This is a good last page picture. Dianne waves goodbye from her private islet. Hydra.

 

February 15

 

It was another early morning wakeup that we had to endure. In some ways, it was good that we wouldn’t have any more of these early morning wakeups. However, it was also somewhat depressing because the honeymoon was at an end, and we now had to begin the hard work of actually making a marriage work. Still, given how well we had gotten along during the honeymoon, we felt hopeful that we would be successful.

 

We hauled our luggage down the flights of stairs. Patricia was waiting for us behind the desk. She had been nice enough to arrange for a taxi to take us to Paddington Station. I was thoroughly impressed with all the efforts that Patricia did to make our stay at the Repton Hotel enjoyable. I would recommend the Repton just on its location and its amenities. But, Patricia’s efforts put the Repton into another class of recommendation. As a result, I can’t recommend more highly that visitors should stay at the Repton Hotel when in London.

 

Our friendly taxi driver chatted with us all the way to Paddington Station. We left the taxi and went to the ticket counter, where we purchased two tickets on the Heathrow Express. As was the case with the Airbus, the price of the tickets had increased since the last time I’d taken this train. It was now ₤12 per person for a one-way trip. While it was expensive, it was still the fastest way to make it to Heathrow.

 

The check in at the gate was uneventful, as was the flight back to San Francisco. We got in at about 1:30 p.m. I had arranged for a shuttle bus from Monterey/Salinas Airbus to take us back to Monterey upon our return. The shuttle bus wouldn’t be at the airport until 3:30 p.m., so we relaxed in the terminal until the shuttle’s departure time. The shuttle arrived right on time. After paying the $30 fare, we began heading back to Monterey. I have to say that it was a convenient service, but the driver took a lot of detours trying to get around rush hour traffic. As a result, we were about 45 minutes late getting to Monterey.

 

My brother was waiting for us when we arrived. He drove us back to his place, where we took an hour nap, and then went to dinner at a Thai restaurant. After dinner, we made the three hour drive back to Fresno to begin our lives together.

 

So, what are my overall impressions about travelling in Greece? First off, I think travelling in Greece in the off-season was great! The weather was decent and the people were wonderful (except for the overly aggressive people trying to sell something). I even think that travelling in the off-season helped with the taxi drivers, because they had to take whatever fares were available, as opposed to the summer when a lot of tourists insure a more steady income and more possibilities for cheating.

 

Hydra is simply magical in the off-season. I believe that we were able to get a better understanding of what life for residents is like by going in the off-season as opposed to going in the summer. I would also say that any off-season traveler should be aware of the reduced hours for attractions and the limited ferry schedule. If one keeps that in mind, one shouldn’t run into problems if the weather turns bad or an attraction closes unexpectedly.

 

Greek food is also as good as advertised. I was a little afraid that the copious amounts of olive oil would wreak havoc on my digestive system, but that never happened. Instead, I was intoxicated with the fresh flavors and the distinctive aromas. One will not be disappointed if they settle on a little taverna for lunch or dinner.

 

Given that I liked Greece so much, it might come as a surprise that I would urge everyone thinking about attending the 2004 Olympics to stay away. Why? Well, I’ve been to an Olympics (Atlanta 1996) and know how crowded they can get. Both Dianne and I thought that Athens was comfortably crowded in February. There were just enough people to make one know they were in a big city, but not enough to feel claustrophobic. We both thought Athens might not be as enjoyable in the summer, with a lot more tourists and a lot more heat. Now, taking Athens as it is and dumping another million people above the normal number of tourists for a very short period in the summertime will make Athens unbearable. What will make matters worse is that the existing infrastructure does not seem to be sufficient to handle Olympic crowds. I applaud the Greeks for putting on the games. But I fear the world will discover that the Athens of 2004 is not as conducive to hosting these worldwide events as was the Athens of 1896.

 

I hope you have enjoyed this travelogue and/or found it informative for planning your own trip. I enjoy feedback, so please write to tell me how you liked this travelogue, or to point out any material misstatements that I may have unintentionally made (for which I apologize in advance). As for myself, there are two more trips in the immediate (one year) future. Neither are to Europe, but both promise to allow me (and my wife…can’t forget her!) to experience new sights and learn a little more about this world. And, as always, I will write about those trips after I return.

 

                                                                                               

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