Preliminaries

[D and E]

Just booked the 15:00 Blue Star Rhodes to Symi ferry for Wednesday 28th September.

We are sure AndyW has mentioned this numerous times but always book on the actual ferry company's website. Just out of interest went onto a site called Go-Ferry which a Google search presented when asked for ferries from Rhodes to Symi. They were going to charge €21.60 for a single fare for the two of us. Thought this was a bit high when thinking back to May. Went onto the Blue Star site and the same journey is now booked for €16.00.

Have booked Sofitel Gatwick for the night before the early morning EasyJet.

We have just got a new Smart car and being the daft people that we are style overcame practicality and as it is a cabrio there is very little luggage space. The old Smart could just squeeze our cases in but not this one.

Was thinking about taking the train from Aberystwyth to Gatwick which we have done before but there is the possibility of disruption by the sound of things and the return journey times would mean a split ticket (sometimes cheaper but not this time).

Now to sort out a hire car as we think we can get two one way hires cheaper than the airport parking that we have used in the past. Tried the local office but got the same old single journey premium of about an additional £40 each way taking the total cost to around £150. But deep inside Europecar's website we came upon an Airport Connect service but when trying to book it online it didn't work. Emailed Customer Services who apologised for their website and said that we should be able to book that so back into the local office on Monday.

Always enjoy sorting out these preliminaries as it means that the visit is not far off - 46 days and counting

[Andy W]

I totally agree. It is usually pointless booking planes, trains. ferries, buses etc online with anyone other than the organisation that operates them. This certainly proves the rule as far as Greek ferries go. A few years ago there were agency websites selling tickets on ferries between Greece and Turkey that had not been approved by either country. Not surprisingly the ferries never sailed, but by then the agency websites just weren't responding to refund requests...

In fact I'd take it further. There's little need to book most Greek ferries in advance at all, unless you want a cabin on an overnight sailing, except perhaps in August or for high-speed craft. Greeks know this, and that's why there are kiosks next to ferry departure points to sell them tickets. Nothing wrong in booking on line if you want to, but you're going to have to stop at the kiosk anyway to exchange the booking confirmation for the real ticket that you have to show as you board, by law.
The Blue Star Paros is licensed to carry more than 1400 people, neither she nor the Diagoras which sailed the route before her has ever been full between Rhodes and Symi.

It is really the suckers who buy Ryanair or EasyJet tickets from agents that I feel sorriest for. These airlines don't give discounts or commission to travel agents, so you cannot possibly get a cheaper fare than the airline itself sells. You can certainly find websites showing cheaper fares, but this is a con trick. You'll end up paying a booking fee of some sort even if the fare showing is actually available at all, probably not obvious until you get charged, or if you buy a flight and hotel together, you end up paying more for the hotel than you could have found elsewhere. And if the agent goes bust, as LowCost Holidays did recently, you may find you can't access your booking to check in.

[silverfox]

This also means we have another daily dose of Symi and it's food!

I'm looking forward to it too!

[D and E]

Thanks Silverfox.
We will do our best and probably over-indulge on the food & drink and as usual D will inevitably take pics and blog each day
As we will be staying round at Nos with the wonderful Margarita we will not be able to meet the 100% attendance at the mecca that is Yianis Rainbow bar
Our evening ouzo & retsina stop of choice when staying "down" - is the equally wonderful Elpida's but we will make it "up" for dinner at the Terrific Three (and in no particular order to suggest favouritism so in geographical order instead) - Zoe's, Zylygos, Giorgio's and of course if the Windmills is still open we may need a fourth venture up - only 10 more dinners to plan
41 Days and counting .......

[Gemma1]

I'm looking forward to reading your 'delicious' reports again - though with a tinge of sadness as I come home from Symi the day you go so it will mean that my Symi holiday for this year will be over. As I've got WIFI this year I'm going to aim to post my updates daily, rather than doing a trip report when I get back

[silverfox]

I'm sure you will have a few at the Rainbow while you are up top D and E

That sounds great Gemma...even more to look forward to!

[Robert]

What good news - we should overlap for a few days and hope to say hello - we so love your blogs!

[D and E]

So many things -

Gemma's daily (won't hold you to it ) blog
The Rainbow and making the most of our reduced visits
And perhaps bumping into Robert somewhere along the way