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The Contiki Crew
Smile for the camera Hey Contiki crew!
Contiki feels like a school camp for adults where drinking and partying are the norm. The difference from a school camp is minimal, excursions are still organised, you make new friends and if you’re lucky you get a new girlfriend...or three. 😊 I remember school camp was all about hiding the contraband you snuck in and organising midnight feasts with your mates. Some things never change, except on Contiki we swapped the chocolate for a few bottles of Bacardi we picked up at Duty Free. Checking into the Mykonos resort we were lucky enough to get a twin room overlooking the pool and resort grounds from the first floor. With a location like this the only hospitable thing to do was host a party on our balcony with the new crew. The bottles didn't last long and everyone got off to a good start and got to know each other. I think we were lucky with the size of this tour group as it was pretty small with only nineteen names to remember. The typical group is usually over thirty people which could make it hard to get to know everyone as well as you would want
to. Our small group became really close, with everyone getting along well and making new mates who will last beyond the length of the tour. It's only been three weeks since we first checked in to the resort, but I cant help wanting to go back already and party with the whole gang. I miss you guys!
Well I better tell you about some of the things we got up to...first off was the resort on Mykonos Island Greece. It's got everything you could want, a huge salt water pool, a stocked bar with staff ready to make any drink you desire, a DJ spinning up some cruisey tunes, a chef who cooks on an outdoor BBQ (which makes you miss Australia), a nightclub for hosting parties, a chill out room with pool tables and a huge TV, the beach at the front door complete with water sports and many like minded friendly faces to share it all with. For the four days we had a go at everything including Mixology, which is a cocktail mixing/drinking game of which Craig ended up in a girls dress, a Toga party in the nightclub, a night spent in the clubs of
Mykonos town, lounging on the beach, pool games, rides on tubes behind a speed boat and a whole lot of socialising which usually involved a drink in one hand.
After this blur of time had passed, we packed up and headed to the cruise ship which was to take us through the Greek Islands. Once on board the ship we quickly got used to the change in pace, slower compared to the resort but still a lot of fun. The island stops were every day and it gave us a chance to get out and stretch our legs and look around. Kusadasi, Turkey was interesting as we had organised a visit to the traditional Turkish baths for a sauna like experience and a serious exfoliation old skool Turkish style. I think I lost a few layers of skin including a shade of tan I was just starting to grow into. We also had a few hours to check out the shopping at the Grand Bizarre, a bit of a coastal tourist trap, but most of us picked up a few bargains and of course some Turkish Delights....which didn't last long in the box. 😉 Santorini was also a definite
highlight for me as we walked up the side of a volcano in what seemed like "lunar scenery" from the surrounding solid black lava. The view from the top was amazing and it gave us a good perspective of the villages built along the cliffs. We didn't get to stay in Santorini for the sunset, which I know is spectacular, so all I could do was buy a postcard or two and promise myself I would return with camera in hand another time. Next was a short boat ride around the corner to the hot volcanic springs which gave us all a good swim and a great afternoon.
With the cruise lasting a few days, we had plenty of time to explore the ship and find out all it had to offer, including a mini casino. We spent a few hours here trying to beat the house and win some extra drinks money, but like most casino's the house wins the majority of the time, even with expert blackjack players like us. 😊 She somehow dealt herself the winning hand just as we were starting to think we my have chance, and to bury any sense of achievement we
Hot spring
Santorini's hot vocanic springs had. BUT I can proudly say that I walked away with 1 Euro extra in my pocket after a few intense battles during the few nights on board. I did throw my huge 1 Euro winnings onto the roulette table and loose, but it's the blackjack table I was out to conquer, so I still count it as a win. 😊
Drinking, Island exploration, socialising and blackjack continued until it was time to disembark and sadly end our Contiki tour. We docked and transferred back to the Athens hotel where we slowly said goodbye to each other as our flights awaited us. Some of us had time for one last "excursion" in Athens to the Acropolis and local attractions before we had to head off. We finnaly knew Contiki was over when we said goodbye to Dani and Mayank at the airport. We were now on our way to the recovery stop, Prague.
Big thanks to Tarquin our Contiki tour guide.
Cheers,
Darren
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Jeff
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Wonderful pictures
Love the great pics Darren. One day I will get there too. Jeff