Day 2, beach 2

I awoke just before 8 to the sun streaming through the door and all I could hear were the birds singing and the bees going about their busy business.

I opened the door and the beautiful garden was a hive of activity, so I fixed a quick breakfast and sat out on the patio and enjoyed the peace.

A 5 minute walk down a track and I came out from behind the Alkyon Hotel (which I looked after all those years ago) on to the bustling harbour.  Note to self: the 10am bus is a busy one, get organised quicker in the mornings!  Buses are every 15 minutes so it's a good service, especially now they have new coach style buses with comfy seats and not the rickety old ones with the awful plastic seats that were just no good in the heat! 

I've decided to go to the far end of the island today to Koukounaries.  I can have a good look at what's changed on the way - and boy has it changed! A lot of the hotels have extended and so many have popped up as well, I guess 10 years is too long to be away.

We arrived at Koukounaries half an hour after we left Town and we could have been a million miles away.  I always remember Koukounaries having rows of lovely sunbeds and parasols, a couple of busy tavernas and loud music.  Not today.  No beds, no brollies and just the background sounds of chatter and the lapping of the waves is all you can hear. 

Grabbed myself a spot under the shade of a pine tree and here's today's view:

Pretty cool huh? 

By 1330 hunger got the better of me and I took a wander back along the main road and stopped at the Golden Beach Hotel.

Ah, a proper Greek salad, in Greece what more could you ask for? Well, apart from a side of tzatziki and village bread!

Suitably stuffed, I needed a siesta so headed back up the island to my bed. 

A lovely cool shower and I lay down - I knew nothing for a couple of hours when my neighbours came back and disturbed the quiet. 

Decided to eat at Dionyssos Taverna tonight, I used to do my welcome meetings there and it was one of the reps' favourite places to go.  Bargain dinner (I thought) potatoes gratin, pork souvlaki and a glass of wine all for €20 

Then I headed up to see my little brothers at Taxiarchis...

On my second strawberry daiquiri x

Day 1, beach 1

A warm welcome and some familiar faces at the airport and before I could catch my breath I was being dropped off at my accommodation - now, in my day reps or transfer reps did "see - ins" at studios where they took you in and saw you into your property.  Not now, the coach was sent off from the airport with no rep and the driver (who, let's face it is probably already running late for his next transfer in Koukounaries) pointed me in the direction of a gate.  After wandering  down a track I came across a pool bar (not my property) and asked for directions.  Through another garden and I found it, Asimenia.  6 little studios all on ground level set in the most beautiful fragrant garden with lemon, lime and pomegranate trees.

Unpacking can wait, I've got a date with some sand!  Quick change and off I went on my mission to visit the clocktower.  I've never been up to it and 3 in the afternoon is probably not wise but I climbed the steps and the view was more than worth it! 

Welcome home Hayley X

After ambling my way back down I called into Nikos' on Papadiamantis Street and had a drink with him and Julie, it's funny how we all look older but just the same.  Papadiamantis Street looks so different and somehow smaller, some familiar places and plenty of new ones.  The welcome at Taxiarchis is always amazing and after a catch up I took a walk up to Megali Ammos.  In 2003 my little studio backed on to this beach so it was good for a quick dip after airport duty to soothe tired feet.

 

After a little plodge I got comfy and read my book ..

By the time I walked back through town and called to the supermarket for essentials it was after 9 and I couldn't be bothered to get ready and go out so just had a shower and hit the sheets.

Here I Go Again On My Own .....

After the success of my solo outings at the Rugby World Cup, I'm about to embark on a bit more of an adventure...

It started off as a Facebook group last year, telling everyone that I was off to my favourite place for my birthday (40, I know it's no big deal but I promised myself I would be on the beach sipping bubbles).  Anyway, I gave everyone the dates etc and waited for responses as to who was coming.

Almost a year later I'm off on my own for 2 whole weeks of glorious Greek sunshine in the place that feels like home and I just can't wait!

Being a travel agent, I am so lucky to have been given the opportunity to go on some amazing trips (I will blog about the US and Samoa at some point) and have fulfilled a wish to fly on an A380, but this is a package holiday so wedging myself into a Thomas Cook charter aircraft hasn't been part of the excitement and as I sit squished in looking out over the wet tarmac at Newcastle I can't help but wish I had a time machine lol

Anyway, see y'all on the other side of the clouds 👋🏻🇬🇷🕶☀️

Hamper Goodies

My Grampie is THE most difficult person to buy for at Christmas - he never wants anything when you ask and I always find myself resorting to wine and chocolates. So this year I have decided to go all out and make a hamper of homemade goodies.

My first challenge was deciding what to put in it, so I settled down with a mug of tea and all of my recipe books and set to work...after narrowing down my rather long list I headed to the supermarket for ingredients.

We are having a family lunch on 22nd so I need to have everything ready for then as I won't see him until after the big day so items that I can freeze are top of my agenda, first is Nigella's "Guinness Gingerbread" I've made this before and it's to die for!

My work colleagues were impressed when I took some in for coffee time, saying it tasted just like a shop bought cake but better, which always good to hear :) It is quite a heavy cake but has an amazing aroma and a gorgeous sticky top, I cut it into squares and eat as it is but it goes absurdly well with hot custard! As it's so easy to make and did I mention it's absolutely delicious? I thought I'd share it with you all...  

Guinness Gingerbread: 

150g butter 

300g golden syrup 

200g dark muscovado sugar 

250ml Guinness 

2 teaspoons ground ginger 

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 

300g plain flour

2 teaspoons bicarbonate of soda 

300ml sour cream 

2 eggs 

1 x 23cm square baking tin or 1 x foil tray approx. 30 x 20 x 5cm 

1. Line the cake pan with foil and grease if preferred - I use a square silicone pan and line it so I don't bother greasing 

2.Melt the butter, golden syrup and sugar in a large pan over a low heat (I usually add the spices at this time as well) 

3. Remover from the heat and pour in the Guinness and mix thoroughly 

4. Add the flour and bicarb of soda slowly, whisking to avoid any lumps 

5. In a separate bowl whisk together the eggs and sour cream and then whisk into the mixture 

6. Pour into the cake pan and bake for approximately 50 minutes at 170c / gas mark 3

These times are as stated in the recipe but it takes mine a lot longer to bake through. I just keep testing it with a skewer and when it comes out clean it's done - if you think the top is baking too quickly cover it with foil until it has cooked right through. 

Hope you try it and enjoy it as much as we do! It's now cooled, well wrapped and now sitting quietly in the freezer waiting for some company, now what shall I do next? H xxx

A Load of Old Cobblers!

My Grampie has an apple tree in his garden which provides us with bag loads of autumn fruits which see us through the winter - my Mum usually stews them with a little sugar and then boxes them up and freezes them ready for Sunday puddings of crumble with custard and the like.

As we had called in to see Grampie on Sunday after our walk in the park and came away with our bag of apples and seeing as I was off work on Monday I said I'd "make something different".

I've never eaten a cobbler before never mind made one, but after consulting my various recipe books I thought this fitted my "something different" challenge.

The peeled and chopped apples (along with a couple of pears I had) were warming nicely in sugar, freshly squeezed orange juice and a sprinkling of ground cloves whilst I made the simple dough. I threw in the leftover dried fruit from the Christmas cake in too (some in the dough and the rest in with the fruit). Check me out getting myself all "Mary Berry-fied"!! 

Once the poached fruit was in the oven proof dish and I topped it with the pastry - stars of course - why have rounds when you can have stars?! And before long the whole house smelled of the spices and sweet apples.

Even if I do say so myself, it was absolutely divine, served warm with sweetened Greek yoghurt.