Before we left Australia, we had booked our accommodation for the entire journey. But there was one little part of the trip that was impossible to book accommodation before we left home, and that was in the Greek Islands because info about the ferries was unavailable. So, we found a travel agent in Athens who created a package for us. And it wasn't cheap either.
While Jean planned our trip over several years, she had particularly looked forward to visiting Santorini. For her, it was the one highlight among dozens of destinations on this journey that, in her mind, stood head and shoulders above the others. At Santorini, we would walk among the classic white houses with blue rooftops, explore the cute little alley ways of the main towns, and soak in all the beauty.
The accommodation the travel agent had booked for us was in a place called Perissa. After arriving at the island's main port, we caught a bus which struggled up the steep, steep cliff face. Down the other side we drove. Soon, we entered the bleakest area with cliffs that went sheer to the sky. They were rocky but not aesthetically pleasing. We felt we were on the moon. When we arrived near our intended hotel, we had arrived in what looked like a quarry. We were very upset with this, out in the middle of nowhere, warranting a bus ride every time we wanted to see civilisation. I told the receptionist we would not be staying.
It was now around 5 pm, and we were 'homeless' on an island which is, according to conventional wisdom, totally booked out in August. But Jean was very confident we'd find alternative arrangements. On the Internet, we found a couple of possibilities. We caught a bus to Fira, a major town, and found one of the possibilities. It was closed. But a nearby tourist information centre found something for us quite nearby here in Fira. We're happy!!
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