Blogs from Kefalonia, Ionian Islands, Greece, Europe - page 2

Villas are definitely the way forward. During this mega-intensive year without travel, self-afflicted after choosing to do this super-difficult master’s, I think a few luxuries can be forgiven. This trip was quite a departure from the typical trips described in these blogs of mine. No budget accommodation was involved, no guidebook, no cheap dodgy street-food, no arriving at an airport unsure of what to do next, and no travelling by myself. Fifty years of marriage is quite an achievement and definitely worth celebrating. My mum and dad have managed to drag out this celebration over most of the year and I can’t fault them for that. I sometimes get a month out of my birthday and a golden wedding anniversary is a lot more special and probably something I’ll never celebrate unless I get hitched sharpish. ... read more

The clouds open to a scene of stunning island. Though a bit of an over- used cliche by now, the 'island paradise' look really doesn't get any less spectacular. It's at the same time routine yet amazing that our earth can hold so much beauty within it, I think. The plane turns and lands on a small strip of island. We depart to a heat that can only be foreign, a heat we long for on those cold English nights, and walk to a tiny airport to see the reaction of the Greek officials to the latest bunch of sun- seeking Englishmen to come onto their island. I confess, the reason for my mother and me taking the trip was to see for ourselves the place where 'Captain Corelli's Mandolin' was filmed, whether it really was ... read more

It all started with me not having a salary for a week now. I've talked with the accountant here, we agreed to talk and meet on Sunday - he never showed up. In the meanwhile, the Slovakians had June as a whole month, worked through. NO ONE received a decent salary. They have the same contract as I do: 400 EUR/month, 48 hours a week, 6 day work per week. Meaning that we work 6 days and 8 hours and that one day is our rightful day off. All nine of the Slovaks have the very same contract, only that their flight tickets of 270 EUR will get deducted as the hotel said to cover the costs of transport. They should get 130 EUR for June. Some of them received 99 EUR, some got 185 EUR, ... read more

This is going to be a short post, it's just to update you guys with the latest information. The pictures are from the hotel and the coffee is the famous Greek one. Let's start with the fact that the doing the dishes really dries your hands. Everyone knows that but no one should experience it. It's not nice. I'm getting faster in washing the dishes and as the Slovak boy got a day off today, I did everything: even the big and the ceramic containers. They are really heavy and slippery. I finished with everything around 1pm and headed back to my room when the general manager stopped me to talk. From tomorrow, I will not wash the plates in the kitchen, I'll help out in the restaurant with the two girls: I'm gonna be a ... read more

We've come to another day off of mine, and today I decided to discover Skala. But first, let me tell you some things that happened recently. One of the girls is going home to Slovakia as her knee was swollen from something. Probably it was too much standing and running around on the job. Anyways, the general manager sent her home as she is unable to work. My lady-boss, the manager of the chambermaids suggested me to ask the manager to move me to the bar to replace the girl leaving. I am the only one from our cleaning team who speaks English - like, in sentences. However the she-boss would keep me for one or two rooms to clean besides the rooms. I don't think the role of maid-barista exists. I could definitely wave goodbye ... read more