Wait For It

 

Photo©Nigel Summerley

Delays and cancellations looked like becoming a theme of the trip at this point.

The previous day I'd been warned by my contact on Folegandros that it was "a little windy" and the SeaJet might not be able to set off from Piraeus.

Trying to remain optimistic, I made sure I was at the port well before 9am departure time – to find that the flags along the waterfront were flapping furiously in the wind and the SeaJet was going nowhere.

There would be another weather check at 10am, we were told. The hour ticked by. There would be another weather check at 11am. And another hour. We were all starting to get a bit restless. Some of those waiting had had their SeaJet cancelled two days earlier and were now pinning their hopes on this one... and if this one didn't go, the next one would be in another two days' time.

There was a lot of finger crossing and silent praying.

At 12 noon, as happens with these things, there was a sudden communal sense that we were going to get the go-ahead. We did and we piled on board... where we waited for close to another hour before blast-off.

But just sitting on the boat and knowing it was going to speed us to the Cyclades put a smile on every face. Such a good thing is well worth the wait.

Rabbit, Rabbit

 

Photo©Nigel Summerley

After BA cancelled my flight [see previous blog post], I warned the Acropolis House hotel in Athens that I would be a bit later than I had previously suggested – more like 4am than 8pm.

It was 3am when I finally walked through the empty streets of Plaka and checked in.

I apologised for being so late.

"But you're early!" said the man at reception. "We weren't expecting you for another hour."

One benefit of arriving at the airport so late was that the bus into town pretty much didn't stop for anything, including lights that were reddish.

"They're good drivers," said the receptionist. "I always get in close behind them to get through the traffic."

In fact, he was full of handy hints – like the fact that when you fly into Athens really late, the pilots can take shortcuts. By this point I didn't know if he was making stuff up or not. I just wanted to get to bed, since I had to be up before 7am to get to Piraeus for my boat to Folegandros.

It was then – in the midst of the constant rabbiting about traffic and planes and shortcuts – that I noticed that there was someone else in reception: an actual rabbit.

"Oh yes," said the receptionist jovially. "Stifado!"

For those who don't know, that means stew.

I made my excuses and went to my room for three hours' sleep.