Post by katet on Aug 21, 2020 13:37:41 GMT
I’ll try and put a link on to this brilliant song by Pink Floyd .... did think of using Comfortably Numb, which is also quite apt!
Anyway, here I am, second full day and having a bit of a reprieve from the 🌞 by having a down in my lovely air conditioned room. My airport experience was very smooth ... I had a bit too much time to spare as I had gone through security by 10.30 and the gate wasn’t called until 13.00. I had to go and buy stuff in duty free ... simply awful. The flight boarding was very organised and the plane seats roomy. I’d never flown with Jet2 before, but am impressed. We took off bang on time and landed at 7pm local time - half an hour early! I had the usual choked-up feeling as I went down the aircraft steps ... and I’m never ready for that surge if emotion, though I should be!
QR codes were all checked at passport control and quite a few (possibly about a third) had go right for testing. I was sent left to the luggage belts. I felt very safe throughout. Wearing a mask wasn’t so bad - I’d experimented with a few different ones until I found a fairly comfy fabric one. In fact, as others have said, strong precautions are in place and Skiathos feels safer than my local area! I do feel sorry for the hotel and bar staff, all wearing masks for their long shifts - they must be very hot and uncomfortable, but they’re all so cheerful and welcoming.
I was lucky with getting a taxi, as I didn’t pre-book and there was a very long queue by the time I’d retrieved my case. A driver screeched to a halt, collected a young couple from the front and then shouted ‘anyone else to share? One person, please‘ Of course, I accepted with alacrity and off we sped. He still charged us €25 each - said it was a discount, but I was just happy to get to Koukounaries quickly.
After a heartwarming welcome from Dina, Apollo, Marios and Dina (it was quite emotional, but I managed not to blub) I checked in and took possession of room 25 for the week. The family has spoiled me & thoughtfully given me one that Paul and I never shared. It’s at the front of the hotel, overlooking the pool an Strofilia lake and has TWO!! balconies ... fabulous. I’m sure I’ve banged on about this in earlier reports, but the Panorama has the comfiest beds I’ve ever slept in on holiday.
I didn’t have dinner, as I was still full from the acceptable plane food (another surprise), so I unpacked and had a down and then headed down to the hotel bar for a couple of g&t’s and a chat with Apollo (the eldest of the four cousins who now seem to have mostly taken over the running of the hotel from the two brothers who built it). I hit the hay at about 11pm ... can’t remember anything else until 8.15 next morning!
more to follow soon
... 😎
Anyway, here I am, second full day and having a bit of a reprieve from the 🌞 by having a down in my lovely air conditioned room. My airport experience was very smooth ... I had a bit too much time to spare as I had gone through security by 10.30 and the gate wasn’t called until 13.00. I had to go and buy stuff in duty free ... simply awful. The flight boarding was very organised and the plane seats roomy. I’d never flown with Jet2 before, but am impressed. We took off bang on time and landed at 7pm local time - half an hour early! I had the usual choked-up feeling as I went down the aircraft steps ... and I’m never ready for that surge if emotion, though I should be!
QR codes were all checked at passport control and quite a few (possibly about a third) had go right for testing. I was sent left to the luggage belts. I felt very safe throughout. Wearing a mask wasn’t so bad - I’d experimented with a few different ones until I found a fairly comfy fabric one. In fact, as others have said, strong precautions are in place and Skiathos feels safer than my local area! I do feel sorry for the hotel and bar staff, all wearing masks for their long shifts - they must be very hot and uncomfortable, but they’re all so cheerful and welcoming.
I was lucky with getting a taxi, as I didn’t pre-book and there was a very long queue by the time I’d retrieved my case. A driver screeched to a halt, collected a young couple from the front and then shouted ‘anyone else to share? One person, please‘ Of course, I accepted with alacrity and off we sped. He still charged us €25 each - said it was a discount, but I was just happy to get to Koukounaries quickly.
After a heartwarming welcome from Dina, Apollo, Marios and Dina (it was quite emotional, but I managed not to blub) I checked in and took possession of room 25 for the week. The family has spoiled me & thoughtfully given me one that Paul and I never shared. It’s at the front of the hotel, overlooking the pool an Strofilia lake and has TWO!! balconies ... fabulous. I’m sure I’ve banged on about this in earlier reports, but the Panorama has the comfiest beds I’ve ever slept in on holiday.
I didn’t have dinner, as I was still full from the acceptable plane food (another surprise), so I unpacked and had a down and then headed down to the hotel bar for a couple of g&t’s and a chat with Apollo (the eldest of the four cousins who now seem to have mostly taken over the running of the hotel from the two brothers who built it). I hit the hay at about 11pm ... can’t remember anything else until 8.15 next morning!
more to follow soon
... 😎