Other than a couple of loud woofs from Isabella late evening, it was a calm and tranquil night. I asked Isabella very nicely not to bark and I don’t know at what/who she was barking. To hear her deep and powerful bark coming from the darkness should help to put off any potential interloper.
It didn’t seem at all long before the alarm sounded and I found myself walking up the track to The Promontory in the darkness. The moon has deserted us again until 20 October when it will become full again providing light morning for dog walking just as the clocks change eleven days later. Technically, we should see the last of DST (Daylight Saving Time) this year however with Brexit and CoVID, there have been more important things to concern those in the seat of power.
It was very pleasant walking towards Azzuro along Alonáki Beach with the waves gently colliding with the shore to my right. There were some distant flashes of lightning reflected on the atmosphere. It is quite dark once away from the annoying and polluting streetlights which I’m hoping will be turned off or at least down for the winter.
Most of the dogs were near me as we made our way back towards the Promontory with all present and correct at Plakaki and again at the top of the rocks where we stood for a few moments to enjoy the distant dawn sky over Paleochora. Soon, the sun will rise from the sea again!
It was becoming light as we walked back towards the camping and across the field. Something was of particular interest to The Fluffy Brothers and Isabella as they were hanging back near to the road. I hastened their arrival with a little remote persuasion.
I put the dogs into the van and made tea as I needed to attend to the miscreant label printer at Inter Sport in Haywards-Heath. This took a little longer than hoped so I was later leaving for my cycle workout. With very little wind to contend with, my ride towards Paleochora was uncontested so I was soon up over Panorama and around by the ferry which was yet to depart. Groups of walkers appeared to be aimlessly wandering towards it whilst others sat in cafés looking on.
I continued on my way to get back in time to feed the dogs and to help Ursula achieve here intended 10:00 departure. Tony contented himself with Banana Bread so I didn’t need to stop at the bakers. He was enjoying an interminable shower as Ursula and I chatted outside M6.
I transported some of their chattels to be stowed away in the storeroom until their next visit and when back to leave her to organise Tony and complete the final preparations for their departure.
The planned 10:00 departure time came and went so I transported their chairs and remaining bits whilst Ursula loaded their rental car and said their farewells to Janne and Erica. Tony waited patiently in the Grammeno Ferrari as Ursula reversed back scraping the front wing of the car on a large chunk of concrete placed to protect the plants. And off they went!
I packed up the final bits then returned to the dogs for tea and emails. One email contained the long-awaited 65% discount on GreekPod 101 which I quickly snapped up. Two years of Premium subscription for a mere $84 US (£32/pa)! Last year, for whatever reason, I wasn’t paying attention so missed all the offers. The thought of a $240 US subscription didn’t do it for me.
The ELTA website tells me that the package containing my bike parts has left Greek customs following its holiday of nearly one month, and has now arrived at the Iraklion sorting office. There might even be a chance of receiving it sometime next week. Considering it was despatched in UK on 23 AUGUST its arrival can hardly be described as being speedy. The tracking information referring to its presence in Athens, USA seems to have mysteriously disappeared…
I understand Ursula and Tony are on their way back to UK having returned their hire car with the modification undetected. They should get home later this evening.
The afternoon was a mixture of sunny intervals which has now turned overcast. Some new punters have arrived for the weekend however, I understand the Italian family in M4 will leave tomorrow to spend a couple of nights in Chania in preparation for their flight home on Monday. Instead of touring the island as intended, they’ve spent most of their holiday at Grammeno as they liked it so much.
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