G is for Gyros, Greek salad, Greek gods and God I love my life!



Oia, Santorini

I was actually excited getting on the plane in Rome, Europe is becoming so familiar to me that I was really looking forward to landing in Athens – somewhere new to explore! Despite being warned about the high crime rate on the metro, the large amount of junkies found around the hostel and my worried parents making sure I wasn’t going to be injured in a violent protest, it was impressive to emerge into central Athens and look up to the Acropolis looming over the city. 12 hours later and a 4.30am wake up call, we were at the port having the first of many classic Greek breakfasts – spinach and feta pie with a coffee frappe. Just a few things to be careful of………..make sure to drink bottled water and you are not allowed to throw anything into the toilet……..including toilet paper. Welcome in Greece!



Fira - Santorini

6 hours later and Mykonos was straight ahead – I was disappointed with the view – where were all the white and blue buildings crowded along the cliffs? There was only a few square, white buildings dotted along the sparse, rocky landscape. Disappointment forgotten as we arrived at Paradise Beach, bars and restaurants all along the beach, straw umbrellas, deck chairs, cocktail waitresses, beautiful clear water and a pizza oven manned by Ari from Naples. Cheese saganaki and lamb souvlaki under a canopy of pink flowers, cocktails next to a window open over the bay and then shots, cocktails and dancing before embracing Greek culture and jumping the taxi queue and speeding away to shouts of abuse ha ha ha. Perfect day relaxing on the beach, chowing down on gyros, greek salad and proper pizza and then a cocktail on the beach bar lounge, watching the full moon sparkle over the ocean.



Cocktails on the private beach

Paros was next on the list and again, where are all the blue and white buildings?!?! We headed out to a private beach for a greek feast, some plate smashing and zorba dancing. Quite a task when getting dragged around, trying to hold my dress down against the wind and avoid slipping on all the shards of smashed plates! But so much fun!








Lunch on the Paros boat cruise

Mickey, me and Captain Antonio

The next day was magic. We boarded a sail boat, manned by the magnificent Captain Antonio and sailed around to Antiparos in the bluest, clearest water I have ever seen. Apparently it is traditional for the guide to join the captain for a vodka shot at 10am, so I couldn’t say no – and then every time the real guide announced over the speaker there was a telephone call for me it really meant that there was a new type of home brewed spirit for me to try J We ate chargrilled octopus for lunch that had been freshly caught that morning and hanging up on the side of the boat on our cruise out, washed down with homemade Ouzo and then swimming under caves and arches

Oia, Santorini

Santorini was next on the list and this was looking more like it. Masses of white houses piled up on the cliffs and our view down to the harbour and over to the volcano was magnificent. The sunset really is the most beautiful I have ever seen, all 4 nights I was there was a perfect ball of red dropping into the ocean and washing the sky shades of orange and pink. We were driven around by Stavros, a lovely and hilarious local, who loved to get on the microphone and to use greek food as a metaphor for life! We visited Perissa, a black beach that turns to one huge (and slippery) rock shelf after around 1 metre of fine black pebbles. Much better to lie on the sun lounges, under the straw umbrella and press the buzzer when I want another frappe, omelette or greek salad to be brought over ;-) We went to the Monastery of the Prophet Elijah, with 360 degree views of the whole island and to Santo Wines that has tasty white and desert wine, million dollar views over the ocean and is THE place to get married. The awesome red beach, which involved a sketchy hike (in thongs), where I think it was very lucky that nobody slipped and broke something, but the reward of perfectly clear, refreshing water and a mermaid rock to bask in the sun on made it all worth it

Oia, Santorini

Then we discovered Oia. THIS is where all the iconic blue and white building photographs are taken! I ran around for hours in delight, snapping hundreds of photos and so excited to be in the exact place that I had dreamed about a million years ago, staring at the photo pinned on my “wish we (I miss you Michelle!) were here” wall at work. It is truly one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen and I fully intend to go back one day and stay in one of the cliff side hotels with the infinity pools overlooking the ocean.

Perissa, black beach, Santorini

Door to?



It was so sad to leave Santorini, but I was pleasantly surprised by Ios – the Far Out Village is beautiful, a perfect blue pool from which you can see the ocean and consistently sensational food such as chicken risotto and grilled fish from the very reasonably priced restaurant. This is where I spent my entire second day, after the legendary pub crawl of the first night. Ios is famous for its nightlife and it didn’t disappoint – the Fun Pub had giant jenga and a pool competition, Flames bar had hands in the air dancing with “snow” falling, Rehab had a male strip show with boys picked out from the beach who decided to get it ALL off and entertained us with some quite talented pole dancing, Slammers let you put on a helmet and get slammed over the head with a hammer, milk crate or pole while you drink a tequila slammer and Orange bar had shots that tasted exactly like the chocolate bars they were named after and played all my favourite grungy and 70’s music. I didn’t quite make it to sunrise but I tried hard!

Far Out Village, Ios



Now back to reality and work……..oh wait, not before 3 days on our Italian Adventure to the Amalfi Coast…………you can hate me, it’s ok J