Bari, Italy

It turns out the Superfast I ferry was about a year old, spacious and elegant. Our cabin actually had four bunks in it. We contemplated renting out the other two to make some money, but in the end, we kept it for ourselves. Craig was disappointed that there was no balcony, just a small outside window. The ferry was full. There were Italian student groups, American tour groups who had been diverted because of flight cancellations and regular travelers like us. The trip passed quickly. Mostly because we made some new friends, a couple from Australia and their friends from the U.S.A. We spent an enjoyable evening in the restaurant together. A good time was had by all. It was so nice to be able to go to sleep in a comfortable bunk at the end of the day. We slept soundly and when we awoke in the morning, we were a mere hour away from Bari.Bari is a medium sized city that is a transportation centre. It is not really a tourist destination. We would not be staying here, however we are unable to get a ferry to Dubrovnik until the evening of April 24th (Lynda's birthday.) As a result, it has been trial by fire in terms of communication. We have been fumbling our way through the Italian language. Our funniest experience was at the post office. We decided that we should lighten our packs and send some of our winter clothes home. It took all morning for us to get a box and find out about postage rates. Back at the hotel, we crammed as much into the box as we could and headed back to mail it. It took the clerk forty-five minutes to process our package, mainly because of the language barrier. They had to clarify the contents in Italian, determine a value for insurance purposes and accept the fact that we had no address so we were using the pension as a return address. Finally, they accepted the package and we stumbled out of there in a daze. It will be a miracle if we ever see those clothes again.
In the seven months we have been away, we have only had about ten incidents of rain. Throughout Turkey and the Greek islands, the weather has been sunny and warm. The day we sent home our jackets and boots, it started to rain. On our way out for dinner, Lynda lasted about ten minutes. As soon as we saw a sporting goods store, she was in there buying a wind breaker/rain jacket. Craig is made of heartier stock and is much more optimistic. We will see how wise a decision we made, as we travel through Croatia and back into Italy.
There are a few things to do and see in Bari. The old town is a maze of streets and alleyways. According to the Lonely Planet, there are 120 shrines and 40 churches in this small area alone. Craig was amused by the "Infamous Column." It dates back to the 13th century and was where debtors and people who had declared bankruptcy were put to shame. Bari is also the site of the Basilica di San Nicola, one of the south's first Norman churches. It is an important pilgrimage site, as evidenced by the number of tour buses parked around it. Apparently, it was built to house the relics of St. Nicholas (yes, Father Christmas.) We aren't sure of the whole story, but the relics were stolen from Turkey in 1087 by a local fisherman. We also went inside the 11th century Romanesque cathedral. Both the Basilica and the cathedral have very interesting crypts. We aren't religious people, yet you can't help but feel peace and serenity in both places.
For months we have been looking forward to an Italian dining experience. We were disappointed in Bari. There are coffee houses on every corner, but restaurants are more difficult to find. Primarily because Italians don't go out for dinner until at least 8:00 pm. For us, it is way too late to eat. In Turkey and Greece the locals eat late, but at least the restaurants were open and we could get served. In Bari, nothing was open and we spent hours walking around looking for somewhere to eat. Clearly, we are going to have to change our eating patterns before we return to Italy.We were anxious to continue our travels and happily went to the port on Saturday evening. There were a number of ferries leaving that night: Dubrovnik, Montenegro and Albania. The line-up to clear immigration was huge and it moved slowly. We were amongst one of the first groups to board our ship. It was like a 1970s BC ferry that missed out on ever being upgraded. Since we had not purchased a cabin, we were lucky enough to secure a booth. We divided the journey into two four hour shifts and took turns sleeping. We arrived in Dubrovnik at 8:00 am on Sunday morning feeling quite refreshed and are now safely tucked away in a "Sobe" on the hill above the old town.

