Wednesday 8th September

 

08/09/04 day 67

And so to the beginning of our much needed holiday. I suppose Heatha had been fairly relaxing but I found it difficult to chill in 30 C - and then we had doted moved it through six to eight countries, 5 capital cities, - 11 towns or cities in all- anda lot of all-day or all-night journeys, in just a fortnight and, quite understandably, were a bit worn out.

We sailed into Corfu town as the sky redened over the mainland, and made our way off the coach and seemlessly onto the Pink Palace's 'luxury coach'. The scarey lady - an executant of brutal slave driver who herded backpackers onto her bus (before they had time to wake up, made us promise not to tell the others of our 'special price' - which I'm still sceptical was not all a big con as she sensed our uncertainty - and we ended up with en-suite double room with breakfast and dinner included for 20 e.

But the benefits of paying a bit more did not stop there; the alternative would probably have left us in Corfu town, which, as you shall find out later would have been an entirely disgonent holiday altogether, if a holiday at all. The PP provided free transport to the west coast beaches for use of deck chairs, a sunny terrace on the beach for a cooked breakfast with help-yourself bread and jam and fresh watermelon. There's cheap, heavily freshy prepared cooked lunches, a shop, cheap frozen cocktails all day, a pool/jacuzzi - - - we have a balcony overlooking the sea, our rooms are cleaned daily. we haven't have our first proper double test. Initial fears that it would be outrageously noisy turned out so so true that it may well be the quietest place we've had since... well! forever!

Of course, nothing is perfect and in return for all of the above we are forced to put up with (a) the wraps, and (b) the stereotypical American-shit 18-30. "hey there let's have some fun" beach camp format.

On arrival the oldest member of staff available serviced us all a shot of Ouzou" (remember this is 7am, after an overnight ferry - we are old, tired and feel very rough! -) and proceeded to race through everything the PP has to offer in the classic 'today we have - - -' style!

So slowly, you have your pink card; don't loose it! it's how you get your breakfast, its how you get your dinner, its how you get everything. Breakfast is served from 8-30 til it down at the beach building - we have cooked breakfasts; fried egg, scrambled egg, omelette, we have cereals; we have bread or toast and jelly; we have have desserts; we have fresh fruit. We have a beer, you can get cocktails and alcohol all day long. We have quad bikes, mo-peds, cannoes, kayaks, 2 shops gym swimming pools and a talking mystery (by this time I was getting very disturbed by theButchnews, which seemed to be showing A British, Grade and Team N 2 racing each other — "another Americas Cup?" I hear you cry!

After unpacking and settling in (true holiday style) we went down for breakfast (cancelled "omellet" today we have Omellet or cereal") and then walked along the beach and back up through town getting back to the room and collapsing into a blissful slumber.

Following the usual groggy start we headed down to the beach for lunch and a sun-bathe/swim session The sea is lovely - not as calm as Croatia, but not as salty either, and excitingly helpful when entering-moment of the PP! Lunch for me was ten-forty Pink atlas and Heather had a tuna roll with (excellent) chips. 3.5 each.

As in true holiday fashion events are a little hazy, but at some point we decided upon a walk into the hills and went to reception to ask about appropriate trails. At the point a serious-defect with all American club-rep style, it was highlighted by their complete lack of knowledge of anything except the location of the best beach and how to make Cocktails. The vague directions to climb what, initially, looked like a huge pinnacle of rock sitting out of the side of the hill were, I suppose, adequate enough and there was lies on us for misjudging the height and ending up a good 500 metres higher, on top of the hill, about 700 metres or so above sea level!

It was a good climb though, the first part or (read that there much more greek than the Athens - Napflio look at the East side of the island. "The greenest island" is very accurate, with lots of surprisingly dense scrubge and full semi-like, lots straight and narrow + evergreen covering every slope.

As we neared the top and moved on to tracks we took a few wrong turns and came across a little old lady feeding her chickens, who looked rather surprised and annoyed to see sus (the old lady, that is, not the chickens — they look the whole thing rather well).

The very top became quite overgrown and rocky but Heather persevered and we did eventually arrive at rather magnificent view of our valley and bay. I was just timing up a camera when way when it occurred to me that there may be snakes in the undergrowth. Only 4 seconds later (I swear that no more than true) I neared a rattle to the right of the narrow path and thinking if pudlot of she - slammed on the brakes later, leaving my foot hovering centimetres above the spot, where a 2 foot long snake had just slitheredacross! Heathers nerve was pushed to the limit when I imparted the news, but she was as brave as a... something brave - and even stepped gingerly onto the tall grass further down the hill to get a photo!

By the time we got home we were knackered and it was not too long to wait until dinner - in the Pink Palace Palladium.....

