Sun, Sea and Santorini Sunsets.
Well I am back after my amazing holiday in Santorini. To be honest I have actually been back for a week but my body decided it wanted two weeks off so I have actually felt like I am having some sort of weird out of body experience and I have still been there in spirit and completely chilled with no sense of motivation whatsoever.
Where do I begin? I had high expectations, what with it being the first proper, beach holiday abroad for me and my hubby. We’ve only been together for twenty-two years! Don’t get me wrong we have been away to places like Isle of Wight and Cornwall but you just show your bikini and promptly pop a jumper on! Any way in short it was amazing and surpassed all my expectations.
The weather was hot, the food delicious and the company wonderful. We went with my sister-in-law and her partner and there wasn’t a single cross word between us the whole week, we all got on so well . It was also our first time abroad leaving the kids or rather growded ups behind and I am pleased, no scratch that, proud that I didn’t worry.
Once we had arrived on that first day and promptly gone straight to the beach I was definately in the chilled out zone. Where we was staying was idillic. Yes it was basic, in terms of the accomodation, but it was very clean, very friendly and my anxiety about not grasping any greek before we left, was completely unnecessary as they spoke excellent english. You really felt like nothing was too much trouble and the lovely laid back, relaxed approach to life was very welcome.
I loved every minute of it, from swimming in the sea on a daily basis, relaxing on the sun loungers reading (I am always at my happiest with my head in a book), to the amazing sunset cruise with Captain George around the red, white and black beaches.
The highlight of which was when we swam in a volcano with its amazing stripy water (Ian’s words not mine) which was hot as a bath one minute and with the next stroke cold as the sea. That was yet another first for me as I have always got very panicky when out of my depth which is a bit of an issue when I am only 5ft 2inches tall! I was looked after very well thanks to my bouancy jacket and my trusty companions who are all very strong swimmers. I even think I’ve laid some of my OCD thoughts to bed as it was like swimming in volcano poo with the very eggy sulphurous smell and huge lumps of bright orange clay that kept springing to the surface! I am not sure it was supposed to be so funny, but it felt so surreal and the four of us were like big kids.
After the lovely sunset viewed from the boat which changed with every moment, and was truly magical, we watched it again the next evening from the balcony of the Santo wines winery. This was altogether a different experience with a wine tasting, yet another beautiful sunset and me rounding off the preceedings by getting locked in the loo and a slightly tipsy shopping trip.
To be fair we laughed a lot the whole week long and just generally had great fun. There were a lot of daft moments like me trying to get out of the sea all ladylike on the first day only to find the slight shingle had other ideas and I fell over very unceremoniously sucked back in to the surf like a flailing walrous. Ian jumping of the back of the boat like an over enthusiastic ten year old with his bum suspended in mid air before he dived or rather plopped into the sea.
Having most definately recaptured our youthful exuberance, we will certainly be going back next year. Thankyou Judy and Michael for showing us how its done and for proving some of us have the best in laws around!
Hope you’ve enjoyed my rather different holiday blog.
Until next time Jane x