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Athens, Greece

Our journey to Athens on the Speedrunner IV was quick and uneventful. Lynda used the time to read her novel and Craig exercised his brain by doing some Suduko. There was a football match playing on the TV, but we weren't really paying attention to it. The red and white team was playing against the green and black team. When the ferry docked, we were at the front of the line to disembark. Roula had helped us book the Hotel Astor from Milos and we needed to get to Syntagma Square. We could have taken a taxi, but Craig wanted to save some Euros so we headed to the train station. As it turns out, it is very reasonable to ride the train into the city - only 1 Euro each. Sounds simple, doesn't it? Not a chance. The glitch is that part of the train line is closed for repairs. After a few stops you have to get off the train and take a bus to another station, then reboard the train and go several more stops as well as switching lines along the way. The second glitch is that the football match has just ended in the stadium beside the port. It turns out the red and white team is from Piraeus. (They were playing against the team from Thessaloniki.) So we must do all of this with our packs on, amongst thousands of football fans who are all trying to get home by public transportation. Based on the mood of the fans, the home team was victorious. Everyone was happy and singing their team song loudly, and especially loud when a couple of Thessaloniki fans boarded the bus. In the end, we arrived at the hotel safe, but exhausted.
The Astor Hotel was a good choice for us. It was reasonably priced and centrally located to all of the major sites. We had a view of the Acropolis from our room, although it was partially obstructed by a crane. There was an even better view from the restaurant on the 10th floor. We ate a huge breakfast up there (included in the price) every morning before going out to do some sightseeing. Our hotel was very busy. We spoke to many people who were stuck in Athens because of the problems with the volcanic ash that had closed down airports in most of Europe. Many of them were waiting for news or trying to find alternate ways out of the city. We were happy that we weren't trying to get home. We were only trying to get to Croatia. How hard could it be? We knew it was a sixteen hour journey from Patras to Bari, Italy by ferry. Once we arrived in Bari, we could catch another ferry to Dubrovnik. Lynda was not thrilled about the prospect of being in a seat for that long so she convinced Craig that we should get a cabin. Nothing fancy, just an inside cabin for two. We heard that if we bought a seat, we could wait and purchase an upgrade on the ferry. If we were lucky, we could end up being two people in a four person cabin. We had a plan. Full of confidence, we went to the Superfast ferry office in Syntagma Square. It turns out, Bari was one of those alternate routes out of the city. There was only one cabin left and it was the most expensive one. After a half hour of humming and hawwing, we decided to fork over the money and book the cabin. Let's face it men...if your wife is happy, you are happy. Even if it means paying for a cabin, to travel a long way, in the dark. Back to Athens...Our first day there, we took the train one stop to the Acropolis station. We found the entrance gate and paid 12 Euros for a pass that covered the fees to seven sites, over four days. Many of the sites are within close proximity to the Acropolis. We saw the Theatre of Dionysis, the Parthenon, the Agora, the Temple of Zeus and Hadrian's Gate. It's all a bit overwhelming actually. (Perhaps we should have had Preet give us a refresher course in Ancient Civilizations before we left Canada.) What we can say is that it was great to actually see some of these things in person. You see them and hear about them your whole life, but it is different when you are standing in front of them. They are so impressive. We also enjoyed our trip to the National Archaeological Museum on the second day. We saw sculptures, bronzes, vases, and Egyptian and Pre-historic artifacts that date as far back as the 7th millenium BC. We think that our modern society is responsible for so many things, such as mechanical clocks, medical equipment, and fine jewellery, when in fact they have been around for a very long time and the skill level of the craftsmen was amazingly high.
Athens is a massive, sprawling city. We barely had time to view one small part of it, however, we are satisfied with what we saw. Our departure is well-timed. There is a lot of unrest in this country due to its financial problems. It is more noticeable in Athens than on the islands. A general strike has been called for the 22nd of April and we fear that if we don't get out now, we will be marooned for days. We are taking the Superfast bus to Patras (about four hours away) where we will board the ferry for Bari. With the added luxury of a private cabin to look forward to, this leg of our journey, should be most enjoyable.

