3rd July 2013
Well, after my appalling behaviour yesterday about Sarah’s driving, I’ll never be allowed to live down today’s antics. This bloody so-called “smart car” feels like it takes up way more of the road than it should and is nowhere near as easy to handle as our little “topless” model was on Paros.
I’m not sure how many times I wandered to the wrong side of the road but Sarah did assume the classic “crash position” with her head down and arms up protecting herself at least once – or, ummm, maybe twice. But, in my defence, I think she was giving me dodgy navigational information at the time of these lapses!! On the other hand, the driver of the car I almost ran into by being on the other (notice how I said “other”, not “wrong?) side of the road didn’t seem particularly fazed. It could be that my style of driving is the norm here – or maybe that’s just my story and I’m sticking to it, lol……
The beautiful Red Beach, Santorini
Even with my dicey driving we did manage to make it to Red Beach and Akrotiri and back in one piece. The track to the Red Beach was just that and so unlike anything I’ve ever encountered before. We followed another person who looked like they knew where they were going. We clambered up, down, over rocks and bits of wood sort of nailed together into a makeshift step and came to the amazing sight of the Red Beach. It’s like nothing I’ve ever seen before and just a tiny bit further along is another beach with some of the whitest sand I’ve seen here.What was even more astonishing was that the umbrella’s and sun loungers had been unpacked from their storage areas built into the red cliffs and were lining the beach at 8 in the morning – and there were people using them already. Talk about keen, but I do think it’s one of the places not to miss on Santorini.
It was only a short drive back to the archeological site of Akrotiri. Not much chance of car related mishaps you’d think, but even then I managed to drive into the car park via the exit, and of course bloody eagle eye Sarah didn’t miss that one either. thank goodness we were both seeing the funny side of things today, unlike yesterday.
Inside the Akrotiri site Santorini
On a more serious note though, it’s difficult to believe this city dates back to something like 4,000BC and was buried about 1,500BC by a massive volcanic eruption. It’s also harder to believe excavation of this site began in 1967 and that it’s still relatively not well-known. Like Pompeii the city was quite well preserved and the tour through the site was well worth the small cost. The drainage systems and three-story buildings must have been really something that far back in time – sort of makes me wonder if we really are as clever as we think sometimes. The site is enclosed in a huge building which makes for easy strolling so we spent quite a while there.
We bought some fruit from a vendor in the car park when we left and headed back to the hotel. I must have been all tuckered out from the early start and the excitement of scaring everyone silly enough to be on the roads – I tootled off to our room and had a nanna nap while Sarah calmed her nerves with a cocktail or two by the pool!!
MidLife Traveller 
what’s the physics concept? for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction? driving counts as physics methinks! >:-D
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Haha, yes you’re right there on both counts methinks too. 🙂
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hee hee!
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