Greek dip

We had a sunrise dip in the ocean, beneath the scene pictured. It was rougher, darker and more imposing than when the sun has been beating down for hours and the clear blue waters invite you to cool off. It was a memorable way to end before we packed up and drove south on the windiest curling roads towards the airport. The north end of Zante is much more crumbling and rural and preferable to anyone who prefers tranquility over mass tourism. There are some isolated villages with crusty old men sitting around, and I wonder what they think of the occasional tourist inching gingerly through the narrow streets in brightly coloured (but dusty) cars.

One of the only settlements of note in the far north is Agios Nikolaos (which seems to have a namesake on every Greek island) where we needed to get petrol this morning, or we would have faced being stranded. Understanding the fuel pump opening hours reminded us of experiences in Cambodia, where we've all lived. We didn't have much time to linger but couldn't get a straight answer. '30 minutes from now' was the standard response. We were forced to enjoy a final coffee and pastry on the seafront until the employees roused themselves.

The plane sat for two and a half hours on the runway before a mechanical issue could be fixed. It's always surprising how people are more bothered about the inconvenience of a delay than understanding the nature of a technical fault on a plane shortly to take off with them inside.

I was sensible to not arrive back in flip flops and shorts, despite my strong urge. There is a definite windy autumnal feel in the air. It's been such a wonderful few days in Greece. Amazing for the skin, belly and soul.