Mamma Mia it’s Greece

[Dixiechic]

Day 7 - Sunday 17th Oct

Woke up for the first time at 11, when our new neighbour mrs clippy clop arrived back making a racket. I then spent several hours thinking about the a/c - now I know I’m not any kind of hvac technician but I’m pretty sure it’s not running right as it never feels cool and it never cuts out. I think about getting up to mess with it but realise that it probably isn’t the time.

I hear jasmine get up and go to the bathroom around 3 (she really does this time, it’s not just the a/c tricking me. )

I set an alarm for 8 thinking I might actually sleep but at 6.30 I give up trying. I sort yesterday’s blog, posting to various places and then get up and shower at 8. Annoyingly the sun is shining through the bathroom window. Typical that it’s sunny now we are leaving. In the midst of packing up I remember that we need to go and get some breakfast before it finishes.

Jas stays at home and by the time we are back we have half an hour to be down in the lobby. The last time we went on a package holiday you had to confer with the rep or look at the notice board to find out when you were getting picked up but now the app tells you - bus 5, at 11 but be there 15 mins before.

The bus arrives at 10.45 and we depart at 11.52 and drive straight to the airport with no pickups so it’s only a 20 minute journey.

Once there we have to queue outside as the desks aren’t currently open. We’re let in just before 12 and are near the front of the queue. We need to show the PLF, vaccination proof and passports. Cases are all showing under so the scales must be totally off! Some poor chap next us is getting frustrated as he can’t open his nhs app to show his vaccination status. He is advised to step aside, take his time and log into the wifi

We go though X-ray and it’s all non busy which makes a change. We grab a pizza slice and a Mediterranean roll and then go through another passport check to get to our gate. At this point I’m thinking prices are fairly reasonable and then jas spots a burger place. Burger fries and a drink is €18 but to be fair it is one of those gourmet type ones.

I spotted the man who had struggled with his nhs app and had a little chat with him.

We got on the bus to board and while we waited could tell that the wind was still cold.

We got on the plane and the crying baby family are 3 rows ahead of us this time so Jasmine’s ears might not suffer so much. (Nhs app man was sat with them and spent mush of the journey with his head in his hands resting on his tray while the baby cries). We’re across from a little boy (under 6 as he has no mask) sitting by himself with his mum and a baby in front. Before we’ve even pushed back we’ve learnt that the mum flew out 4 days ago and her husband had the same passport issue and the couple on the way out - he has 5 months left on it but it’s technically expired as it’s past 10 years from the issue date. The lady was advised to travel as her husband could go to London and get a same day passport issued and fly out the next day. It transpires that this is no longer possible so after 3 days the lady decided to get a flight home as it’s too much to try and deal with by herself especially as the eldest boy is type one diabetic. The person on the aisle in front on phoebe has moved to the exit row and his girlfriend has joined him from the back so lone mum asked the little boy if he wanted to move across next to her but he said no! He has told the lady next to him that his dad is a policeman but he is actually a priory developer. It was all very entertaining until he fell asleep after some chips.

The captain pointed out that we were flying over Venice and then the alps - I took a pic but not sure if it’s Venice or not!

Flight seemed to drag and it has seemed a long day of doing nothing. Due to land at 6 Greek time, 4 uk time. Hoping everything goes to plan and we can be home by 7.30 as everyone is back to work tomorrow.

I’m so looking forward to being able to flush toilet paper! And silence in the house to sleep! Looking forward to my next flight being premium economy with inflight entertainment

We landed at 4pm and immigration was straight forward with no queuing. Our cases came off quickly and we popped in to M&S to get some milk and a few treats and headed outside to find the bus to the long stay car park. The bus stop was literally less than 100 metres away and a bus came along in less than 2 minutes. We didn’t think we’d get on but the driver assured us there was room and we just squeezed in. Back at the car, loaded up and on our way at 5.21pm. I drove back as phoebe wasn’t feeling it and it was a nice easy run with the only snarl up being the usual slow down for the dartford crossing.

I was surprised how quickly it got dark but we just managed to get on to the A12 before it was really dark. Picked up a McDonald’s close to home and pulled in the drive way at 7.30. Hot water on, washing machine on, kettle on. Welcome home.

Lots of ups and downs on this trip - we would have far rather been on a trip to Florida or NYC but it was lovely to have a break and enjoy the small amount of sun! Here’s hoping we have far less dramas on our next trip. Thanks for reading!

Day 7 from Phoebe’s point of view:

Day 7

I didn’t sleep very well again but it wasn’t down to mum or Jas or the air con but I think I’m ready to go home at this point.

Mum was up shuffling around the cases when I woke up at half 8 ish. I got up and showered and attempted to help pack the final bits in the cases but mainly left it down to mum and Jas.

We headed down to breakfast at half 9ish and I had one pancake and one croissant. Back up to the room to weigh all the cases and we headed down to the front of the hotel for half 10. Mum checked us out and at 10:45 the bus turned up to collect us all. Half an hour later we’re pulling into the airport. We were told check in wasn’t open yet so we queued outside for about half hour before they let us in.

There was a man in front of us who didn’t have his vaccine proof printed and couldn’t get the NHS app to work so he held up the line a fair bit. We were through with no issues and showed passports, boarding passes, passenger locator forms and vaccine proof.

Onto duty free where we got some drinks and snacks. I’d gotten a Mediterranean roll with feta, olives, tomato and pepper in. And a cheese and bacon flatbread thing but picked out the bacon. Through more passport checks and sat at the gate to eat and Jas got a burger and chips. We must have been sat at the gate for less than an hour before we were called to get the bus to the plane.

On the plane and sanitised every surface. There was a young boy who was sat in the row across from me and his mum and baby in front of him. We all learnt that her husbands passport had been classed as expired but TUI told him he could get a new one in 24hrs if he went to London so the family and their friends still decided to fly. Turns out he couldn’t get a passport and the mum and kids are now flying back after 3 days.

The little boy is hilarious. He’s sat next to a married couple and is chatting away to the women and they’re playing his switch together, reading and then they all hold hands as we take off. There’s a spare seat next to the mum on the row opposite but the boy declines to move as he’s having way too much fun with his new friend. The little baby is beyond cute. He’s got the lushest eyes and came to me for some cuddles whilst the mum took the boy to the toilet.

Not much else happened on the flight, we had more cheese toasties and chips. I watched 3 episodes of Friends, lost a few games of cards. The little boy got everything out of his bag and onto the lady next to him and at one point was laying across her and the husband!

We landed at 4 and through security where Jas had some issues scanning her passport. She lost her patience with the machine, I lost my patience with her. We then walked in silence to get the cases. By the time mum and Jas had collected the cases, my anxiety of getting ill again from the plane had fully set in and I felt like I was going to pass out. We stopped at M&S to get a few essentials and then outside to the bus stop to get back to the car park.

The bus was rammed and people weren’t fully moving into the middle of the bus to get everyone on. Mum got on one door and Jas and I on another and we somehow ended up with all the cases. There was barely enough room to get us two on let alone 3 giant cases. After a few stops for other areas of the car park and several on and offs with all the cases to let people off, we were back at the car.

We loaded the car and left at 5:15, mum drove home as I was still feeling rough. Mum had only a few traumas, one with a round about and one being in the wrong lane. Stopped off at McDonald’s for Jas and back home to a freezing cold house! Quickly turned the water on to shower and wash my hair to get rid of all the germs and started to sanitise the contents of my hand luggage!

Super excited to be back in my own bed tonight. Very confident that they’ll be no earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes or storms! Just hoping no one is ill x