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Milos, Greece

While we were in Santorini, we met some Canadians from Vancouver. In our discussion, the wife asked Lynda how she was coping with being away from home for so long. It wasn't until these last five days in Milos that the answer came to Lynda. We have been staying at the Nefeli Sunset Studios in Pollonia which is located a mere 80 feet from the Aegean Sea. We spent many hours sitting in the garden or on the deck, enjoying the sunshine and the warmth. From our room we could hear the waves crashing against the shore. We have thoroughly enjoyed the peace and quiet of Milos in the off-season. More than that, we have been blessed by the friendship of our hosts, Roula and Makis. For us this year, it has been making connections with people that has enhanced our trip. It is why we loved Turkey so much. In the short time we were there, we made many friends. So in Greece, we felt like something was missing. We have liked it, but we have not loved it. When we came to Milos and stayed at Nefeli, we finally found the connection we were looking for. After months on the road, it is difficult to leave a place that feels so much like home.
Milos is approximately five hours from the port of Piraeus by high-speed ferry. It is volcanic in origin and has traditionally relied on mining to support its economy. The three main towns are: Adamas (the port), Plaka and Pollonia, all located in the north, and on the east side of the island. Although we rented a car for most of our time on the island, we only managed to see a fraction of it. We spent several hours at the ancient city which is located on a very steep hillside near Tripiti. There we found remnants of the city walls and a Roman theatre. From the top of the hill, where a small church now stands, the views are spectacular. We also toured through the nearby Catacombs which are thought to be the earliest Christian site in Greece. They date back to the 1st century AD, but were not discovered until the 1840s. We were able to go in two of the three tunnels. The chambers are light with floodlights which give them an eerie feeling, especially when you realize the niches in the walls were for burials. After lunching in Plaka, we climbed a couple of hundred stairs to view the remains of the Kastro. Along the way, there are a number of little churches built into the hillside. At the top we were rewarded for our efforts. It is the perfect defensive position - you have a 360 degree view, for miles around, from the top. This is where we spotted the beautiful beach at Plathiena. We had to go and check it out. We headed back to the car and drove the winding, potholed road to the beach. Along the way, we passed a snake on the side of the road. Even though it was clearly dead, Lynda gave it a wide berth, while Craig moved in close to take a photo (we later found out it was not poisonous.)
We puttered our way along the coast visiting more churches, more beaches and to Craig's delight some little fishing villages called Firopotamos and Mandrakia. We were surprised by the white rock formations at Sarakiniko. It is very much like Capadoccia with caves built into the rock walls, however, it is also a great swimming spot. Craig finally succumbed to the temptation and dove in. It was a hot day and the water wasn't very deep so it had patches of warmth, and he found it very "refreshing." Afterwards, we walked further along the cliffside and viewed the remains of a shipwreck.
We cannot forget to mention our favourite taverna in Pollonia. (Many thanks to Roula for suggesting it.) It is called "Gialos" and it is run by the very charismatic owner, Christos. You will have no trouble finding it. It is located on the waterfront. It is very popular with both tourists and the locals. We had several excellent meals there - in fact, it was the best food we ate the whole time we were in Greece. So if you happen to be in Milos, stop by and see for yourself.
How did these five days zoom by so quickly? We have had a chance to sit and relax, but we have also enjoyed touring around the island. We would definitely return to Milos and Nefeli Sunset Studios. Now we are on our way to Athens. It is a bit nerve wracking for us since we are not fans of big cities, but we couldn't come all this way, and bypass it. So we are going to spend three nights there and do as much sightseeeing as we can. It will also give us a few days to figure out how we are going to get to Croatia. Apparently, it's a bit difficult from Greece. Combined with the airport closures due to the abundance of volcanic ash in the air, air travel is not an option. Who planned this route anyway?

