Kos

According to the writeup the apartment is a 15 minutes walk from Kos town which is 2.2km away. When at home,  I power walk and I aim to do 15 minute miles, which is a goal I rarely achieve unless its downhill with the wind behind me! I think that Kos town is a good 25 minute walk, but there is a bus so thats fine. Our ground floor apartment is in fact partially basement which means the wifi, which is patchy at best near reception, is non existant in the apartment. I am not happy about the wifi. The apartment itself is a good size, very clean, has everything we need, but in need of renovation. Its just tired. Brown tiles, beige bathroom suite, dark furniture. We do laugh, every light works, but not necessarily on the switch you would expect. Outside there are some health and safety issues, no rails to stop you tripping on the uneven path and landing in the partial basement patios. Nothing to stop you cracking your head on overhanging balconies. Its a shame as its actually in a lovely quiet spot. The pool is nice and the pool bar does reasonably priced snacks and drinks all day. Mini market just down the road. And a good selection of restaurants along the seafront heading away from Kos town.

Anyway we didn't come here to have a good time, we came to gatecrash Pauline & Nicks holiday!!!! :-) HA HA! Seriously, we are so excited to be catching up with them. Their hotel is just down the road. We arrange to meet on the road half way, and soon find a cocktail bar to catch up on the gossip.

We soon figure out that the local beaches are not that pleasant. Very narrow, visitors must be packed in like sardines in high season. They are also stony and a bit litter strewn. So, after some discussion we collectively hire a car and head for Paradise beach. Can be reached by coach tour too on certain days. So, we pick a day the coaches wont be there and head off. There is one main road that runs the length of the island of Kos from Kos town to Kefalos. Its not a particularly pretty ride. There are smaller roads that head off each side to smaller villages. Paradise beach is found down one of these roads. Its a sandy beach in a bay, there is a beach bar and the usual paragliding, water sports facility. But what makes Paradise beach special for me is the bubbles. Sulphur bubbles flutter up from the sandy sea bed. Lovely to swim through and play with. You do get the odd whiff of sulphur, but its short lived. We spent a happy few hours sun bathing, swimming, reading and chatting. We also have lunch in the beach bar before heading off to Kefalos to see whats there. Kefalos is ok as far as holiday resorts go, but not particularly `Greek`, just the usual tourist shops and restaurants. We dont stop. Then we head to Tigaki, where Pauline has been told there is a nice beach. It is indeed a much wider sandy beach which could swallow up a lot more visitors in high season. However there is a lot of weed rolling at the seas edge which is a bit off putting. Then we head off to Zia, a high view point on Mt Dikeos, famed for its spectacular sunsets. The view is lovely, sea twinkling from across the rolling countryside dotted with little churches. This feels more`Greek`! Cobbled streets, lots of white and blue. Lots of gift shops, one selling Christmas table runners!!!! Really? Oh crumbs, I forget what time of year it is approaching, it is still summer for us. The evenings are cooling down but its still sunbathing weather during the day (in the upper 20`s). 

Nick informs me that the first Christmas party is scheduled at the Birch (Haywards Heath) on1st November. I hope to avoid the hype this year. We still dont know where we will be for Christmas, see where the wind takes us! Loving our gypsy life style, no schedule, no real plan. Very liberating. 

Kos is gradually closing down in front of our very eyes. The season doesnt end for another couple of weeks but Tavernas and bars are shutting up shop already. People arriving the the next two weeks are going to have a poor choice. Sad! But it means the remaining guests are concentrated into the few restaurants with guts enough to stay open. 

We all decide Kos is okay if all you want is a week in the sun by the pool. But it hasnt enough to sustain a two week visit for us. Its just not very Greek. Norman and I hope to do a bit more Greek island hopping (next year) in search of pretty islands like Paros, Kos wont be getting a repeat visit.

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