June, busting out all over
Ah, June is here and with it comes so many returning, loyal visitors, and friends. That’s one of the problems, especially when your other half works at a popular, local bar. ‘Are you coming down? X Y and Z are here…’ And it is so hard to say ‘No, not today,’ because you want to see them. Not only that, it is a joy to see them and catch up on news, share stories and see how everyone is. One thing leads to another and, before you know it, ‘Will you join us for dinner?’ ‘We’re having a drinks do on Thursday, will you come?’ ‘We must go out to eat one night…’ And so on. So hard to resist. As Oscar Wilde said, ‘I can resist everything but temptation.’ But still, a couple of glasses of red per day are good for you, they say.
There was a great buzz at both village square bars on Wednesday night. The Blue Star and other boats had brought in many returning friends, so there was much to catch up on. You say goodbye and ‘see you soon’ to one, and then another comes along. ‘You must have a drink with me.’ And ‘Water please’ is not an acceptable answer. So, we do what we can but don’t go too far as I am still in the habit of getting up at six and heading straight to work for six hours at the desk before lunch and a siesta and then… well, often starting the process again.
June also brings with it good weather, except yesterday it was cloudy, and there were a few spots of rain. A cruise ship came in, and I was tempted to go and work my passage on it back to Cyprus, but that would take far too long. I’ve found flights now and connection details and, as soon as I can, will book everything so it’s all taken care of and all I have to do is travel. Thank you to everyone for the tips and advice. I’ve also contacted the Film Festival admin department about a room. The festival is at the university in Paphos, and I think, but am not sure, that they have special rates on accommodation there. I mean, I know they have a special rate, but I think the accommodation will be on site. If they are already booked up, there are plenty of other places nearby and not expensive so I will be able to find somewhere to lay my head for the three nights I shall be there.
Before I go, I just wanted to issue a word of warning. Some visitors arrived the other day, having booked their accommodation through Boking.com, only to find that the accommodation owners were no longer taking guests. Apparently, no-one had told Booking.com, and the couple had to find alternative accommodation and then deal with the financial fallout. Not a great way to arrive and, I have to say, it’s the first time I’ve heard of this happening on Symi. I don’t want to name the place, in case I didn’t get the story 100% correct, but it’s a small apartment block near Campos in Horio. Not booked through any of the big companies like Olympic, or Symi Visitor or Kalodoukas, but done independently through Booking.com. I think it’s always best to send an email to the place you are going to stay at to confirm your booking when using this site. Which is what I shall do if I don’t find myself being a university student next weekend.