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Santorini, Greece

Aaah, Santorini. Stunning and unique. We couldn't go to the Greek Islands and miss this gem, but as a destination its possibilities are somewhat limited. Two full days were enough for us. We elected to stay t the Pension George, in the village of Karterados, about a fifteen minute walk from the town of Fira, another favourite of Trip Advisor members. There we had a large, comfortable room with a balcony for 30 Euros per night. No, we didn't have a view of the caldera, but Karterados is self-contained. Restaurants, grocery stores and scooter rentals, all in a quiet location outside of the hustle and bustle of Fira. It suited our needs just fine.
After breakfast on our first day, we walked up the road and rented a scooter. This time we could only get one with a 50 cc engine, but Santorini is not as hilly as Naxos, so we didn't need as much power. We consulted the map and drove the winding road to the village of Oia. Almost everyone heads to Oia for its spectacular sunsets, but we wanted to get there early to beat the rush of cruise ship passengers. Oia is perched on the north end of the island. With its blue church domes, its white-washed villas and its caldera location, Oia is picture postcard perfect. We spent several hours there. Morning coffee, a late lunch and just traipsing around the narrow pedestrian streets. Oia is definitely more our style, at least in April. According to our waiter at lunch, in the busy months, several thousand people a day pass through the town. It is so congested that people have to walk shoulder to shoulder through the streets.
We left Oia and drove the low road along the coast through the villages of Kouloubos, Pori and Vourvoulos. We had to follow the road and go back inland, but after passing through Karterados again we headed for the town of Perissa on the south-east coast. We parked our scooter and walked down onto the beach where a local restaurant had set up loungers and umbrellas. We enjoyed a cold beverage and the warmth of the afternoon sun on our faces. What a delightful place! Our day ended with dinner on the southern side of the caldera. We waited for the sunset, but it really wasn't the best place to see it so we made a quick departure and drove back to our pension.
Day Two started with a quick bus trip into Fira. Considering how close the town was we could have walked, but we were afraid of not making it to the old port in time for our 11:00 am boat trip to the volcano (Nea Kameni) and the hot springs. Santorini's old port is famous for its donkey and gondola rides. We elected to walk down and were impressed to see several people running up. The distance alone puts the Fred Gingell stairs in Tsawwassen to shame. We arrived in time to have a quick cappuccino, then boarded the boat (along with a hundred or so other holiday-makers.) Once we arrived at the volcano, everyone disembarked and started the twenty-five minute climb to the top. It was a pretty impressive view from the top and a bit unnerving to see the steam venting through the rocks. Craig couldn't resist mentioning the possibility of our instantaneous death in the event the volcano erupted while we were there. "Ignorance is bliss," said Lynda. One hour later we returned to the boat and cruised over to the hot springs. What they failed to mention in advertising this trip was that you had to swim in the cold ocean to get to the hot springs. Lynda was out. Craig was in. Even he thought the ocean was cold. And the hot springs? Apparently, they weren't that hot. The highlight of our day was riding the donkeys from the bottom of the old port to the top. There were about twenty donkeys on the trip up. Craig's headed straight for the front of the pack. Lynda was stuck in the middle behind an ornery, young mule that kept kicking her donkey in the face. Much to our dismay, there is no video recording of the trip up, but for ten Euros, we had a lot of laughs.
Our stay on Santorini was short, but combined with our five day visit to Naxos, the pace has been busier than we would like. We are taking a ferry to the island of Milos for five days. According to our guide book, now is the time to visit Milos - before the tourists discover it. Our plan is to rest and relax at the beachfront Nefeli Sunset Villas in Pollonia. We will celebrate our fourth wedding anniversary as well as recoup some of our energy, as we prepare for the upcoming journey into Athens.

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Naxos, Greece

If we had to sum up Naxos in one word, it would be...amazing! We spent five days and four nights here, and we barely saw anything. You need weeks to do it justice. Naxos is the biggest island in a group of islands called the Cyclades. The history of the island dates back 5000 years. This is hard for us to fathom considering the youth of our own country. Naxos has towns, villages, great restaurants, churches, museums, ancient sites, hiking, and beaches. Oh, and lots of book stores. (Lynda finally found the sequel to her Ken Follett novel, so she is content for another two weeks.) Overall, Naxos offers something for everyone.
We stayed in Chora (Hora, also known as Naxos town) at Pension Sofi. Although it is off-season and there aren't that many tourists around yet, Sofi's was full. We had a wonderful room with a small balcony and a kitchenette. Rena, Panos and family are very friendly and helpful, so it is not surprising that they are rated number one on Trip Advisor.
We decided to try out the public bus on our first day there. We were heading for the town of Chalki (Halki) about twenty five kilometres away. Our intention was to hike a circular route through some small villages. The bus was supposed to leave at 11:00 am, but it seems the Greeks have a different idea of punctuality. The bus was 45 minutes late, much to the dismay of the waiting passengers. The local Greeks were more put out than the tourists, and there were lots of loud voices and gesturing, much to our amusement. The down side of this delay was that it was already 12:15 and the last bus back to Chora was at 4:00 pm. We really weren't sure of the route or how long it would take, and now we had the pressure of not missing the bus. We spent the first half an hour searching for the two churches which marked the start of the hike, according to the guidebook. We eventually gave up on those when we located the village of Kaloxilos and signs marking the trail to Moni. We had a wonderful hike through the villages, past some farms and churches, up the hill to Moni. Craig was way behind as usual. He kept stopping every ten feet to take pictures. Get ready everyone because next Christmas you are all going to receive a card with a different scene from our trip on it. We have to do something with all the photos or they will sit on the portable hard drive and no one will ever see them. When we finally got to Moni we didn't even have time to stop. We were only half way through our hike and we kept thinking about the bus. To make a long story short, we arrived back in Chalki with one hour to spare. We went to a cafe for a quick bite to eat, had a tour of the local Kitron distillery (a lemon liqueur made only on Naxos) and went to the bus stop. Wouldn't you know it? The bus was an hour late. We learned a valuable lesson that day. Don't rely on public transportation when you are in a country full of scooters!
Early the next morning we waked into town to rent a scooter. For 14 Euros per day we had two helmets and our own set of wheels. Without a motorcycle endorsement on your driver's license, the insurance will only allow you to rent a 100cc max. scooter. Even so, Craig was able to make that high performance 85 cc engine scream its way up all the hills of Naxos. We spent the next two days making two loops around the majority of the island. We visited several castles (all closed), the Dimitras Temple (open) and a multitude of churches (all closed except the village ones which didn't have locks on the doors.) We also hiked in to see the statues of Kouros, which date back to between the 8th and 6th centuries BC. These stone and marble statues are said to depict local heroes or even the God Dionysus. They are very large in size, but very simple in their decoration. It is believed they were abandoned by the sculptors because of defects in the stone or marble. Today they still remain in the location of their initial discovery.
Naxos in April is a very relaxing place to be. There is a lot of local flavour at this time of year. It is definitely spring time in the Mediterranean. The flowers are blooming, the blossoms are on the trees and the gardens are being planted. The weather is warming up, although it is not warm enough for sunbathing. We didn't even make it to one of the island's many beaches. Our shorts are still in the backpacks and we aren't brave enough to go out without our jackets. Most of the time we end up carrying them, but we need them to reduce the impact of the wind, especially when we are riding on the scooter. If you are thinking about a holiday in Naxos, now is the time to book it. We would love to go back again one day. There is still so much for us to do and see there.

