A true path follows no plan…

When the morning arrived to leave Tilos I had this really excited and happy feeling that I was on the move again. It took me a little while to leave the hotel in Kolymbia, Rhodes, and take the plunge to get out there on my own. After my one night stay in Rhodes Old Town, and then the journey to Tilos, I have become more comfortable with the idea of moving around by myself.

The ferry arrived in Tilos, and from my experience from the departure of the same ferry last Thursday it’s slightly crazy when it docks in these different ports. This particular ferry travels from Rhodes, Chalki, Tilos, North to Nisyros, Kos, Kalmynos then back down again to all stops in the same day. These ferries are “lifelines” to the islands as they bring food supplies, mail, carry people and their cars to and from Rhodes for weekly supplies, and of course it brings the tourists and their luggage! It docks at 10.30 and aims to leave at 10.35!!!! It is literally go, go, go!!! I waited with the other boarding passengers as the locals ran on and off of the boat to collect parcels, help with unloading food supply trolleys and mail cages, accommodation providers held up signs to welcome guests, offloading passengers grabbed their bags and scrambled off the ferry passing me and others waiting, then it was my turn to hurry on. You kind of shout out your destination to one of the guys in the holding area while pointing at your luggage, he points and shouts where to leave it, have your ticket ready to show the guys on the door then head up to seating and away you go. They don’t even have the doors closed in the holding area as they pull away from the jetty, no time, just get going!! It’s a great feeling and you just have to get stuck in!

The journey was good, great weather. One thing I had kind of forgetting about until these recent boat trips is that I can sometimes get a little queasy on the water!! Usually if it’s really choppy or when you’re at a standstill and the boat does that lulling movement. I got a little funny on the boat trip to Tilos, but this time I sat outside and just took it all in.

I was very politely asked by an Italian guy if he could borrow my guide book. It turns out, after having a good chit chat, that he was also in his 30’s, and in his words “trying to think where my life is going”. Just like me then! He was lovely, and the more we chatted the more wefound we had in common sat there on that boat. He was travelling with his girlfriend, she was 27 and very happy in her career in Frankfurt. So it was a time for them to travel together and he would possibly go to Frankfurt after she’d returned there. I love hearing people’s stories and finding out what we are all doing in these places we meet. I also had a lovely, older Greek guy called Nikolas befriend me. He was travelling back to his home on Kalymnos from Chalki, where one of his brothers lives. He pointed out places of interest on the journey, including his brother’s boat and parts of Turkey which we were really, really close to.

When we were approaching Kos, Nik explained a little about the refugee crisis there and how many people were felling unsafe since the thousands of refugees from Syria, Iraq, Pakistan etc had arrived. There had been instances of robberies and attacks, but not all are bad. It is mainly the Iraqis who now remain. It must be a terrible situation to be fleeing your home country because of war. It is something I am very lucky not to know or truly understand.

Nik suggested he give me his number and when I was next in Pothia town (I was heading West for accommodation and beaches) he would take me out on his motorbike, to which I politely declined. I’m no good on bikes. I had a ride on the back of my Dad’s when I was younger, a cruiser, and I just wasn’t impressed! These days I have become even more of a wuss! In a lot of places you might think this guy was “coming on to me”. The thought did crop up in my mind, then swiftly past, as everyone here is so genuinely friendly and helpful. We were too busy chatting with Nik pointing out places in the harbour as we arrived, that we had to make a dash for it off the boat. We ran down the wrong stairs which were actually tied off, he helped me, grabbed his parcels, with his hands full told me he would be at the cabin he’d pointed out, I said I’d look him up when I was next in town, found my bag and off we went in separate directions.

I wandered towards town wondering if I would see Nik again and have a personal tour guide for Pothia. I ventured in to the Tourist Office and met George, who was really helpful. He gave me a bus timetable to get to Masouri, and other destinations around the island, told me all about the area, a good hotel to stay in Pothia when I get back in to town, and most excitingly, he explained about the Rock Climbing Festival which takes place this weekend. I had no idea how popular this island is for climbers, they come from all over Europe, and further, to complete some of the climbs in the area. As I’m studying photography, and had seen a couple of fab shots in the guide books, I can’t believe I just happen to be here for this event. It will be great practice for taking shots, and just watching the climbers do their thing. I’m imagining it’ll be something like that Cliffhanger film!!

