Greece/Falaraki
Rhodes/Kos/Porus
Ah, where do I start? Well, I went to Greece and
Athens first of all at the age of 20. I’d always wanted to do a spot of
backpacking and island hopping as I thought myself as a bit of an adventurer
back then. So we hit Athens, at night in searing heat. It stank to high heaven
of rubbish left out all day in the humidity and I was so tired I just wanted to
hit the hay. We found a hostel and asked what we could get for 2000 Dracma.(Currency before the Euro.)
Not
much it seemed. Two cot like camp beds and a fan in a room! It was vile, but it
was late and I was tired and hungry, so my female friend and I went out, got
smashed so I didn't have to think of the roaches! The next morning we got out of there so fast, I didn’t even use amenities in fear of catching something nasty and we caught a hydrofoil to Poros Island. We went to the local tourist centre and asked again what we could get for 2000 Dracma a night (I’d read in travel journals this was a fair price for a decent room), and to our delight we were taken to a very clean and fully furnished apartment, with balcony!
There wasn’t a pool, but the soft white sandy beach was just a stone’s throw away. Porus town was quaint and quiet. Ever watched the film Mama Mia? Well, Poros was a bit like that. All white washed buildings and blue doors, windows, chairs…. Everything white and blue! It was like paradise to us. And so that was the end of my Greek island hopping adventure! Not much I know, but we did hop over to at least one island with a back pack on my back. After six glorious days we returned to Athens for a Forum for a charity group we were both members of.
Leo’s were the youth section of Lions Clubs International, a massive charity and welfare organisation today with over 13 million members worldwide. Back in the 90’s the members of Leo’s around Europe would take turns in hosting the annual European convention and in 1991 it was Greece’s turn. The hotel was positively Five Star compared to the flee pit we stayed in on the first night in Athens.
We were treated to a show of countries, a ceremony were each
country in Europe showed off their prowess and achievements. The Italians had a
stall full of amazing pasta dishes and chianti, the Turkish Leo’s brought a
kind of dumpling sauce dish (which was heaven) and a vodka type spirit, the
Germans brought sausage, schnitzel and beer, Spanish brought tapas and wines
and the British Leo’s…. Well we came up with Gin and Tonic and Blackpool rock! I felt a bit bad that
we don’t really have an official national dish – some say it’s roast beef and
Yorkshire pudding, others argue it’s Indian Curries. But surprisingly the bitterness
of the G&T and the sweetness of the rock was an amazing success.
We were treated to entertainment in the form of Greek
dancing, whilst the English Male Leo’s attempted to chat up the very fashion
conscious and rich Italian ladies in Leo’s, without much success. The Italians
Leo’s fascinated me, they arrived at the hotel with enough luggage for a
month’s trip rather than six days! The most extravagant of the ladies would
change outfits at least 3 to 4 times a day and never the same piece of apparel
was worn twice. No clever mixing and matching with their wardrobes!
We had a trip out to historical landmarks of Athens – like
an ancient Greek ampetheatre and ruined temple. We had volleyball competition
on the beach and water polo in the pool. I joined in with most activities and
forums held there, not just because our Lions club back home were sponsoring my friend and myself, but we wanted to fully immerse ourselves in the experience.
I’ve never been to a forum like that since and now I’m a grown up Lion, I would
like to attend one of these events again someday.
One evening the British contingency decided to host an after
dinner party in one of the hotel bedrooms. Our signature party piece was always
Toga fancy dress and it was exhilarating to see so many other Leo’s from all
over Europe join in the fun. The men took several bedroom doors off the hinges
to give the corridor more feeling of space. The bath was filled with cold
water to create a make shift drinks cooler and the Brits ran the bar. The Turkish and Italian Leo's got out their little gas burners and cooked some of the pasta and dumpling dishes they had left over
from the show of countries and the Finish Leo’s introduced us all to their
famous Black Vodka. Wowee! It was strong stuff and amazingly we all made it
down to the breakfast room the next morning still wearing our makeshift togas
from the hotels bedsheets! Can’t think why on earth the hotel wasn’t happy! I
mean we did put the doors back on the right way round! Lol.
The Gala Dinner to end the Forum in style was amazing. First
we were all taken to a Greek mansion by the coach load and walked over a hill
to see the most beautiful gardens all lit up with candles by night. We ate on the
terraces as a live band played and we danced the night away in our ball gowns
and penguin suits. Brilliant memories writing this and I think I need to add
this scene to a novel someday.
Falaraki on Rhodes
Island was a complete contrast a year later. This was my second girly sunshine
holiday. At first we were shipped out to Lindos. The hotel was horrendous, our
room was basically a carved out cave, beds were mattresses on carved out stone
and ants were crawling everywhere.
I think I had to check we weren’t staying in
The Fred Flinstone Hotel. So I packed my two friends up and shipped us all out
to Falaraki. As I felt I was the expert in getting on the spot accommodation
after my Island hoping expedition the year before. I got us a three bed
apartment for just 3000 Dracma a night and a refund from the Tour operator who
sent us blindly to Flinstones Hotel. The rest of the holiday was a blur of late
nights, pool bar nightclubs, street parties and the first ever bungy jumping crane
in a pool by the beach that I had ever seen.
We stayed up late and had beach parties and there wasn’t
much sunbathing done, but I went at a time when club land sunny destinations
like Falaraki and Ibiza were just starting out. The older generations said it
wouldn’t last and acid house parties and all night raves in the sun would be a
thing of the past, but twenty two years later the next generation has come
along and they still dance to the beats I danced to when I was still a fresh
faced youth. I needed a week to recover,
but at least I can say I did it once!
Kos was another 'mergh' type of holiday with the friend from
New Year in Portugal. Again she copped off with a man at the beginning of the
holiday, but out did herself this time and had a Shirley Valentine moment with
Nicholas, the owner of the apartment! However, there were highlights. Kos Town was a lovely oldie
worldie port with pretty communual gardens and shops to walk around. The Greek
night at the apartments and around the pool were smashing – quite literally.
Nicholas’ brother Demitri picked me out to dance the fire dance and we smash
lots of plates after. Great stuff.
Visit Alison's Website www.alisonkershaw.com
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