Soaking up the Sun in Santorini!

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We slept in until after 9am, we must’ve been really tired! After leisurely showering and dressing we wandered down to breakfast...a great assortment to choose from...bacon (quite salty tho) eggs, croissants, fruit, cereals, and a coffee machine...not too bad at all. After breakfast we were off...at least keith and I were off on a day trip on a boat...for someone who feels seasick on a boat moored at the harbour, not a great thought...but, armed with wrist bands that were supposedly going to stop the seasick feeling, off we went, leaving Rach to lie in the sun and catch up on some of the blogs.

After being picked up in a bus, we had to weave our way down to the port to catch the boat, down a really steep, really narrow road on the edge of a cliff...and to make it worse we met a bus coming the other way! Finally we made it to the bottom, and climbed aboard out little sailing boat. We were apparently as there was only about 30 of us on board and we were all English speaking, which made our tour guide’s job much easier as he didn’t have to repeat the instructions and information in 3 or 4 different languages (very cute guide by the way!)

First stop...the volcano. It didn’t look like a volcano because most of it is under the water. We climbed up to the top, which gave us a great view of all the islands. It was 38 degrees and a very hot climb, but we both made it to the top!

Eventually we were back down on our little sailing boat again and off we went to a thermal pool, on the edge of the ocean. It was hot because of the sulphur in the water, quite a weird thing...one minute the water is cold and then you swim into this red part of the ocean which is suddenly warm. Nowhere near as beautiful as the hot pools in New Zealand but still cool. We had to jump off the side of the boat to get to it, which was fun! Keith wasn’t keen so he stayed on the boat, until it got too hot for him and he jumped in too!

After the hot pools we were off to a little fishing village (Thirasia Island) for lunch and relaxation. This was a cute little island where the houses were tiny and built on the edge of the sea, but still white with blue doors. We went swimming again, beautiful blue clear, clear water.

After 2 hours we were off to the beautiful Oia, where we met Rach. She had caught the bus from Fira to Oia. It’s only a 25 minute ride, but on a very full bus (people standing in the aisles), no air conditioning, and very windy roads...not up there with the ‘must dos’ in Santorini! Keith and I arrived at the port of oia, at the bottom of a steep cliff, and Rachel’s bus arrived at the top. Realising that there was no way that Keith would ever consider walking to the top...we quickly spotted another way of getting there...by donkey. Up we were hoisted onto the donkey’s back and with a few shouts fromthe owner, and a few slaps from his whip the little donkeys took off at a great pace, trying to pass each other on the steps..it was like being in a horse race! The stopped near the top and we walked the last 5 minutes, past all the expensive homes (I’m guessing the risk of donkey poo is not wanted by these people!)

Rach told is to meet her by the blue dome...easier said than done...there are several blue domes in Oia...all of them beautiful! Eventually we found her and wandered the little cobbled streets, taking lots of photos...it was so cute. I don’t know that there could be any place on earth as beautiful. We found a lovely spot with great views for dinner...again lots of photo opportunities.

One of the reasons for coming to oia was that it is known for it’s beautiful sunsets...amny of the postcards of Santoini are taken overlooking Oia in a sunset...so we mad sure we got to the top of the hill, with many many many others, to watch it...and it was beautiful. Rach got some great pics, but even they don’t quite do it justice...it’s was simply magical.

Once the sun set we got to experience the packed, non air-conditioned bus that wound it’s way back to Santorini...fun...NOT!

And on the short walk back to our hotel, we made a little detour to get another Greek yoghurt with toppings...m and ms for rach, strawberries and choc for moi and kiwifruit for Keith. The strawberry and choc topping is simply the best! We seem to have made the swap from daily gelatos in Italy to daily yoghurts in Greece very easily! We will be sad to leave this beautiful island tomorrow...our stay is not quite long enough...it is SO beautiful.

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