A New Adventure Begins – Ionian Bound
It’s September and that means one thing! It’s time to embark upon my autumn solo trip to Greece!
Now that summer has come to an end, (not that it ever began in the UK!) I have a little window to travel before the onslaught of the next season begins. It has been a busy year for Hidden Greece and we’ve sent our clients on some incredible trips. One pair of my clients recently returned from an exciting 11-week trip around the Cyclades. Another on a 6-week trip that ended with a stay in Ikaria. It doesn’t matter how long or short or simple or complex the trips are, every aspect of the itinerary is taken care of from beginning to end (phew – exhausting!). However, this isn’t how I travel myself.
As with many of my trips that are 6 weeks in duration or longer, I’ve only booked an outbound flight. I have no return date in mind (except for a dental appointment at the end of October). My job allows me to work whilst I travel meaning that I can stretch my holiday entitlement further. Honestly, anything longer than 6 weeks I begin to miss my husband and family. My husband is a great travel companion and shares the same curiosity about places as I do, but unfortunately, his work isn’t as flexible. I must add though, solo travel is an active choice. I don’t travel solo just because I don’t have anyone else to go with. I actually love it! I like being in my own headspace and making my own decisions on where to go and how to do it. There are no distractions from anyone else meaning that I can absorb myself in the moments and experiences that I encounter. I also don’t have to negotiate what to do and where to go. It’s utterly liberating. Being a typical introvert (not to be confused with shy) is a good asset for solo travel as I’m very happy in my own company and I relish solitude. I’m much more comfortable standing on the periphery and observing rather than pushing out my own energy. It’s hard to explain but fellow introverts and solo travellers in general will understand. Anyway, I’ve gone off on a tangent. Back to the trip.
Although I have a vague notion of my direction of travel, I’ve only booked the first accommodation in advance. If I were to be heading to more remote Greek islands where accommodation is harder to find (as I had to on Psara, Oinousses, Agios Efstratios etc.) I will pre-book accommodation but generally, I like to keep things ‘loose’.
I also prefer not to work to a specific itinerary. There have been times when I’ve wanted to stay longer (or rarely, shorter) in a place. Booking accommodation as I go along enables me to adapt the itinerary as I like. There is also a part of me that likes to leave a little bit to chance and throw some of it into the lap of the Gods. This gives the possibility for all kinds of adventures. Yes at nearly 65 I’m still up for it. Unless of course, it includes heights, or snakes or ………….. well let’s not go there! I also like to discover places by following my own nose and seeing where it leads me. Doing it this way can yield some interesting results!
I’m at the stage in my travel journeys around Greece where I want to seek out places that I haven’t yet visited. There are several destinations that I do return to but I’m always curious to discover new territory. It was only when I recently mapped my Greek travels (see the new Travel Maps page on the blog) that I realised there were some glaring gaps. I was aware that I’d barely touched one island group in particular, so NOW is the time to rectify that.
To be honest, I had made tentative plans to visit this part of Greece before and always found reasons not to go. One reason is cost. I’m a budget traveller and whilst researching this part of Greece I found the accommodation to be expensive – or at least the parts where I wanted to stay. When it comes to accommodation I’m not a demanding traveller. As long as it’s in a convenient location to springboard to other places, is clean, and ideally has a comfortable bed (I’ve had some shockers) I’m happy. (though, I draw the line at a hostel or a shared bathroom!). Any bonuses would come in the form of staying somewhere that is family-run and with kind hosts. Thankfully I always strike lucky! Anyway, I approach this trip with the knowledge that I may have to pay a little more than what I’m used to in other parts of Greece. Let’s see how far I can make the money stretch!
The weather is also another reason for my hesitation. In recent years, my autumn trips have taken me to the Dodecanese and Northern Aegean islands where the weather tends to be quite stable even into early November. Several years ago I stayed on the mainland close to this year’s first destination and the weather was errm- unpredictable to say the least! During the first few days, there were raging thunderstorms and torrential rain. The week before I arrived there had also been a tornado! The sun did make an appearance but rain was the golden thread that ran through this holiday. As we say here in the North West of England, “It’s the rain that keeps the place so green and beautiful!” (or words to that effect!) I don’t mind rain as I’m used to it. It’s the extreme heat that is more likely to impact me. Anyway, I’ve packed a waterproof jacket and clothes to suit most eventualities so I should be OK.
My first destination is served by many large tour operators (though it’s not Hidden Greece territory) and not the off-the-beaten-track destination I usually seek out. With tourist bars called Dirty Nellie’s Irish Pub and a selection of karaoke fun pubs, I’ll be heading into the heart of one of Greece’s busiest tourist hotspots. BUT, the holiday resorts and everything that comes along with that aren’t what defines this island. This island is known for its stunningly beautiful landscapes and incredible coastlines. It has a fascinating old town, Byzantine villages and plenty of opportunities to get away from the crowds. More importantly, it’s also an easy hop to other places which of course is on the cards. It has a good bus service, water taxis and organised boat trips to help me get around. I’m very excited to see what this island will reveal!
It isn’t difficult to work out that my first port of call is Corfu!
Yes, it’s shocking to think that I haven’t made it here before, even when staying in nearby Sivota. Almost everyone I know (including most members of my family) have holidayed here. I will be staying in different parts of the island during my time here – possibly around 2 weeks before moving on to – well who knows where.
The weather forecast for this week is thunderstorms – lots of them, but let’s see how it goes. As the old saying goes, when life gives you lemons, make lemonade. When it rains whilst travelling – well, I may just end up at Dirty Nellie’s!
