Returned to Calne where we renewed our aquaintance with Rufus and Clarry for a week.
on Saturday we packed ourselves up and left at about 12.30 for Bristol where Aaron had a match to referee. After dropping him off the kids and I drove to the shops to look for some water shoes,but everything was packed and the roads were crazy.
Thanks to Andy who left his game to get us to the station, we were there on on time and on our way to Gatwick.
Arrived at Gatwick and took the shuttle bus to the hotel, grabbed some buffet food at kids prices in the cafe/bar and went to bed.
Sunday 11 September
Up at 5.30 and made it outside in good time. Taxi was waiting who advised us it was only £6 to the airport which was cheaper and more direct than the shuttle, so off we went. Arrived in no time and got through the bag drop and security quickly, with time for a coffee and a snack.
Plane ride went smoothly and we touched down in Santorini at about 1.30pm.
Once everyone else was through passport control - my British passport got me a free pass - we discovered a driver waiting for us with our name on a card. Awesome, quick taxi ride straight to the hotel where our host came out to meet us and help with our bags down the little lanes to the the hotel door.
Within minutes the children have located their swimmers and are in the pool.
Within minutes the children have located their swimmers and are in the pool.
Once we are settled and have spent a good amount of the time in the pool the lack of food starts to take effect so we drag the kids out of the water and make the 5 minute walk into the little village of Karterados, down the narrow laneways.
Once there we find the recommended Taverna and sit down to a meal with a beer and a jug of wine. Very pleasant, even though the taverna is on the main street it has a nice atmosphere and we are well looked after with nice food.
After a bit of an explore in the nearby streets including a visit to a local bakery for some rather scrummy little ice cream treats we return to the hotel for another dip before bed.
Once there we find the recommended Taverna and sit down to a meal with a beer and a jug of wine. Very pleasant, even though the taverna is on the main street it has a nice atmosphere and we are well looked after with nice food.
After a bit of an explore in the nearby streets including a visit to a local bakery for some rather scrummy little ice cream treats we return to the hotel for another dip before bed.
Monday 12 September
Everyone slept in until 9am, then the kids stirred and crept out for a swim. Let them be for a bit then gathered them together and we wandered up the road to the bakery for a coffee and a doughnut. Then we continued walking up to Fira for a walk along the cliff path and a browse through the hundreds of souvenir shops.
Once we started to wilt in the heat we made our way back down the road to the hotel via the supermarket for some water and fruit and spent a couple of hours in the pool before hunger struck at about 4pm. 
Headed back out to the village but the Gyros shop was closed until 5 and nothing else was open. Returned to the hotel and hopped back in the pool (the walk made us hot) for 1/2 an hour or so, then set off back.
Headed back out to the village but the Gyros shop was closed until 5 and nothing else was open. Returned to the hotel and hopped back in the pool (the walk made us hot) for 1/2 an hour or so, then set off back.
This time there were 3 tables of people waiting but apparently noone in the restaurant. We were advised to wait and in about 10 minutes the owner returned and everyone set about getting themselves drinks and ordering. Not long afterwards our gyros appeared and were happily devoured.
We then made the walk back up to Fira to watch the sunset behind the volcano. Holly declared she was still hungry so on the way home we stop for another couple of gyros which are put away in exactly the same fashion as the first. Not sure what has happened to Holly the super slow eater. She has morphed into Holly the eating machine.
We then made the walk back up to Fira to watch the sunset behind the volcano. Holly declared she was still hungry so on the way home we stop for another couple of gyros which are put away in exactly the same fashion as the first. Not sure what has happened to Holly the super slow eater. She has morphed into Holly the eating machine.
Tuesday 13 September
The kids once again started the day in the pool and it is after 11 when we drag them out and set off up the road. Stop at the bakery for a new taste this morning - the Freddo Cappucino. Nice. Topped it out with another doughnut while we wait for the bus. It takes a little while to get the hang of the buses as it is not very clear which is going where but this gives us time to chat to some other tourists and get a bit of the lie of the land. We miss our bus to Kamari, but finally a bus comes with a conductor who sticks his head out and informs everyone of the destination. Rather than wait over 1/2 an hour for another bus, we take the bus to Perissa instead. Following the advice of our tourist friends we get off at Perivolos to avoid 20 minutes of little lanes, and we walk towards Perissa along the beach.
While the blackness is a bit disconcerting at first, the water is crystal clear and thanks to the tiny pebbles there is no sand which is lovely.
The water is perfect temperature and deep. Only have to go perhaps 8 metres out before the bottom is well out of reach.
After a while we set off further up the beach towards Perissa but the pebbly beach is very soft and you sink ankle deep at every step which makes it tough going.
