Renouncing it all to Stay

---

I want to stay on Ios forever.
I have met so many people who've come and stayed, it's unreal. Everyone comes to Far Out camping (where I had my own whitewashed thatched-roof hut) and they love it so much they find jobs working in town and just stay. Ios has a reputation for being a party island, and even though the season is just getting started it's still a lot of fun. Imagine an area with all of your friends from Australia, Canada, and Britain, and this neighbourhood has everyone waking up in the afternoon, going out on the 4-wheelers, sitting by the pool, swimming, laying on the beach, doing water sports, and generally being super friendly. Then watching a movie on the outdoor screen while eating dinner, then catching the last bus at 10:15 up into town (only 20 mins walk, but all uphill...Greeks are seriously fit with all these hills, I had no idea there was so much UP). In town there are tons of bars, and all your new friends work at these bars because they just get jobs there to stay (did I mention it's cheap too? imagine renting an apartment...or hut... for only 7euros per night. Trust me that's super cheap, about $10 Canadian). As the sun comes up, everyone gets kebabs or gyros and groups trek home to wherever that may be, then put on swim suits to nap by the pool. Yeah, life is rough.

Unfortunately I cannot in fact renounce it all to stay, because I am back in Athens, preparing to fly to Milan in the morning. Which will be great but.... oh, Ios.
Oh and to back track a bit and finish up with Santorini:

Leslie and I took a boat tour to the volcanoe, which was really amazing. Last time it erupted 80% of the buildings on Santorini in 1956 fell into the sea in a matter of minutes. The volcanoe is still active, though they assured us that the seismographs would predict any eruptions a month beforehand, so we were safe. The water in the port there is a beautiful and surprising green colour, doubly beautiful because of the black volcanic rocks of the island. Our tour guide told us that because of tourists, 6 tonnes of rock are taken from the island every year, by those who want a piece of it to bring back home. So I took pictures instead of volcanic rock (though I will admit I had considered it).

After the volcanoe, we went to the hot springs on the other side (it's the largest sea caldera in the world). We did have to swim through the cold water where the boat was to get to the hot springs though, which was, let's say refreshing. Then the boat took us to support the restaurants on little Thirassia; being on the boat was one of the best parts of the tour, and I really want to spend some time sailing the Aegean someday... I'm looking to the Cuzins for this, of course.
We finally we climbed huge steps up to the top of Oia, the village in Santorini where everyone goes to watch the sunset. It's really interesting just to be in the village because you can see the full cresent shape of the island, plus the volcanoe and the little islands too.

Leslie went back to Athens the day I went to Ios, so she was not partying with me (though I am sure she is desperately jealous). Who's up for going back to Ios with me next year? Come on, you know you want to. Everywhere I go I wish I had more time. So start saving your money now and we'll go back!

---