Incoming

Some lively youthful chatter sparked a single bark from Oskar at 04:00. Some small children in a nearby tent had woken up and probably considered it a good time to get up. Fortunately, the conversation was short-lived so we could all go back to sleep.

Movement from without caused me to wake up just before alarm time. It was cooler and less windy than recently so our pace was brisker for a change. It’s possible to get an idea of the temperature and humidity by the length of Luis’ tongue. Sometimes I fear he’ll step on it as he huffs along.

Fewer cars and a motorcycle adorned the beach car park. Two of the cars have been there for several nights I feel certain. Nevertheless, other than the camper van which is new to the scene, we encountered no one to my knowledge.

Kostas arrived as we were heading back up the Promontory but was ignored by the dogs who were busy on the beach. I noticed the camper van had the door open as we passed the second time. Progress to Plakaki was good so we were soon on the way back for the second circuit. I found a solid rubber tyre on the beach which I brought back as I felt it might be an almost indestructible toy for the dogs.

We were back inside around 07:10 so I made some tea and got on with preparing the Doggy Dinners. I had a little IT support task to deal with before setting off on my bike towards Paleochora.

Opposite the Megim Hotel, a dog came racing towards me across the road. I find that stopping means the mutt has no reason to give chase which is what I did. I know the dog as it lives nearby and was previously accustomed to lying in the road! I tried to encourage her to go onto the pavement out of the way so decided to park my bike off the road. There was a convenient dropped kerb which I used to get off the road. Unfortunately, I struck it at too much of an angle so ended up in an ungracious heap on the pavement. I was certain there was no one around two seconds before the event however, people arrived from all directions. The owner of the dog was leaning over his garden fence, a woman across the road at Megim asked if I needed help and was ok, then Antonis drew up in his car!

I managed to scrape myself up in as dignified manner as possible then make a few adjustments to my bike as the handlebars had turned through 180 degrees. I explained to Antonis I was concerned for the dog and was attempting to coax it back onto the pavement but misjudged the kerb. The reason for scattering myself on the concrete. I’d gained a small cut on my left shin and a bruise on my right ankle but as I was barely moving it was more to do with my own weight and that of the bike.

Antonis stopped further up to remonstrate with the dog’s owner for allowing it to wander in the carriageway causing inconvenience to passing foreigners and their bikes. I dusted myself off and continued on my way. The biggest injury was to my dignity!

I went up past Panorama to the pass and back down. I used a little extra help as there was wind from the north in my face for the last 500m or so. The run back down was good so I found myself riding past the ECO filling station, along the sea front and down to visit the PAWS puppies.

They tested their teeth and I tickled lots of tummies then got back on my bike for the ride to Grammeno. I stopped for a very quick immersion in the sea at Alonaki where it was more sheltered now that the wind was getting up.

I passed Maria, who was showing customers around the camping. She asked if I’d managed to get the address of the Chania house. I was able to tell her of the emails I’d received. I didn’t really want to get Maria involved seeing as it’s coming to the busiest time of the year.

The Doggy Dinners were nearly cooked so I let out the dogs and fed them as it was a little later than usual. I made some tea then plonked myself down to check out the computer I was working on earlier. The problem, it transpired, was a faulty connector on the printer.

I received some emails from Jacob, the vendor of The Wright House in Chania. I’d requested the location of the house and some other information via Maria. The first part of the day was taken up with producing some location maps then adding them to the web page with some measurements I’d taken from the house to the beach, shops and National Road which runs along most of the north coast of the island. I sent Jacob a link to the page with some additional queries.

It has become windier as the day has gone on however, it appears to be moderating now and has not been enough to require taking down the sun blocker. The forecast is for calm weather for the next couple of days but with an up to 50% possibility of insignificant showers on Monday and Tuesday. Rain in July! Other than the huge downpour in August 2014, I don’t ever recall it raining in July or August. We shall see if anything actually materialises.

I poked my nose out into the camping to bring in my bike battery for recharging tonight expecting to find the place overrun with tents and small children. I can hear the occasional sounds of excitement and enjoyment from the beach but it’s otherwise not as busy as I’d anticipate for mid-July.