Slow walking but the kids swim most of the way, so once we make it closer to the big rock we are all ready for some lunch.
Find a nice restaurant, get changed in one of the little huts and enjoy yet another gyro along with a beer and a very nice sangria.
Shorter bus ride, busier little town. The bus is packed and we are hot when we arrive, so it is straight into the water.
After a good cool down we venture out and walk along the strip, browsing a little in shops, perusing the menus. Finally we stop for a bite to eat, chicken gyros of course.
then we are off. Temperature seems pretty hot today and the sun is beating down. We arrive at the bus station and there is a bus waiting but it is standing room only. About a 20 minute trip to Oia but it takes a bit longer as there is quite a queue to get up the last section of road which is only wide enough for one way.
until Holly's need for a chicken pita becomes unignorable.
The kids once again started the day in the pool and it is after 11 when we drag them out and set off up the road. Stop at the bakery for a new taste this morning - the Freddo Cappucino. Nice. Topped it out with another doughnut while we wait for the bus. It takes a little while to get the hang of the buses as it is not very clear which is going where but this gives us time to chat to some other tourists and get a bit of the lie of the land. We miss our bus to Kamari, but finally a bus comes with a conductor who sticks his head out and informs everyone of the destination. Rather than wait over 1/2 an hour for another bus, we take the bus to Perissa instead. Following the advice of our tourist friends we get off at Perivolos to avoid 20 minutes of little lanes, and we walk towards Perissa along the beach.
While the blackness is a bit disconcerting at first, the water is crystal clear and thanks to the tiny pebbles there is no sand which is lovely.
The water is perfect temperature and deep. Only have to go perhaps 8 metres out before the bottom is well out of reach.
After a while we set off further up the beach towards Perissa but the pebbly beach is very soft and you sink ankle deep at every step which makes it tough going.
Slow walking but the kids swim most of the way, so once we make it closer to the big rock we are all ready for some lunch.
Find a nice restaurant, get changed in one of the little huts and enjoy yet another gyro along with a beer and a very nice sangria.
Time afterwards for a little walk and another swim before waiting for a bus back to Fira where we seek out gelato and watch the sun go down.
Wednesday 14th September
Today we make it to Kamari, after our morning stop of doughnuts, bougatsa and nutella stuffed croissant,.
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| lunch view |
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| bus stop cat |
Then Aaron snags a sun bed, the kids head back to the water and swim out to the rock and I wander around the little town a bit before heading in for a swim myself. Thus we while away the afternoon.
Back to Karterados on the bus, except when the conductor calls out our stop we don't realise we are required to yell out over the crowd, so the bus doesn't stop and we have to continue on to Fira. Never mind. The walk down the hill is easy enough and we return to the peace of our hotel and have a swim to wash off the salt.
Later on we walk back up to the Grill for some Chicken Pita's which turn out to be pork then a stop at the bakery for some baklava before bed.
Thursday 15 September
After the morning's swim we set off up the hill at about 11am to catch the bus to Oia. First of course we have to stop at the bakery for the bougatsa and some coffees,
It is pretty busy in the square when we finally arrive as there are quite a lot of people off the cruise ships wearing their stickers.
The sun is hot but there is a good breeze making it bearable, especially in the shade, so we wander the streets for a while
Returning to the square we find them readily available and contrary to internet gossip, no more expensive than back in Fira so lunch is sorted.
By now we are hot so we seek out the path down to Amoudi bay for a swim. Quite a steep walk down, but some rewarding views on the way. Still some people taking the donkey's down and there is a crowd of them waiting near the bottom.
Once down at the bay you walk through the restaurant there and along the cliff for a way until you reach the swimming spot. The path is quite broken away in parts and I suspect that this area as well as Red Beach should be closed for tourists. As there are no signs advising us not to we continue on and are rewarded by a superb swimming spot which view back and up the cliffs to Oia.
Plenty of others have made the trek and there is some friendly chat and people helping one another in and out of the water. We all get in and swim for a while in the amazing clear water.
By now it is 4.30 and we begin the rather long and steep climb back up to Oia. At thetop we reward ourselves with a new bottle of cold water then make our way back to the bus stop and back down to Fira.
Walk home to refresh again in the pool and later walk back into Karterados for a meal at the local taverna again where we try a selection of the local delicacies, including the tomato fritters. Aidan is unable to finish his pastitsio so we wrap up a portion to feed to the local cat the kids have befriended.
Friday 16 September
Quiet day. Spent the morning lazing around the pool, finishing off some school work, eating doughnuts and napping. I went out for a walk around the local area.
We set off out at about 3.30 for a late lunch (pita gyros from the grill point of course)
then we wandered up to Fira for a stroll around.
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