So, I had 40minutes until the bus to Masouri. George offered to watch my bags in the office, so I left my larger bag and went off in the direction of the harbour front. I’m walking along, minding my own business when I hear this voice calling “Clara, Clara, Clara”. I look round and there’s Nik hanging out the door of his local bar waving at me “Come have a drink Clara!!” How could I possibly decline the offer of a nice refreshing beer in this heat?!!!! So, there I was, 15 minutes on this Island and I was sat in a very local bar with a very local guy, his mate George and the barmaid Irini. Nik spoke pretty good English, George knew a little, I know about 5 words in Greek and Irini spoke no English. We had a right good laugh though, and before I knew it I had to dash off for the bus. George from the tourist office was waiting outside and informed me he was watching for me in case he had to stop the bus as it was almost 1.45. Oooops, late again Clara!!

I’m here, the next leg of my journey and oh how lovely it is…staying at the Continental Hotel, Masouri, just gorgeous. Overlooking the island of Telendhos which I will soon be visiting, and right next door to the cliff face of where the International Rock Climbing Festival is held this weekend….ooooo I feel some photography practice coming on. Fate maybe??

Bye bye Tilos!

This beautiful Island has been my home for 5days and 5 nights. I have been quite lazy really, spending most of my days walking around the small seafront town and along the promenade, lying and sleeping on the beach and taking a dip in the crystal clear waters.

The most energetic I have been was on Sunday where I found myself accidentally completing a 5km hike, in flip flops, and then yesterday I ventured out to the other side of the island on the local bus. The hike to Lethra Beach was stunning. It was up and down tracks, most with pretty impressive drops to the side, and beautiful, turquoise waters and coves which were, unfortunately, at the very bottom of the steep hillsides.

I have probably overcome my fear of heights thanks to two sections on the walk where I had to choose to continue and “Harden up Princess” (as we say in Australia!)or admit defeat and turn around. I can be pretty determined when I want to be so it was literally onwards and upwards!

The bus journey on the island, in parts, was similar to the hike. The driver had to get frighteningly close to the edge of the roads at some points, where the side seemed to just drop off! You don’t pay when you get on the bus, you pay when you exit and like many people on the Greek Islands the driver just did it all in his own pace. If the bus is late, it is late. If a queue of people are trying to pay and get off the bus, then so be it, just wait!

My first stop was Eristos. According to the bloke from the book who guides you roughly around these parts, it is one of Tilos’ best beaches. Well, sorry, I disagree. It was a disappointment to be honest. The water is clean enough but is very shallow because of a rocky reef, the “sand” was mucky rather than pinkish – grey and there’s nothing particularly stunning about the area. Maybe I got it on a bad day!

The waters along the town beach here in Livadhia are much nicer, although the beach here is pebblier – I made one of the best investments I probably could for his trip on Friday, I bought a pair of rubber water shoes at the local shop! Most of the beaches I have come across have pebbles and rocky waters so these shoes have been great for just walking in and out without hurting my feet or losing my balance on the slippy sea floor and exiting the water in not a very glamorous fashion!!

I left Eristos beach on the next bus up to Megalo Horio town, wandered aimlessly around the lanes and up and down steep little stairways and alleys, snapping away at the beautiful colours of some of the most ordinary day to day items – windows, doorways, garden paths, railings.

Every house here is painted with different colours around the frames of windows and doors. The shutters and the actual doors can be painted in various shades, usually blue, sometimes green, sometimes a yellow tone. Everything looks so pretty yet simple. There’s also a few old, forgotten, dilapidated houses which you could imagine renovating and making in to something special for an escape, holiday home!

After hopping on and off the bus I wandered down to my official favourite bar on the island, the Mikro Bar with rooftop terrace.

It is one of the most relaxing, chilled out bars I have been in to just sit and watch the world go by.

I bumped in two couples who I’ve chatted to previously. Both have been together 40ish years. Both seem genuinely happy, laughing and telling stories and making a good life together. One couple own studios here on the island. They gave up on the UK way of living 15 years ago. They met when they were 13 and have been together ever since, and still laugh together like teenagers. I hope one day I’ll have something special like that with someone. It was so nice to listen to their stories and see how genuinely happy they still are together and how they are having fun and holidays and adventures together later on in life.

I have been surprised by the way I am enjoying my own company on this trip. I usually don’t like it for too long and am definitely a “people person”, but part of this trip is to have the time out to think about where I’m going and what I’d like to do in the future and it’s helping being alone to do it!

So, thankyou Tilos for giving me the time out, and now the confidence to carry on with my island hopping adventure. Next stop Kalymnos!