RHODES to ATHENS to CRETE – early flights 

Monday – holy Rhodes – my alarm goes off at 4am and then I remember I have to be at the airport at 6.35am to start today’s adventures. – going to be a long day.

Check that I have everything – I will have to get brekky at the airport because I am being picked up at 5am – yoicks.  It was a good ride – quiet streets and a nice driver – arriving at the airport it is crowded but not too bad.

My flight has a delay of 30 minutes but I don’t fancy anything to eat – nor do I fancy walking around to take photos.  I plonk myself into a seat and wait for the time to board announcement

Here we go – down the ramp – on the bus – up the stairs and I am up the front in seat 3F, a window seat of course. It is a full plane with lots of kids so I hope they behave themselves as I do not play well with ankle biters. The usual snacks are handed out and an hour later we arrive in Athens.  My bag is checked through to Crete so don’t have to worry about that.

Typical of Athens airport – there is no gate listed so I just wander around and get some water, A look in a few of the shops and I am excited to see a magnet of the Temple of Hephaestus.  Shame they don’t actually sell the magnets at the particular point of interest – oh well I am happy – doesn’t take much.

Finally I have a gate – B20 – so off I go.  There looks to be a lot of people going to Crete.

Time to board so it’s down the ramp and onto the bus – about a 100 metre drive then up the stairs and into seat 3A.

This is the divider between First Class and the rest of us.  So classy.

We are soon off to Heraklion Airport (Crete) – looks like it’s going to be another fabulous day weather wise.

What is it with flight attendants?  When they walk up and down the aisle it’s like a great thumping elephant is on board.

We are soon flying over the Myrtoan Sea and I think I spot Santorini – photos and excitement.

We are close to Heraklion and then I see a quarry.  Could this be the marble quarry that is fabled to be the ancient Labyrinth of the Minotaur?  My heart tells me yes, but my gut tells me it is not as it looks to be still working.

We arrive in Heraklion and my taxi is waiting to take me to my home for the next three nights –  the Atrion Hotel.  It is tucked away but it is within walking distance of the harbour so that is good.

I am too early to check in but the lovely lady gives me the wifi code if I want to pass the time.  She is very friendly so I ask her if I can get anything to eat and she tells me I can relax and grab something to eat just through the door.  It is a lovely courtyard, so lovely and quiet and soon another smiling lady starts to flutter around the little bar area.  She comes over and asks me what I would like.

Strong coffee and a toasted ham and cheese sandwich would be lovely thank you.

About 10 minutes later my snack arrives – the coffee is strong and as you can see I have some chips with my sandwich.  I try not to pig into it but you must remember I have not had anything to eat apart from the plane snacks.

After my snack I put on my ipod – and promptly fall asleep.  I don’t know how long my slumber was – the next thing I know the nice lady is waking me to tell me my room is ready – I hope I wasn’t snoring!

I am in room 114 – nice size with a good bathroom – yep that’s fine with me

and I tell you the view is to die for – see below –

I certainly won’t be enjoying any time looking at this – and there is no verandah, but I did not come here to sit and relax as you can most probably gather.  Tomorrow I will start my exploration of Heraklion in earnest – so I better rest up today.

Get everything organised – lovely relaxing shower and then time to go back to sleep.