After spending some time in Somerset visiting tiny English villages and sampling the local beer and food it was time to head over to Greece. Kim wanted to look around Athens for a few days before cruising over to the island of Symi. We went via Amsterdam so we could sample some more local produce, our flights also left from there too.
Arrived at Athens airport. And what a great welcome I had to the country. The passport checker started flicking through the pages of my passport, stopped, took a look at me, stared at me for a while then beckoned the security guards to come over.
2 security guards escort me to the office where bags are checked. I was told to wait. There were a about 7 or 8 people already waiting in the rather large room sitting around on chairs. I took out my book and started to read.
A fair amount of time passed, and I was the last person left in the office. I was asked if I was travelling alone. We went to collect Kim. He just stared at me. Kim had collected our rucksacks from the baggage claim area and we were escorted back to the office.
My rucksack was placed on the checking table, the man put his hands on the straps ready to open it.
Another man, behind the desk started to ask us questions about where we are from and what we were intending to do in Greece. We answered enthusiastically. Actually I did most of the talking because Symi was the destination and I had been there before.
The man behind the desk in front of us picked up our passports and handed them to us and said " Enjoy your stay " ... all this happened while the other guy was standing there next to my bag ready to open it.
Phew!! That was a close one!
We got outside, jumped on the double decker bus that goes to central Athens, chatted up the 2 chicks that were on the bus, one from England and the other was from Ireland and went to find somewhere to stay in the Old Town of Athens.
Staying in the old town is the best place to find somewhere cheap while having the Greek character surrounding you left, right and center.
After a few days of sight seeing we were on our way to Symi.
The island or Rhodes is always value for money. The history goes way back, there is a lot to see, there are beaches galore, private or touristy, and one of my favourite parts of Rhodes is the food. There are a good selection of restaurants to choose from.
No motorbikes this time because, to be honest, my money was getting extremely low at this point.
On the island of Symi we met up with Manos the Greek guy I would be working for. He told me that the start of the season wasn't in full swing yet and business was kind of slow right now. I would be able to start work in a few weeks time.
SHIT!!
I really wanted to work because I needed money ... NOW!! I had a chat with Kim. He couldn't lend me any cash, he had some but not a lot. Fair enough. I would go back to England as I still had a return flight. I'll get back in contact with Guys Hospital in London and find out if there are any human trials happening soon. I had done one the previous year and got paid quite a lot of money for testing new pharmaceutical drugs ready to go on the British market. Or if that didn't work out then I could always work for a really low salary from my dad in the pub!!
In the mean time Kim and I hung around in Rhodes for a couple of days. The night before heading to Athens, Kim and I celebrated being completely skint in our small hotel room. Kim opened his Benedictine and I popped the cork on my champagne. We clinked our bottles together and said in unison " Here's to being broke in Greece!! " ... then proceeded to get completely smashed.
I arrived at the port of Athens and immediately made my way to the airport. At the airport I found out I couldn't get on a flight until tomorrow!! I was so hungry!! After searching what food I could buy with the few coins that I had left, I walked back to my spot and contemplated how a packet of biscuits could last me for 24 hours. I filled my empty mineral water bottle up with water from the tap in the toilet, drank heaps of that so that I felt quite full and bloated then relaxed for some time to come. I had finished my book but it was now time to read it again to pass the time. I wondered around getting to know the inside and outside of the airport! :))
With about 12 hours to go until my flight my stomach had won the battle for food. I strolled over to the kiosk that sold the biscuits and spent my final Drachmas. At least I could stretch them for a while, unlike a hamburger for eg. where it would need to be eaten straight away.
Finally the boarding call is announced for my flight. My stomach is growling louder than the engines warming up on the plane!!
I'm shown to my seat. I sit and wait in anticipation! :)) I'm just waiting for this "$#"'!% plane to get in the air, level out, and the trolley chick to start serving lunch!! :))
I start to get fidgety in my seat!!
I can hear it!!
I can smell the food from 10 seats back!!
My stomach starts to moan!!
SHE'S HERE!!
Oh, what a great smile you have! But I have to put my priorities into perspective and chase the food first this time!!
" First one you can grab please, I'm starving " ... so casually and politely said.
It was delicious!! :))
I pushed the assistance button. The stewardess came and I asked for a second lunch.
She came back with one. What a bonus.
The rest of the flight was heavenly.
I was back in the pub the same night. A good hitch hike got me there in the right time frame. I was on the phone the next day to Guys Hospital and they were starting the screening process for a trial next week. I was in!!
Stay tuned for Part 3 ... coming to your screens soon :))
No comments:
Post a Comment