Best sighting in Athens airport...who knew a bikini top doubled as an eye mask? Now we do!
Perrissa Black sand beach and sun beds
6 days w/o washing our hair and we look good...salt water hair!
Thira for the sunset...view from our table!
Yep...this is us, if you can't beat them, join them!
We felt like girls for once, minus our sweet matching eagle creek purses!
Our first afternoon at the beach!
Views from our cruise...are those snow capped mountains? Nope...houses! White ones!
A moment at the cliffs of Moher!
Jumping pictures! No Kelly is not jumping off the cliff!
The Aran Islands stole the majesty of the Cliffs of Moher, lets be honest. After our amazing day on the cliffs in the Black Fort, the Cliffs of Moher just couldn't compare as they were touristy and crowded. But none the less they were beautiful, picturesque, and massive as the pictures show.
Exciting point is we got a flat tire...ooohhhh challenge, we like these. We have come across many. So the situation involved - a handy english man, a not so handy or helpful budget man, a mini tire, and a slow detour to Ennis on our way back to Galway for new tire, which apparently there is only one in the entire country we found out. Dream come true...ask for more details later.
We left our beloved west coast and headed back to Dublin to begin our journey to Santorini, Greece...
here is a quick outline of the next 36 hours -
7:30am We arrive at Dublin Airport
10:40 - Our plane departed for switzerland
2:20pm - Arrive in Zurich and toured the airport in 15 min. and tried to keep ourselves busy for the next 6 hours.
8:30pm - Our plane departs to Athens, Greece
12:00am - Arrive in Athens and found a comfy spot on the tile floor next to some windows behind a ticketing info desk to "sleep" from 1-4. It was glorious, you should try it. So fun...sense the sarcasim.
5:30am - Caught a bus to Perrius Port
7:30am - Departed on our ferry for Santorini Greece
4:00pm - We arrived in SANTORINI!!!!! Whoopti WHoooo!!!!!
We got into Perrissa, our final destination and searched the town high and low for our hostel and found it behind a rent-a-scooter shop and internet cafe. We had been deceived by hostelworld. Lets just say the pictures did not live up to the reality and Amy killed a cochroach. mmm...we weren't suprised this is what everyone dreams of for a honeymoon in santorini...right? Oh and let us make mention of our bathroom...there was one toilet and "shower" for a 10 bedroom dorm and the "shower" was acually a hose hook up with a shower head on it next to a drain. You could literally go to the bathroom, wash your hair and brush your teeth at the same time, for there was no seperation. 6 days without washing our hair...broken record. Our bodies were washed...don't you fret. We also would like to mention that the air onditioning that was promised on hostelworld was a window without a screen. We slept so soundly in the 85 degree heat, humidity and our sweat. But we were in it together and again nothing rains on our parade and most of our time would be spent on the beach anyways.
Bonuses of Greece:
-Everything is cheaper, so much cheaper (monopoly money) .
-Food is new and delicious.
-Fresh fruit and daily morning errands as we headed to beach.
-There was a bakery between our hostel and the beach.
-We realized our dream of owning horses was possible because paying for expensive fences and food always held us back, neither is necessary in greece. What do you need? A rope, a tree, and an ankle. Yes horses were tied up by their ankles...kinda like a leash? not really...but yea kinda. And food...sage brush is around...thats fine. --- This was actually pretty sad and disheartening.
-The beach was a topless beach so nobody ever looked at us in our bikinis because our swimsuits were the sweatsuits of the bikini world on Perrissa beach. Between topless women, thongs, speedos, and euro shorts, no one was looking at us and besides who really would everyone was making out in their sunbeds...newlyweds...bah!
We decided...if you can't beat them join them...wait wait wait, let us clarify. We enjoyed numerous moonlit dinners on the beach, one sunset dinner in Thira. We had a beautiful night with us, a bottle of Greek wine, and the beach. Great heart hearts and enjoyed laughing and frolicing in the mediterranian. We also enjoyed numerous long walks on the beach. You can laugh, but you are all jealous, you know you are :). Needless to say our time in greece was beautiful, relaxing and "romantic"...we loved being surrounded by couples...sidenote: in Greece they pretty much only set tables for two.
We would like to note that our 8 hour ferry to santorini was a glorious ride through the cyclades in beautiful weather with beautiful views...our ride back looked a little different but was far more entertaining. First of all, we hit a Tsunami, Everyone was throwing up everywhere and were green...we weren't, we just had the enjoyment of watching them or trying not to and we swear we hit an iceberg at one point as the entire boat jolted and everyone looked at each other in fear. Yes, I know there are not icebergs in the mediterranian.
We now would like to introduce our friend Ingrid, a latvian women who had been working in Greece. How did we meet her? She shoved a sandwich in Amy's face, offering her the sweaty cheese, salami delight. She actually struck up conversation because she saw us reading the Bible and said "that a good book." We had a good conversation with her about life and her family and she moved in to our booth with us. She became a quick friend and pseudo mom. She constantly was offering us food, warmth and rest. At one point in our journey...Amy was sleeping quite uncomfortably on the table and awoke completely disoriented, but caught Ingrid's eye. At this Ingrid said "You (pointing at Amy)...sleep on my lap" and patted the purse on her lap as it was going to be her pillow apparently. As Amy politely tried to decline the offer, Ingrid eventually put her arm around Amy and laid her into her lap. Apparently she wasn't taking no for an answer, so amy cuddled up with her new mom. The stories of Ingrid can only continue, so please do ask. She was great and hilarious and had a Mary Poppins bag full of suprises.
P.s. Thanks to Ingrid there is a message in a bottle floating in the mediterranian signed Amy and Kelly! Yes! She was our designated chucker!
To make a long story short...we are home...bittersweet. Excited to see you all, but also wish you coulda just joined us because we were rearing for another 6 weeks!
Other stories we can share when we see you:
Being invited to the beach bar by Jimmy.
Tea and crumpets on our return to Donabate from Tracy.
Kelly the fabulous New Zealander who almost convinced us to stay.
Roxanne and her presuading ways.
Our nights in Greece in our idyllic hostel.
Alex our greek beautiful tour guide.
Donkeys.
Thanks to everyone that has been a part of this trip through your support, prayers, care and actually reading our blog! We love you all and are excited to see you and share more of our travel and journeys!
Oh, please come over sometime this week and share pictures and more stories with me:). Where are you staying? Are you even in Washington? If not, come visit, lol, your room is still free:).
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