| Erin's Corfu Journals 5-2-02 For our third day in Corfu, we considered going on the boating trip given by the Palace, but realized that if the trip got boring we'd have no way out for 6 hours. So we rented kayaks instead, as we'd been told there were numerous sea caves with bats etc. to explore nearby, as well as good snorkeling. Glenn and I got down to the beach a little late, as all the single kayaks were already out, so we took a double and with teamwork and our intensely competitive natures, soon left Angie & Corella behind. We headed across the bay and around the signature rock that marks Agios Gordis bay (where the Pink Palace is), and searched for caves, along with several other kayakers we'd caught up with. We found several that were too small to really get into, then ran across one that had real bats in it. Boy, do they smell! Then we found a larger cave where several boats were already beached, and beached ours as well to try some snorkeling. I stayed in the boat as Glenn snorkeled - the water was way too cold for me! And as it turned out, this was helpful, as the boat acted as a docking station for him and a couple of other snorkelers to take a breather occasionally. There wasn't much to see there underwater, and it was very cold in there, so the snorkelers quickly got back in the boats, and we decided to head to the other end of the bay where it was said the snorkeling was better. Once out in the bay waters though, we found it was much farther than we'd thought, and I was quickly exhausted. We kept going and going and going...and I kept taking more frequent breaks! Finally we arrived and Glenn was happy to get back in the cold water after the hot sun had baked us in the boat. I recovered a bit with the slow, easy pace I was able to take while I followed him near shore, and when he was done snorkeling again, we headed back for the Palace dock to return the boat. It was a long trip back, and by the end of it I was so tired I couldn't even think or talk, just stood around panting and numbly plodding along. We went back to the beach area to rest a bit, and I finally got in the water a bit, but soon only wanted to get cleaned up and lie down. I headed back up the hill to the hotel, and Glenn helped me get settled in before heading back down to the beach for more volleyball, with the agreement that I'd meet him for dinner. I recovered a bit more vitality after my shower, and rather than nap, I went downstairs to use the internet for a bit. The hotel's internet services were pathetic though, as the connection was so slow that your half hour card expired before you could even really check all your email after waiting a minute or more after each click of the mouse. Plus, only 2 of their 7 computers were even working, so by the time my card expired, I still had more to do and people were waiting. So I went up the hill to the scooter renter (who also had an internet computer for use), leaving the room key at the front desk for Glenn in case he arrived back before I did. I spent the 45 minutes left before dinner checking emails and responding to only 2 before time was up. When I got back to the room, Glenn was in the shower, having just gotten into the room after waiting almost 45 minutes and not finding me, and finally asking the neighbor to climb around the balcony to let him in! We were each tired and annoyed, so I went down to the beach for a while to give us each some space. The beach was gorgeous at night, and after dark I started seeing fireflies in the bushes and across the sand, some going quite a ways out over the water. When I got back, we worked things out and went to bed, planning to leave Corfu for Athens the next day. |
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| Glenn was happy to get another chance to play beach volleyball! |
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| The Bay of Agios Gordis |