Nikiti, Sept 9th - Sept 16th 2009

We departed from Gatwick Airport at 6am, having been picked up from the Moreton Hall Pub at closing time, by a Taxi for six of us. A seventh person who booked independently was also driving down and meeting us there.

No delays and we arrived at Thessaloniki Airport, in Greece, and found our transfer to our hotel (for all Seven of us) a bright Green Volkswagen van, driven by Roberto. Interesting piece of driving us having been up all night, I kept one eye on the road. Anyway the journey took about an hour for the 60 odd kilometers to get to our Hotel/Taverna.

On arrival we crash at a table that will seat seven of us, and order the same number of beers to quench our thirst, before worrying and our rooms. Having drunk our drinks we get our rooms allocated and get rid of our holdall's, change clothes, and head back out to explore the area.

Turning left outside the front of our Hotel we wandered along the sea front, and found this beach bar, run by a guy called Costas (apologises if that's not how you spell it). A few drinks here (and a few complimentary) and we head back to our Hotel to shower and change.

Recommended the Marina (name of Hotel) T-bone steak, I thought I'll have some of that, and so did some of the others, and it just melted in the mouth, well happy.

Next day and the sun is out, so off to get some Sun..she..ine. I've got some tunes on my phone and we're all enjoying them, and I'm reading Tony Adam's auto-biography. A walk along the jetty, and the picture has three of the lads sitting on their sun loungers on the beach. I've also brought along a snorkel and goggles to take into the sea to look at the fish.

Friday (flat out friday)*, and we wander up to "down town Nikiti " high street. There is also a market (not Meercat) going on. We stop off to change up some Sterling into Euros, before having a look around it, then head back to the sea front, about 10 minutes walk.

Now, before we left, it was obviously known that it was going to be someones birthday, while we were out in Greece. Since January it has been a feature of the Moreton Hall Pub regulars, that on they're birthday they must wear the "birthday hat". So it came along with us for Mr Mikey Z's on 9/11. Also the Usain Bolt "pose" appeared in quite a few of our pictures as well. Here we have birthday boy with 1. birthday hat 2. my snorkel 3. his fave team shirt 4. the sea 5. Usain bolt "pose". *(flat out friday) is everyone in football shirts boozing all day. I fall asleep on my bed and miss the lamb kleftico that I've ordered for dinner ! (But i was back out, and the last one home).

Next morning, and its raining, my friends still felt that they had to go and smoke outside, just like our legislation's here. So here is Steve (Meercat) having a ciggie under the phone box in the rain. Possibly in his Pyjama trousers and flip-flops, across the road from the Hotel.

This view looks back from the harbour to our Hotel (centre) just behind the trees.

The sun going down, around 7pm, from the terrace of our Hotel, across the Marina which is being newly built.

Everyone has gone to bed, and I just have a little wander around the front of the Hotel. On the road I spot a Cricket about 2-3 inches long. I've got my camera in my pocket, so I try and zoom in with it, to get a picture to show everyone. After I've Zoomed in, I realise I need to get a bit closer, and stoop down a bit, at which point the Cricket jumps up into my hair ! I scream like a girl and brush the Cricket out of my hair, and it drops back onto the road. At which point a "stray" cat, darts out of the bushes, grabs the Cricket in its teeth (with a crunch) and runs off ! And I never got a picture.

The last evening we are there, all seven of us spend it with friends relations and their friend's. From left to right, Paul, Julia, Craig, Mikey, Cliff, 2 ppl i don't know, Pat, Me (No.5), Stephen (Mini)and Stephen (Meercat).

Happy Days !

No.5