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Symi Dream

Living on a Greek island

Symi Dream - Living on a Greek island

Anyone for Tennis?

I’m feeling rather chuffed, because I have a sporting injury, and I don’t do sports. Apparently, I’m suffering from tennis elbow, which is clearly a latent condition because the last time I played tennis was in 1979, so why it’s chosen now to come out… Actually, it’s because of my incessant typing regime, and it was painful for a while, and becoming more so. In fact, it was getting to the point where certain actions were impossible, and I thought it was high time I saw someone about it.

On the Blue Star 2

On the Blue Star 2

I’ve talked medical before, so excuse me if there’s some repetition here. First thing you do when you need to see a doctor is consider going to the local clinic. However, the doctors there, who apparently only stay for a few weeks before moving on, are there to tell you to go and see a specialist. They cover accidents and emergencies, but the last time I went, they couldn’t actually prescribe anything – that may have changed, but I cut them out of my process because here in Greece, you can see a specialist with relative ease. Depending on funds and what’s wrong, you can see one the next day if you want. This might mean a trip to Rhodes and €40, but that’s what I did yesterday. Hopped on the Blue Star at nine, and called in to see an orthopaedic consultant/surgeon at his office in Rhodes at 10.30. An examination and friendly chat later, and I had a couple of things to buy and use, exercises to do, and I knew what was wrong and why. Simple. No waiting lists, no diagnosis by phone (how is that even possible?), and no messing about.

The Virgin mega-monster floating all inclusive my idea of hell ship in Rhodes.

The Virgin mega-monster floating all-inclusive my idea of hell ship in Rhodes. (The Maltese Falcon’s mast in the background.)

It was a spring-like day in Rhodes where there was a breeze, a welcome change after all these weeks on Symi with high humidity, so we walked the two miles back to the new town for some shopping and for an orange juice at the Plaza. Then, I thought I’d pop my head into H&M to see if there was anything worth trying on. I walked into the men’s department, scanned the room, admired the ancient monument which runs through it (protected by a rail), and walked out again because everything was black, white or grey. So dull! I didn’t need anything anyway, I was just passing the time.

View from the lunch table

View from the lunch table

From there to a few more shops, bits and pieces, and then, to lunch. On the way, we passed the jewellers where I’d bought our wedding rings, Sam’s signet ring for his 18th and who have done some repairs and alterations for me in the past, and had a look at their current collection of rings ahead of Harry’s 18th next year. After leaving the shop people disappointed because I was only there to look, we walked over to Nimmos Taverna by Akandia gate to be greeted as long-lost relatives, and to have lunch. That took the best part of two hours, and we mooched on up Kanadis Street to the Chinese clothes shop (for Jenine who I was with), and then to the boat in plenty of time for the five o’clock sailing. I have to say, the Blue Star 2 isn’t as nice as the Patmos. It’s a fine and fast ferry, and the inside is big and so are the cabins (I’ve used it once with a cabin to Athens), but the outside seating has no shade, and the outside/inside café is like sitting in a sports hall.

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Anyway, we made it home where there was time to admire the new crowd control measures in the harbour. So new, some of the plastic was still on the railings. Everything’s much more organised in the port now, with on-traffic this side, off-traffic that side, and a line for passengers to safely walk either way between the barriers – not that many people were obeying the rules. They’ll get used to it.

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Now, I must stop and rest my sporting injury for five minutes while I stretch this and apply that, and then settle down to some proper work. The doctor yesterday said something about what causes tennis elbow, and I told him for me, it was the result of writing between three and six thousand words a day. ‘Oh, are you a writer?’ Yes. ‘I expect Symi is an inspiration.’ Well, actually, I am currently writing about London in 1893, in a snowstorm, and I’m in the sewer system, so not an inspiration right now…