Our third time- the relaxation continues

[soupdragon]

Almost forgot to do tonight's entry.

We had the pleasure of sampling George's favourite ouzo tonight, Aktaion. It's so smooth it's ridiculous and I've just spent goodly while trying to find where else it's available, without luck.

To more mundane proceedings.

The morning started off as per usual, blah blah blah.
Lunchtime also went as per usual, blah blah blah.
The afternoon also.............
You get the idea.

Do any of you recall monty python and old vinyl records?
Well many moons ago I was proud owner of a monty python record. Can't remember particularly which one it was but it was very silly. For those who can't remember or never took an interest in them, very silly just about summed them up. Irreverent, was one of the terms used to describe them at the time. But I digress, as I do.....
This particular record had been pressed so that when it got to the very end, you know the bit where the needle (sorry, stylus) just used to go around and around in that last circle? Well they had pressed into that circle a recording of "the record's stuck, the record's stuck, the record's stuck" along with the sound of a click/pop after each loop. Over and over until you got up and lifted the arm off. The rich people had one of those auto changer things where as soon as the arm got to the middle it lifted and dropped another record from the stack above so you may have missed out on that.

Anyway, the monty python record continually playing "the record's stuck........" reminds me of how my daily entries must sound now.
Most days are the same as the last, same as the last, same as the last.

I think that smooth ouzo must be kicking in as I'm getting a bit sleepy.
Only one outing to Ftenagia so far and not one to either Pondamos or Kania. I hope those figures will need updating by the end of play tomorrow. Here's hoping anyway

Cheers. Tom and Rose

[jill]

Nothing wrong with Yorkshire tea Tom - and both my parents were Lancastrians! But, amazingly, Peter and I never have a cup of tea in Halki but boy it’s the first drink we have when we get home. You seem to have had a very relaxing holiday with plenty of good food. We are booked in from tomorrow and really looking forward to a fortnight of chilling out. Thank you for your Halki diary. Very entertaining.

[muriman]

This is straangely gripping stuff - I can't wait for the next instalment. Will you, won't you, ever make it to Pondamos? It's better than a whodunit. But the apparent lack of galvanising action is entirely understandable, we have gone through the same process. Last time we were in Halki I spent ten days intending to cimb to the top of the castle and never found the time to do it.

Still there are unanswered details - is the Yorkshire tea actual leaf tea or tea-bags? Presumably you took it in your suitcases (as we have done in the past - I don't think it's sold anywhere in Halki, is it?) I'm happy with Yokshire tea-bags, but wife Christine prefers the Harrogate product in leaf form. You've got me looking at the small print on the packet, now - it's apparently blended in the UK by Taylors of Harrogate but I think the tea comes from Kenya. We may not make it to Halki this year so keep up the posts, it's the nearest thing to being there!

[soupdragon]

May 28, 2019 15:48:50 GMT jill said:

Nothing wrong with Yorkshire tea Tom - and both my parents were Lancastrians! But, amazingly, Peter and I never have a cup of tea in Halki but boy it’s the first drink we have when we get home. You seem to have had a very relaxing holiday with plenty of good food. We are booked in from tomorrow and really looking forward to a fortnight of chilling out. Thank you for your Halki diary. Very entertaining.

Hi Jill

Our paths may cross at the airport tomorrow, last day today
The atmosphere here is still as relaxed as ever. May I enquire where you will be staying?

Cheers. Tom and Rose

[soupdragon]

muriman

Our second visit blog thing recalls our walk up to the castle, I'll describe it as worthwhile but it's not something we'll be doing again soon.
By the way, the second time thread seems to be lost somewhere in the "general" forum.

Regarding tea, the reference to Harrogate was more for Betty's tea rooms as the parent company also owns the Yorkshire tea brand. Taylor's I think it is.
Just re read your post, you do mention Taylor's.
Tea bags are fine and dandy with us. We always take them away with us. The day doesn't end until we've had a brew

So, to today.

Apart from a bit of packing it's been a re run of several other days. Sadly Pondamos will have to wait for another year
Small bit of excitement at the port though. Hellenic Navy Missile Patrol Boat P29 decided to park up (forgive the copy and paste there by the way). I can still hear it's engines running now, I presume that's something to with needing to be ready for action at any time?
Greek built to a French design. Looks impressive enough.
Unfortunately that will have to do for tonight, alarm is set for 6am for our 8 o'clock ferry to Kamiros Skala. Where we'll end up while awaiting our flight home is anybody's guess. Our two previous visits have seen us dropped at Ixia and Rhodes Town. Either way I've got to find some of that ouzo that George got up on to last night. It was an eye opener that's for sure.

Will wrap things up sometime tomorrow. Back to reality again with my alarm being set for 5am.
Work is one of those things that we can't do without but wish we didn't need to do. How many years before I can retire? Too flipping many but I shouldn't grumble as we are more fortunate than many others.

Well, tatty bye for now, will do the final entry before bed tomorrow.

τα λέμε του χρόνου. Tom and Rose

[soupdragon]

We'll that's another stay over and done.
After a pleasantly smooth crossing we found a mini bus waiting for us all. Our destination this time was Ialisos. Not far from where we were dropped after our first visit. I won't pull the area down but it's not the type of location we'd choose to stay in these days.
Takes me back many many years to when we used to take our offspring with us. On our first visit to Rhodes we stayed just up the road from there on the outskirts of Trianda. Wherever it was, it was before they changed the approach to the airport. We always used to say "wait for the whoosh" as each aircraft flew right at us from the sea and did what seemed like a handbrake turn over our accommodation. Just after they'd passed overhead, (you could almost see the colour of the passengers eyes they were that low) we'd count up to about 10 seconds then we got a loud whoosh from the wingtip vortices and on the odd occasion small whirlwinds danced around the grounds. Entertaining to watch but a thing of the past now I presume as it's a longer and almost straight approach.

I'm liking the way the check-in area is looking. Most efficient with a baggage removal system in place. Quite a large departure area too, well air conditioned and a much more up to date duty-free space. When we went to our departure gate though we found that it was in the old part of the building and was being worked on. The air con there though was having a rest.

Back home safe and sound, alarm set for work at 5am. Just counting down the days until we can book again. Will be May 2021 now as our October slot for this year and both slots for next year are already booked.
Olympic's prices have gone up significantly since our last visit but I think Halki is worth it.
Don't you?

Our best wishes go to all those lucky people that are still to enjoy the delights and joys that are to be found there.
And to any first time visitors, relish in the experience, from your first sight of the harbour to your last glimpse as you leave. YOU'LL LOVE IT. And you will return

Until next time.............

Tom and Rose

[Liz]

Thank you Tom & Rose, as always your reports capture that laid back feeling of Halki .. it just passes all too fast

[somersetsteve]

Thanks Tom & Rose. I've really enjoyed your excellent daily updates. We'll be there next month! 😄

[carol]

Thank you so much Tom and Rose, it has been great hearing about Halki so early in the season....who is going to be next to do a blog ?

[Liz]

I'll try we go tomorrow .. but as I don't drink as much Tea as Tom as a nightcap ... it may well be just a garble

[carol]

I shall look forward to reading it😁😁have a good journey and a great holiday ⛴🏖🥂🥂

[soupdragon]

Just in case we actually get away in June I'm only testing to make sure I can still remember how to post pictures. It's been a while

Cheers. Tom and Rose

[Liz]

Great picture ... we've got everything crossed fro June