Our new guests, and late honeymooners, Bun and Falco only had a week with us so we quit Kos as soon as possible to head back to some of our favourite neighbouring islands.

We decided our first stop would be a return to Nisyros, the volcanic island we had so much fun on last year. We set off early, excited to be sailing but disappointed that the weather was overcast and misty. As often happens in under par weather we were treated to another fabulous display by the local dolphin community!

The following day, with the weather much cheered up we hired a Beach Buggy (the yellow one this time!) and had a chat with the very kind lady who runs the car hire place. We said we were heading out for lunch and did she know if everything was open it being a Sunday and still low season? Turned out that some places would not be open as they was a Music & Dance Festival taking place on the island and normally we would have missed it but is was postponed from the previous weekend due to another post Easter bash!

We followed the instructions on how to get to the festival, it was on the way to our destination (most places are on the way as it is a very small island!) and we were thrilled to see and hear the sights of the locals celebrating.

I felt as though we were imposing, we were definitely the only tourists there, but everyone was so welcoming. Whilst we stood by the kitchen watching the amazing technique of the cook in blistering heat, one of the servers offered us food, salad and a type of casserole, and to find somewhere for us to sit (where I do not know the place was rammed!!)

We declined, we were happy just to be there and watch. It was such a joyful event, families and friends of all ages. Wonderful!

We left the celebrations behind, more people were still arriving and it promised to go on well in to the evening! The sight of the delicious food had us hungry so we hit the road and had a short stop at the viewing point for the volcano at the site of the church up on the hill just outside the village of Nikia.

Then is was full speed (well as fast as a yellow beach buggy can go!) back to another favourite haunt for lunch in Nikia and the splendid Porta Cafe, where Bun and I sampled the local Ouzo and the food was fantastic!

This was now my third trip to this restaurant, part of the appeal is its setting in a small plaza overlooked by an orthodox church. I realised I had never seen the church up close or ventured in so whilst the others waited on the food to arrive I took up the steps, found the door open and voila! What an incredible interior!

Post lunch we walked to another volcano viewing point and made an impulse decision to go visit it!! But only once we had finished on the swings!!!

Jacques and I had been to visit the volcano years ago when the kids were young but were happy to revisit it given the interest of Bun and Falco. We arrived just before the ticket office closed and we were the only people there – excellent!

The smell of sulphur was not as strong as I remembered it from before and this time the area where the surface was bubbling was ringed off. On our visit in 2016 we had merely been asked ‘not to get too close’ to the literally boiling hot springs! The new safety features were welcomed but not sure they would pass close inspection of a full Health and Safety review!!

Dinner on board that night after watching the sad farewell game with Klopp as Liverpool Manager. I won’t go on about this but those who are close to me will know how emotional this moment was for me!

Next morning bright and early off to Tilos, another of our favs! We were pleased to see that the funky bar that was about to close for the winter when we were last here, had opened for the season. I know it looks like we were there all night but really the sun sets very quickly and mostly we were drinking water (!!!)

And so, at the end of a fabulous few days, back to Kos and a final treat of a night in a bay and a swim!!! We knew we needed to be within a short sail distance to get to Kos harbour in good time for Bun and Falco’s afternoon ferry so we opted for a night at anchor in Kardamena where we knew it was safe and the water clear – we could not vouch for what the June sea temperature might be! I can tell you not it is not warm!! Not at all!! Bun and I were brave and lasted about three minutes swimming to keep from hyperthermia setting in!

Dinner, and our final evening together, was spent in the same Albanian run restaurant that we had frequented with Sara and Jo back in October. We were welcomed (perhaps they hadn’t remembered how bad our drunken dancing was!!) and ouzo and fine food were had!

Continuing the trend set by Sara last year, Bun also made a good stab at being dressed to match the crockery!

We had had such a fabulous week with our dear friends and in saying goodbye to them, we knew it would soon be time to say ‘Goodbye’ to Greece and move on. But not before another episode in the ongoing saga of ‘let’s meet all the Greek sailing bureaucracy requirements even though the rules are open to the interpretation and mood of the bureaucrat involved!!’

Did we make it out of Greece without fine or imprisonment? Did I manage to keep calm whilst having to fill in the same form by hand for the 57th time?Could I be English and Irish at the same time?? Would I have to go back to the UK so that I could come back to Greece on a different passport thereby demonstrating that I had not been in Europe for more than 90 days?? Shall I stop screaming now!!!!

All will be revealed next time!!!

Here’s a clue! Me and my sister enjoying a drink in a pub garden and it’s not raining !!

I have included lots of video in this blog – please let me know what you think and if they all worked or clogged up the download!

Sail safe, be kind, more soon! xx