancy high grade masks the protect ourselves and not just everyone else - not particularly comfortable but worth it as we got off 3 hours later feeling pretty confident that we had done everything we could to ensure we didn’t get Covid on the plane! So only the Greek authorities to convince that we were virus free and before long we would be sipping our first of many beers in the warm late evening air. And as it happened - nothing went wrong in Greece either! Our paperwork was all in order although to be honest I’m not sure the immigration officer looked that carefully and we were soon in a taxi heading for our “boutique” hotel, with the windows wide open and the warm mediterranean air blowing in our hair - well, Nareesa’s hair.
The hotel could not have been more welcoming and given that we were nearly an hour late it was lovely to have bags taken to our room while we sipped complimentary sparkling wine on the terrace. Followed by a beer of course!
Truth be told the room in the hotel was a minor disappointment - bit on the small side and lacking in storage space. But clean and comfortable and by the time we hit the sack at 1am, we really didn’t care that much. And in the morning the pool, the gardens and the location just back from the beach reassured us that all was in fact well. A walk by the beach in the morning for coffee meant we could suss out the likely taverna for tonight’s meal and generally get the lay of the land.
Afternoon by the pool with our first (of probably many) Greek salads for lunch - why do they taste so much better in Greece? Sweet tomatoes, plump olives, fresh feta. Just fabulous. And as I write it is just about wearing off so something more substantial for dinner coming soon - and some good greek wine I hope.
So far I am liking Corfu. I could get used to this traveling malarkey! Here‘s a few pictures of our first night and day.
Got to eat healthy, and stay hydrated!
Nice pool!
Taverna on the beach - for coffee! It was early
Yasou Ti kaniti.. Or hello how are you? It must be a hundred years since I was in Kerkira(Corfu) Loved the photo's of the lovely Greek salad. Try some Taramosalata and some Tzatziki. Main course Mousssaka, Keftedes, Pastitsio. I am glad to say we have a very large Greek community not far from us. Tarpon Springs, complete with a thriving Sponge dock, yes they still dive for them. Enjoy your holiday Oh by the way I lived off and on in the Athens area for 4 years.