It is very gratifying to see so many people following the thread that we created during our last two weeks on Symi and many thanks for the lovely comments - we were quite overwhelmed reading these today. And yes NeilAmanda the diet starts now
Our initial concerns over the later EasyJet flight from Liverpool, it having been a morning flight out and an afternoon return the previous twice we used this route, were unfounded. In fact it has a lot to commend it. OK you miss a night on Symi but you do arrive on the Thursday feeling well rested. You then gain a day as we were able to spend the Wednesday on Symi and catch the later (16:30) ferry. We arrived in Rhodes (Akadia harbour) where there were plenty of taxis and were in the airport by 18:45 for the 21:15 flight. We were in the Hampton Hotel directly opposite Liverpool Arrivals by 11:45. Living where we do we are used to spending nights each side of the holiday on or near the airport.
So here we are back on the coast of Mid Wales : it is 12-15C and the sun is trying hard to get through the cloud. We have secured the release of Greyam, our cat, from the cattery; the cases are all unpacked and the washing machine is going full blast.
As we wandered around Yialos on our last day the kindness of the Symi people touched us yet again. A beer appearing out of nowhere, another carafe of retsina at lunch provided with just a smile and "efheristo", and a bill for a final round of frappes just disappearing (thank you Panagiotis) !
Also thank you S and L who we are sure were still waving from the Clock Tower as we rounded the headland : have a lovely second week and hope that one of those days you will get past Pachos and make it to Nimborio
We did push the boat out and stayed at Thea Apartments - just Google it. The room with bathroom ensuite equates to what you find in 5 star hotels : in fact better than one we stayed in recently ! Panagiotis the young owner could not do enough to make the stay perfect. The cleaning regime, the welcome bottle of wine, bottles of water replenished every day, honey and butter provided, coffee supplied and even yoghurt put in the fridge every day !! The fluffiest of towels, shampoos, body lotion, shower gels all provided and restocked daily. E thought the bed was just sublime (so much so we are now searching the web for a new mattress !!) Simply superb.
We do like the diversity of the many different properties we stay in and will continue to mix it up and we never rule out Olympic who, when it comes to value, are hard to beat but we are certain that Thea is now on our list of properties that we return to.
So many of the locals whom we have become close to over the years were shocked when we told them that we might only visit once this year as we have a commitment to visit close family in the USA in November. We really can't let them down so even if it is just a week we had better start looking at what's available in September