It's hard work playing host....

Its October tomorrow, Tom and Caz have been and gone and we have some cycling friends here with us now. It's all go you know.

So how was it with T&C? Well we partied ('til 0500hrs one night, 0300hrs other nights.) Swam in the sea, leapt off rocks in the Canal D'Amour, saw Corfu town, Kassiopi, drove up Pantokrator - highest point on the island, had some sun, some cloud and sadly some rain but all in all we all had a great time.

Tom became a gyro monster - gyros are a Greek fast food which is salad, sour cream, chips and either pork or chicken wrapped in pitta bread, they are delicious but Tom took them to extremes and did 3 or 4 one day, what a hog.

We dropped them in Sidari most days and they messed about on the beach, down the Sidari strip and had a daily fix of pedaloes out in the bay. There is a bar in Sidari which we frequent as they have live music every night. We took them in on Wednesday night (we had to make up for the appalling Freddie Mercury tribute we subjected them to the previous night.) Well Wednesday night went well with plate smashing, fire dancing and an excellent band. This turned into the silly long night out. Tom said he would like to see the band again before he left and sadly they were on again in the same bar the following night so we had to go again, more free shots and good music, thankfully not quite as late. Friday was our early doors ritual at Neil and Laura's Internet cafe then on to the pallet arms for some weekly abuse from the staff and some good wholesome food. Saturday we were all wrecked after the three previous nights so a night in front of the box with a movie was had. Sunday night Tom managed to get us back into Napoleons 1 for the road bar again claiming it was their last big night out and that's where he wanted to be, so more dancing and Tomfoolery - sorry Tom...

Their last day, Monday, was spent on the beach on Sidari, in pedaloes and leaping from the rocks into the sea at Canal D'amour - see videos below. We ate out Monday night before an early night due to getting up the following morning at 0300hrs to get them to the airport. They seemed to have a great time and enjoyed what Sidari had to offer and we enjoyed having them here. Now they've gone our organs can have a rest and rebuild themselves - what it is to be young - we wish!!!

Well I'd best get some shut eye now as I am cycling to the top of Pantokrator with Jack tomorrow at 0900hrs. Mrs D is having a leisurely drive into Acharavi with Andrea where we hope to meet them at lunchtime after our ride. Mrs D is also suffering with a severe cold given to her by me for which I am extremely popular - I think she is sleeping now........

More on our cycling antics next time.

Finally, October tomorrow the month we set off back to the UK after a truly memorable summer out here so, looking forward to seeing y'all soon!!!!

A Grand Day Out - Gromit..............

Kaleespera bloggers, with Mrs D now in the kitchen making tzatziki (as all her cucumbers are about ready at the same time and she is looking for things to do with them) I thought I would sneak a few words on the old blog.

Saturday today and we've done a few jobs this morning and been down on the beach all afternoon. Had a good swim in the sea and it's still quite warm. There is a storm rumbling over on the mainland now and we may cop for it later. Oh, by the way we had a bit of an earthquake here on Thursday night only a minor tremor but the windows were rattling a bit.

On to our grand day out. We promised ourselves a trip over to the mainland in August to see Ioanina and the Vikos Gorge, we planned to go for a few days but due to the unmentionable (room with the sink and bog in it) taking so long we did not get there. However, on Wednesday armed with flasks and butties we took the bike over on an early ferry to Igoumenitsa and rode across a super road to Ioanina. Ioanina is a Greek town sat on the edge of a lake in a valley surrounded by mountains. The road across was very quiet and Ioanina has an old walled part to it and within it is another walled citadel. We had a wander round the old citadel and a stroll on the lakeside before setting off for the gorge.

The Vikos Gorge is in the Guinness book of records as the third deepest in the world and when you walk up to it and look over you can see why. It must be one of Greece's best kept secrets. We followed this climbing winding road and suddenly round a bend without any warning it ended - just stopped and ran out - what a surprise (see video below.) It is approx 9 kilometers long, with small villages dotted along the way. It certainly gave us food for thought for a hiking trip there next year sometime.

Back here in Kopsocheilades, things are a little cooler. When I say cooler I mean we are down in the low 30s which is loads better for sleeping!! The chores list all but done for this year, quite good to be resting up. Tom and Caz arrive on Tuesday at the crack of dawn - that will be a shock to the system getting up at 0345hrs!!! We have all sorts lined up for them. After them our friends Jack & Andrea from Leeds are over here for a couple of weeks which will take us into October and then the journey back to the UK is looming.

It was early doors last night, a well established ritual and we ate out in the pallet arms with friends for a change. A good time was had by all and much was consumed leading to a splendid headache this morning for me!! A dry night tonight for me I think, we'll see.

Sign off time now as the splendid aroma of curry is wafting over from Mrs D's kitchen. Much as I would love to talk to you all night I'm afraid I must go and eat. Kaleenichta y'all......

Nice to be on holiday and not jobbing

September already, where does the time go?? Reg on the left here has been and gone, the first of our autumn string of guests. The weather was good for him and we spent most of the time messing about on various beaches. That was of course with the exception of the two mornings following the two wild nights out we had with Reg 'til 4am.

We ate out a few times, had a couple of BBQs and generally had a good time.

We did manage to find him a job as he likes to help out. Sadly it was the dirtiest, filthiest of tasks cleaning out the apotheki with me. It was a right mess in there but now we can see the floor and it is in an orderly fashion. We now know exactly whats in there and where it is. There is a right heap of stuff to burn tho' but this will have to wait 'til October when we are permitted to have outside fires again. No outside fires allowed here between May and September due to the risks to the olive groves.

We have a week to do a few small jobs before my son Tom arrives with his girlfriend Caz. They are coming out on one of those anti social night flights which gets in at 0500hrs but I'm sure we'll all get over it. Another fun filled week with more wild nights out...watch this space.

We've had a bit of exercise today out on the pushbikes over to Arillas to the sea, got off to a good start with a puncture on my bike and also on the spare (Regs bike) so I had to fix one before we could go. It was lovely ride, hot sunny and warm sea. We are out tonight with some friends, some family of friends and some holiday makers we met on our last wild night out with Reg. Hopefully we will be home a bit before 4am but you never can tell.

Oh just remembered a small task, I have put a new light outside at the back so we can see when it's dark and 4am - always useful I hear you say. We did have a light but it was above the door, which attracted every type of insect you did not want near you or in the house. So we left it off to keep the little blighters away from the door. The new light is away from the door, so they can fly around it to their hearts content with hassling us or trying to get into the house (we hope.)

Not much else to excite you with now so will sign off and go and get myself organised for tonight.