Halki or bust!

So, more visitors have been and gone to our Greek House in the last few weeks; all adding something to our time here and are ongoing adventures.

A late night trip to the airport saw the arrival of my mum and dad, Pam and Don, who I managed to locate sitting on a bench outside the airport chatting with the Greek taxi drivers - hint to elderly parents its called an arrivals hall, wait in or outside the bloody thing! As we made our way back home they told me that two of their oldest friends and my godparents - Carol and Derek were staying on Halki - a small island of the coast of Rhodes and somewhere myself and Helen has always planned on going to.

As this would be a great opportunity to meet up with old friends and cross another thing of our to do list a plan was soon formed. Using the excellent Nissos Halki ferry page on facebook, our journey was chosen, tickets booked and off we set towards the small harbour at Kamiros Skala on the opposite side of the island. All was going swimmingly until yours truly took a wrong turn and headed towards the old castle at Monolithos. Following an ever winding and narrowing road, thinking any second I would see a sign pointing us towards our destination, we finally arrived - at a dead end on a deserted beach nowhere near where we wanted to be! A swift spin round and even swifter climb back up the mountain in the yellow peril (I  have the actual yellow car off the Inbetweeners!) we got back on the right route towards Kamiros Skala.

 We came around the corner to see a ferry sailing off into the distance and after a few suitably choice expletives and a telling off about language from the better half, pulled forlornly onto the quayside to find it wasn't our ferry! Ours had just pulled away from the side and amazingly after some waving from us and hand gestures from the crew (polite ones as well!) the ferry turned round and came back for us. Coming from a country where you can't even get a bus to stop for you this was truly amazing and we were soon recovering with a frappe and enjoying the hour long crossing.


Having visited Symi before we were really looking forward to Halki and weren't dissapointed. A pretty harbour flanked by pastel coloured houses on the waters edge met us as we pulled in and after  a welcoming beer we set off exploring the harbour and the nearby beach.

Halki is definitely somewhere to get away from it all. Quiet lanes lead up from the harbour and a gentle stroll brings you a nice sandy and sheltered beach with a taverna and terrace overlooking the sea. A wander back down brought us to more peaceful tavernas on the harbour side and after a pleasant afternoon lunch it was back on the ferry and thankfully straight forward drive back to Gennadi.

Another barbecue soon followed with more great company as we were joined by our daughter's friends Renae, Katherine and Laura all having a well deserved break before starting off on their nursing degrees in September. Four beautiful intelligent ladies who will definitely go onto great things.

As much as our adventure here in Rhodes continues to be everything we hoped for, we have been saddened and heart broken by the passing of our brother in law Shaun Murray after a very short and sudden battle with cancer. Shaun was  someone who always loved his times spent on Rhodes where he married my sister Sharon; he will always be in our hearts - RIP Shaun.