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Samos, Greece

We have finally made it to another country - Greece! Our ferry was supposed to leave Kusadasi at 8:30 am, however, there was a computer glitch and the police could not process the passengers out of Turkey. We stood in a line that did not move and when the computers eventually started up, the line moved at a snail's pace. No worries...it gave us an opportunity to meet some of the other people in line. We chatted with some lovely American travelers. It turns out that most of them are teachers in Kuwait on their spring break, but also amongst them were Kathy and Steve from Beverley, Massachusetts, parents of one of the Kuwaiti teachers. When the ferry finally left port, we were only a half an hour behind schedule. The trip took approximately 90 minutes. The seas were calm and the sun was shining so everyone was happy. We quickly cleared Greek Customs and Immigration. We were all disappointed with the stamp they put in our passports. It was barely legible. Off we went to find our pension. We didn't have a map so we had to stop and ask directions. At that time, we were approached by an older Greek man. He wanted us to come and see his place. He gave us every reason in the book as to why his pension was better. In the end we trooped up the hill to see it. At 25 Euros per night it was a better price and location, so we stayed, but it may not have been that much of a bargain as he did not have WiFii or breakfast. Worse than that, we were the only ones staying there. We know now it is so much better to be staying in a place with other people. It is how you find out the best places to eat and where to go sightseeing. Greece has been a bit of a shock for us. Suddenly, we are faced with another language to learn and an alphabet that is unrecognizable. Reading street signs is difficult to say the least. Luckily, we have met a lot of Greek people who speak at least a little bit of English and Craig has made up a Greek cheat sheet that we refer to often. We did not venture out of Samos Town while we were on the island. We did not have any transportation and we weren't there long enough to give public transit a go, however, we liked what we saw. Samos Town is exactly what we thought a Greek port town would look like. We spent most of the first day wandering up and down the streets with the American crew. Craig found a kindred spirit in Kathy, who is a professional photographer. How come they are always three miles back?
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Lynda and Steve decided they should start a support group for the spouses of photographers. It's always a bit of a drag to be the person without the camera. Our short stopover on Samos quickly came to an end. We had a 6:00 am (yes, you all heard correctly) departure from the port on a Hellenic Seaways ferry bound for Naxos. We were so afraid that we would miss the ferry that we set the alarm for 4:45 am. When we were awoken at 4:00 am by the drop of the ferry's anchor in the harbour, we jumped out of bed and started to prepare for our departure. We had a second reason to be worried. We hadn't actually confirmed the time when we arrived in Greece. Was it the same as Turkey? We weren't willing to take a chance so we arrived at 5:00 am for a 6:00 am departure. Better to be safe than sorry.

