Boats, Beaches & Wakeboarding

EUROPEAN CAMPING TOUR 35 DAYS 12 COUNTRIES

DAY 18 CORFU SUN 24-JUL-05

Arrived from our overnight ferry from Italy. Drove straight to campsite, set up, quick breakfast then left for George's boat. Very sunny weather so packed on the sunscreen. "No Rules" says George. We went to swimming spots, 'skinny-dippy island' -(put those binoculars away!), sang our National Anthems, tried 'strawpedos' and learnt the Greek dance the 'Fuka Huka'. All with hand motions. No I'm not writing down here what it actually meant either.
Back to camp. Felt sad to be alone in such a gorgeous place.

DAY 19 CORFU MON 25-JUL-05

6am. Early morning swim. Beautiful calmness on the water.
Free Day. Bus to Aqualand with Charlie, Enzo, Noel, Brad, Hannah, Emma NZ & Jonesy. Started a competition to see who could wear their wrist bands the longest. 1€ bet. About 15€ entrance. Couple of brilliant speed slides there. Some I thought I was actually going to launch out of! Largest wave pool in Europe - third of the size of Wet 'n' Wilds in Oz.
Cab home for 5€ (bargain - try getting that anywhere else in Europe). Dinner then dressed up for our mock Hen's night. Dress assembled by Gemma, hair by Jennie, make up by Bridget. To 'Eden' our local club fronting/or backing (?) onto the beach (still pebbles). Tried the Corfu Special cocktail. Stripped to cossie then swam to the moored dingy. Group effort to all stand on the edge of the boat. Took a few attempts but eventually got it!

DAY 20 CORFU TUE 26-JUL-05

Had a great long cheap talk with home this morning.
This afternoon we had organised watersports.
Got a sweet boat ride to take photos for some girls parasailing.
I got to try wakeboarding.. by the end of which I owned it! (Thanks Ruthie) and something called fly fishing - airborne once or twice and did fall off when I got to sit on the edge which was super.
We had our mock wedding of Susie Q and Jonesy. Fake as, everyone knows their both after overseas citizenship. Joke is their both Australian.
Greek dinner & dancing. The food just kept on coming and coming. The dancing seemed very calculated and not fiesty like the flamenco. But then I just wanted to smash some plates. Even when they did that it seemed very calculated and not spontaneous like I think dancing is meant to be. I'll have to see more to be final in hat judgement call though.

DAY 21 CORFU WED 27-JUL-05

Completly free day. I booked a sun loungue and umbrella for 2€ each and lay there all day. Contemplating why I don't live here, what a brilliant time I had wakeboarding and having a Mrs Smith moment when the umbrella tried to fly away from me. (That is, I caught it without realising I'd even moved my hand - like the wine bottle in the movie).
Packing up camp before dark this evening for our early start tomorrow and very camplike we sat around and talked till midnight then slept on a li-low under the stars.

Notes on Greece: I found it to be a very male dominated society. They are not rude but all the guys very much wanted to have the final say and wouldn't let me do anything myself. I'm not normally one to stand that but I am on holidays so sure I let them do all the fixing and carrying stuff. Whatever.

DAY 22 CORFU TO ITALY THU 28-JUL-05

4.25am wake up. Rolled li-low and jumped on bus. Onto Adriatic Ferry - allegedly there was a pool. Looked like a puddle to me. Breakfast onboard belatedly with Gemma. What I said before about the Greek men was also evident here when they helped us through for brekkie though we were 30mins late and everyone else had gone. Very nice and helpful staff. Slept mainly. Totally dark in our cabin (with proper beds) - also coz I'd lost my watch in Corfu at Aqualand- we lost all concept of time. Slept the day out on the back deck on a bench. Paid for dinner. More sleep in bed. Wandered around a 4am to check the time then went back to sleep. Boring but hey, get over it.

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