a priceless getaway: Andros

The greatest of times are spent unplanned.

When N.K. suggested to reschedule the weekend getaway we had cancelled 3 weeks earlier for this weekend I was a bit skeptical. My mom was still in the hospital and I wasn’t in the right mood to leave everything behind. But then I thought that there will never be the perfect scenario (when 4 children under the age of 6 are included) and I went for it.

I packed all things (packing for two kids, one dog & myself can be quite time & energy consuming), closed the house, put everything in the car (including Benny & Iliana) and drove off.

Half way through the ride Benny looked like this:

5 minutes before arriving at the port he threw up. On the towel he was sitting on. A second later I decided to throw the whole thing away (a huge step for me as I am obsessive compulsive about NOT throwing things away). This is not starting the way I planned. Maybe it is a sign. I thought to myself.

Still pretty disgusted I decided NOT to linger on that thought and drove to the port. I picked up N. & Yianni (the latter being so ECSTATIC about the whole riding a FERRY thing he was actually glowing).

We boarded the ferry and went on deck.

After a 2 hour ferry ride we headed for N.K.’s house. Iliana was tired and cranky and wanted to return to the ferry (bless the ferry deprived young heart of hers) and Yiannis fell asleep after talking non stop about the ferry and the engines and the water and the waves (you get the picture). WhileYiannis was in dreamland, Iliana started whining about wanting her kiki (a pillowcase she grew attached to the last 2 years). 40 too-long-to-listen-to-a-child-whine minutes later we finally arrived at N.K.’s house.  It was then we made the horrid realization. We lost THE KIKI on the ferry. To be precise N. lost the kiki on the ferry.

For the purpose of not making a TOTAL FOOL out of myself I will not disclose of what went down the next thirty minutes. Let’s just say: I didn’t take the loss of the kiki that well. Yes, you read correctly. It was ME that didn’t take it well. Not Iliana. She was super fine with the replacement I found a little while later. Anyway, I blame it on the stress that had build up due to the events of the last three weeks. 

The next morning I took Yianni and Benny for a walk and bumped into this lovely crowd:

Needless to say they were both ECSTATIC.

On our way to town N.K. had the splendid idea of stopping by the beach of Niborio where part of the filming of the novel ‘The Jasmin Isle’ or ‘Little England’ took place.

Watching the cast and crew felt like traveling back in time:

After strolling through the beautiful paved alleys of Andros Chora we had a bite to eat and returned home for a much needed rest (kids and adults included).

Y.M. and his son

Our afternoon looked like this:

and this:

The next (and unfortunately last) morning included a bit of this:

a fantastic walk which started here:

and ended (picnic included) here:

Our lovely host N.K. and ultra sweet miss A.:

We had lunch, packed again (someone must do something about this packing thing) and drove off to the port to take the ferry back.

My mood resembled this picture:

Melancholic but happy.

This weekend had it all: quality time with great friends and family while exploring beautiful nature and its creatures. I can’t think of a better way to spend a weekend away. Can you?

Until next time

love,

tatu