Turkey's Aegean Coast

After three wonderful, relaxing days in Selcuk with our Homeros family, we boarded the bus to Bodrum. We couldn't go to Turkey and not experience the coast. Our home for three nights was the Pension Gulec on a narrow side street about two blocks from the sea. We loved the area for its authentic Turkish feel. We ate our breakfasts in the garden of the pension and enjoyed homecooked meals from the restaurants in the neighbourhood. We spent one whole day exploring St. John's castle in the centre of town. It has an amazing display called "the Glass Wreck." It is the reconstruction of a merchant ship that was carrying glass products and recycled glass between the Mediterranean and the Black Sea that sunk about 1500 years ago and was recovered late in the 20th century after being found by sponge divers. It was well worth the extra 5 Turkish Lira it cost to view the display. The season has not started in Bodrum yet, but the anticipation is building and the preparations are underway.

Craig loved being back by the sea in the presence of so many boats and fishermen. As well as the ordinary fishing boats, Bodrum is known for its large, wooden sailing ships which must be worth millions. The marina is buzzing with activity as the ships are being made ready for their upcoming journeys.
We found Bodrum to be very touristic. The surrounding hillsides are covered with villas and new housing developments. The streets are filled with European holiday-makers. There are tons of opportunities for shopping and European hypermarkets (i.e. Metro and Kipa) are popping up all over the place. The bank machines even give you the option of choosing Euros, Pounds or Turkish Lira. An added complication to our lives...our camera finally died. The zoom lens hasn't worked since Australia, but we were hoping it would hang on until the end of our trip. What to do now? We asked at our hotel and Mehmet suggested one place. We knew it would cost us more than at home, but we needed to shop around. Lynda posted our dilemma on Trip Advisor's Bodrum forum and within hours we had the name of four other places to visit. We ended up going back to the first place Mehmet suggested, but at least we had an opportunity to shop around. At that point, we were happy to be in a such a touristic place. We don't know what we would have done if we had been on a tiny, Greek island.
Traveling is a process of exploration and discovery. We are glad we went to Bodrum, but three nights was enough for us. On Sunday morning, we returned to the otogar and hopped on a bus going to Kusadasi, another coastal town. Our original idea had been to take the ferry from Bodrum to Kos and begin our journey through the Greek islands from there, but we abandoned that plan after a little bit of research. Getting to Kos wasn't a problem (providing the weather cooperated), but getting off of Kos and onto the islands we wanted to see was going to be challenging. So we headed to Kusadasi where we could get a ferry to Samos. Once we were on Samos, we would have easy access to Naxos, Santorini and Crete.
We were picked up in Kusadasi by Sezgin, the owner of Sezgin's Hotel and Pension. It is favoured by the Lonely Planet guide book and with good reason. The rooms are large, the showers actually have shower doors and the beds are...oh so comfortable. Lynda could have slept there for a week. Kusadasi is synonymous with cruise ships which also means holiday-makers, but the atmosphere is very different than Bodrum. It was a beautiful, sunny day and the boardwalk was full of people so we meandered along with everyone else.

In Turkey, we had finally reached the point where we felt comfortable enough to talk to shop owners without feeling the pressure to make a purchase. Or so we thought! On our way back to the hotel, Craig began talking with a shop owner (of leather products) who invited us to have some cay with him. We sat for a while and had a very pleasant conversation. Just as we were getting ready to depart, Craig made the mistake of asking him about his leather jackets. The next thing you know, Lynda (how did that happen?) is trying on these beautiful, lamb skin jackets and absolutely loving them. After an hour of indecision and negotiations (it was a phenomenal deal), we walked out of the store without the jacket. "Why?" you ask. Ultimately, Lynda did not want to carry one more thing in her backpack. It's as simple as that. We had a delicious, barbequed fish dinner at Sezgin's that night with mussels for a starter, accompanied by bread, Greek salad, and rice pilaf. Our tablemates were three Canadian girls from the Vancouver area. One of them is currently teaching in Kuwait, one is a student in Istanbul and the other one is on holidays. It was a very pleasant evening and we enjoyed connecting with people from back home.

The next morning we were up early and off to the port to get the ferry to Samos. We have had such an amazing time in Turkey and we are sad to be leaving, especially because it has taken us so long to learn some key Turkish words and now we are going to be starting from scratch with Greek.
"Cheers" everyone, or for our Turkish friends "Serafe," and when we figure out the Greek word, we'll let you know.

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