Santorini to the rescue.

I was about to generalise and say that Greece has bad food, rude people and bad service but all that changed yesterday when I went to Santorini.

The story so far -

At the hostel in Athens I bought a ticket on a large ferry that goes to the Greek islands. My destination, Santorini. You see photos of Santorini everywhere. We even had them in our livingroom in Brisbane many years ago. The whitewashed houses and churches with blue doors and domes scatter the hillsides. While I was buying my ticket some American girls were also asking about tickets to Sanorini. After a quick chat with them we decided to team up and travel together and book a hostel on the island, thus saving some money by sharing a room.

Friday morning we left the hostel at 6am and took the train down to Pareus Port and shuffled on to the Blue Star Naxos along with severl hundred other people. The port was filled with small, medium and huge ships, catamarans and ferries.

Some high speed ferries in the port. See larger.

Our ferry was going to take 8 hours to get to Santorini. The high speed ferries take about 4-5 hours. but have less cramped seating and overpriced canteens. That’s not having fun!

Leaving Athens. About frigging time!

The S.S. Minnow. Does a 3 day tour around the islands. Yes, a 3 day tour.

Yay… me on a boat rocking back and forth for 8 hours! Yay…!

Sandwitches sold on board. Oooo!!! Cheese?! I’m melting… I’m melting… argh!!!

In the nice seating area. What the travel agent didn’t tell us about. See larger.

In economy class. Every man for themselves. Just don’t get up or chance losing your seat to a Russian tourist family eating pumkin seeds for 8 hours.

Me and my new travel buddies drinking bottled wine called Pisse (pronounced Pie-She). I think it was wine.

Oh well… at least we got drunk from it.

Sign on dryer in bathroom. Use psychic powers to activate.

7 hours and 10 seconds later, everyone elses view of Santorini. See larger.

The port at Santorini.

Taking the bus up the winding narrow road from the port.

The hostel we stayed at named Rena Villas in Fira. See larger.

When we got to the hostel we were informed that they didn’t have 4 single beds in the one room so we were given 3 room, one for me and 2 for the other 3 girls. Bargain!

Now there are a billion photos taken of Santorini each day. It’s a fact. I checked with someone. Can’t tell you his name. Confidentiality and all. Every tourist is snapping roll after roll of the most beautiful and amazing scenery, both natural and man made. Me being one who cringes as being a tourist tourist thought that I’d steer clear of any photo taking that was just typically cliched of this place, but once I started getting around I couldn’t help it. This place just begging to be photographed. So here are some typical Elahn meets Santorini photos -

For riding… what else?

Finally reviving my tastebuds with some authentic Greek food.

Baclavahhhhhmmmmmmm!

Sunset from the Oia, from the north end of the island.

Unable to speak due to the sheer beauty of this place and being able to drive around easliy on a quad bike (and on the right side of the road! First time) I casually drove back to the hostel and called it a night. Part 2 coming next.