I was woken up good and early by Boris whining and then Five barking. Boris didn’t whine much but I was half-awake anyway. Five was making a lot of noise so I got out of bed to make sure it was really her before calling Maria to inform her. I called Maria just after 05:00. As you can imagine, she wasn’t too enthusiastic about being woken up but she did tell me to let her know if Five was barking. I decided to get going with the doggy walk as they were eager anyway.
We passed the 3M van in the moonlight and there was no sound from within or without. We continued to the end of the Promontory where Ursula wasn’t. I hung around for a while to admire the sea and the stars then moved to the rocks to be near the sea. There was quite a strong southwesterly wind which had been stirring up the sea for a day or so. There was spray on the rocks where breaking waves had thrown it quite far up. It was impressive: the wind, moon and waves.
In the distance I saw Ursula’s torch arrive and some of the dogs set off to greet her. She’d got up at the recognised normal time not knowing that I was a long way ahead. We played with the dogs until it began to get light around 07:00. It’s getting light a lot later now.
Back to the camping past the Van where, this time there was a dog lurking beneath. Only Obi barked, just the once but Ursula was less fortunate with her lot. I had to boil the kettle on the gas today as there was no electricity after 06:00 until 09:00. We drank our tea and discussed a few doggy routine requirements and then Ursula went off to make breakfast taking Dave with her.
I turned up later and we had an enjoyable breakfast. I thought I’d better start packing some clothes and sorting things out. The day got warmer so I was discarding clothing as the temperature rose. The high was 25.5C but the wind was strong and quite persistant.
I think the dogs worked out that there was something going on quite a while ago as they’ve been behaving differently. Tony and Ursula arrived for tea and then I waited for Antonis to appear. He and his beloved are visiting friends in Chania later but Antonis was there this morning for his regular AirSoft sessions where he and his little friends shoot one another with plastic pellets. Antonis starts his additional army training next Sunday so explained that he might leave his car at the airport so I can drive myself back if there are any complications. Otherwise I will see his happy, shining face outside Arrivals.
He and his girlfriend dropped me off at departures and I made my way through security. I set off the metal detector so had to be patted down by the nice man waiting nearby. Through to departures and out to the gate. A bus takes you to the plane waiting nearby on the tarmac. I paid for speedy boarding and extra legroom so I can take two carry-on items. The people next to me do this often so know the ropes. Being by the exits means you can have an extra bag but it has to be stowed in the locker. Lots of people are looking at their tablets or other devices. I could get mine out too but don’t wish to show off as mine is BIGGER! (As it turned out, my neighbour was an Apple Fan so he had an iPad Pro too)
The flight left on time but there is a head wind so we might arrive slightly later than advertised.
It’s a while since I’ve been on a plane. The last time was to Portugal probably December 2002. I remember the flights to Hawaii and Singapore: those planes were a lot bigger. In those days they showed films during the flight. Most people here are watching on their devices or listening to their own music. The entertainment revolution!
Sitting near an emergency exit has its advantages but they tend to decrease after a couple of hours. The seats get hard and there is an overwhelming desire to stand up. The lady in 12a needed the loo and to get something from the locker so I was delighted to stand whilst she did all this. All said and done, EastJet is a budget airline so it’s unrealistic to expect more than a no-frills service. The flight attendants were friendly, helpful and polite, we departed on time and arrived early and in one piece. What more could one wish for?
We landed early but immigration was quick. I stuck my passport into a reader and it opened the gate. I’m not too concerned at 03:00 (EEST) so long as I get out. Not having to communicate with a real person an also be a bonus. It’s a bit of a trek to South Terminal to pick up the car but the process was quick: I did the paperwork, found the car, and left for the A23 to Brighton and then on to Lewes. I almost missed the turning into Montecute Road and managed to miss the next turn, ending in a cul de sac where I had to turn round. Needless to say, it was past 04:00 my time so it’s hardly surprising.
I think it might be time to go to sleep
Goodnight doggies I hope you’re snoring peacefully in warm and sunny Crete
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