Day One
Early up and nice drive to aiport from Toby, uncluttered flight and pick up car and nice drive ( an hour or so ) from Chania to Rethymno. Straight to hotel which had a decent room. Went for swim and then walked around the seafront a few times and showered in room before getting changed and walkinginto town, meetin several people I knew of old on the way. Had a beer in kafeneon in old town centre and then a meal at Lorenzo restaurant where Dimitri works. Was pretty shattered after a few beers, a half kilo of wine, a long day and ouzo and raki proffered by Dimitri. Walked home and slept immediately, well watched some video first.
Day Two
Up with dawn, walked a bit and rented a SUP and caught waves for an hour, showered and had eggs and bacon at hotel. Jumped in car and rolled outta town. Wonderful drive with mountains and valleys all around. On arrival at Matala walked to far end of town looking for room and bagged a beautiful room high up above a restaurant with great view. Swam across the bay and back and then sat up on balcony a while before heading up into the surrounding hills for some deserted spots and great views, ate lunch at taverna by room and had a snooze and then walked down to the beach where I had two pints of lager on a chair on the beach. Bought some nibbles ( hot cheese, tzatziki, aubergine salad and bread ) and ate with wine on balcony watching sun set.
managed an hour of SUP surfing
Day Three
Daybreak and head for car and swing my way back out along the south coast, police searched car outside Tymbaki but all fine, drove to Plakias and had breakfast and considered staying there, but in end headed West through Sfakia and past sheep to Frangokastello where found a suite type room again with sea view. It’s a strange area, with no real center on a plain surrounded by massive mountain range. Had a swim, more walks and ended up in a Taverna by the sea where I ate Papoutsakia and drank white wine. Then back to balcony to watch cricket and watch the sunset.
Day Four
Watched sun rise over the mountains and drove up the long and winding road from Xora Sfakion to the white mountains, just to the west of the Imbros Gorge. Found hotel in Chania and went for walks, lots of walks as room not ready for a while. Ate an Omelette in a nice cafe I know and Georgo had a coffee with me and planned to meet later. Very hot day I spent walking and drinking in the sights and sounds of the town. At around 7 after a sojourn again on balcony, walked up to meet Georgo and family at Machalas Taverna ( where we have been many times before ) where we ate salad, sausages and kalamari, drinking Cretan beer.
Retired after to balcon to watch the movement of the sea and listen to the waves.
Day Five
coffee on balcony, breakfast below, walked around town a while , picked up ring I had ordered the previous day. Back to hotel and kind of shower ( water was mostly off ). Car – drive through Akrotiti peninsula to Marathi beach where I have that final blast of Koukouvagia salad and Tzatziki by a shimmering sea ‘neath the mottle shade of many trees.
Then, it is airport , drop off car and fly away….