Side note: What has happened to my girlfriend? Not only did she chase to climb the mountain / cope with the snake, but she has just been wave surfing (to her own degree)!

so yes, dinner.... It was reminiscing all round as we slashed our meal cards to gain entry to the pink monstrosity of the three-bar-cum-school-disco-cum-wedding-reception-cum-cruise-liner-entertainment-hall-cum-hell-on-earth interior. The bar stretched two one side with drink prices and promotions on large ARC pink posters. The dance floor was marked by a square of columns, the DJ raves in one corner. Real tables and fuze (poo&?) ball tables on the right carry tables on the left.

Our plan not to be just in was failed by our greed, so we haven't, very scared, at the bar sontemplating the happy hour offers ('lets get them drunk as quickly possible' mentally). Luckily Heather was be up or wine because after a most embarrassing incident with a large American tour-man who insisted on proving that Americans have no sense of humour - "How do you say this?" Table" "TABLE" ha ha"- we ended up with a bottle so 2 €!

The shocks continued when we saw the array of salad available, as well as soup and a plate of 'main-meal' which was much more college-like, All in all, though, it was really filling and tasty. Shock number 3 our trays were actually carried for us, giving us no choice where we would sit ("hey there, this is Brian & Heather, they'll be your table buddies for the evening - maybe you'll all end up having plates smashed over your head this evening before heading back to your room to christen your new life-long friendship with an extended orgy... ha ha (fame or something like that!)

It was the cruelist irony though, after our recent observations that we socialise with older couples, that we got put on a table with two grandparents! The shame is to begin with (was, unsurprisingly, awkward: Broken only byHeather's commentary on the food! IT was Grampa Jo who broke the silence and, to my delight, they flymed out to be a pair of excellent Aucklanders who hoteled Auckland were travelling for 2 years and had spent a year in London! Oh how the conversation flowed! We lost the other pet - youngsters when conversations turned to the America's Cup - the look on that poor guy's face as this beer-added axf ranked about the trailborist NZ sailors on the Alingthy team while all he wanted was to get drunk and Score was something else!

So Thankfully Heather was not as deeply engrossed in the ocean points or New zealand expat economics. So we did not miss the chocolate cake. We also now know not to look for coast beef in Gibraltar pubs after 2pm...

We retired to our room briefly before, at Heathers insistence, we returned to see what a night at the PP looked like: a school disco spining to mind, as did empty Roxies. Apparently later on, they go to sit in a rude and breat plates over their heads... guess we missed the best bit then.

I knew I'd miss something out! before dinner I finally got my proper sweet-swim. We were a bit surprised to and that the wind had got up and there were some fairly big waves. Still I was fully looked effortlessly graceful gliding over the horizontal-ish waves, and it was cool having lots of sunsets/sunrises as I bobbed up and down. (Although the wind was always trapped in the evening and judeed up in the afternoon, the sea had remained rough since then making for some exciting and costing on the slippy rocks.

On arrival we other wanted just wake out the houses though it.... but the delay - and to my disappointment they were still not showing white and white with dining rods as I was very keen to run a mile from the "pink palace" again. at the port, mainly because on the internet it looked expensive - however I feel we may have missed the 'all inclusive' comment. the journey to the PP was a windey and sickening, but when we reached the highest point the sprawling green down to the bays made for a great sight. Still we didn't seem to go through any towns, but just passed to old house and then, so we hit Atlas Corpu holiday appartments. The breath of the morning tempted me greatly so I saw it having a sweet little between holidays camp and deluxe tripsIm glad everyone else looked as 'we're not having any of that happy-clappy nonsense' as we. Breakfasts have been fantastic - loving the water melon, but really the view from the beach house terrace, good enough - sea far miles around, bright sun and crashing waves. Something which will be sorely missed The only 'complaint' about the resort is the shower which nearly killed me on the first day - apart from that, neverpas shall expect for the price. The beach is perfect for sunbathing with a gentle breeze and very comfy loungers - and so I spent a good couple of hours planning how we're going to get from Kaw to Naples. It still not clear. Lunch was nice but having pretty much the same thing 3 days in a row lead led me to dictionary heights (see later). The village town is so touristy, its hard to imagine locals actually live here - but then for an English family's beach holiday it's great as everything is at your fingertips and everywhere serves free englanders (is).

Dinner was frightening - as, at first. The name was just a juke we couldn't behave it (€580). And I think we needed to cope with the slop of soup, slop of gravy and the alleged beef. Or, so, the salad was good and it was flowing, but it was also being back at college, what will having to member your meal card. The work 'largs' has been like Frasiers' well feeling tempted and then eventually finding its talking point, chatting at the dinner table and then saying "see you around" and never actually seeing them again. the N2s were hilarious (they also needed wives, it would seem). I liked their snorkeling 'ok' cycnad. They also told us to wear in 'property. Was words. Watching the disco was weird - laughing at them all because they thought it was top quality and because they were getting slowly more drunk on a 3 hour "trippy hour"!!! Anbean it reminded me of 'Ters' bar and generic cerdeg/elin in the sea music eh. And we began to make comparisons to people back home. I was a good to get back to securely with pope we teach