Will never give my kid a name which could be shorten to Bob.

Can’t look at buses, bunnies, and furniture the same way.

Knows THE fool proof way of getting into first class.

Is exposed to the fact that ‘moan’ is a language.

Know what is the main reason behind PMS – and it is not hormones.

Celebrate the fact that women are the most sought after species.

Truly enjoyed my ever first Vagina Monologue!

Seeing four seasons on the way to Loch Ness   

Hearing the fire alarm go off every week in your flat does not do wonders for your nerves. Rather than flashing a warning of potential material loss and inconsolable sadness, it simply refers to TESCO time.  I would file ‘fire alarm insanity’ under the ‘take the mickey’ category. What I definitely would file under ‘the effing fantabulous’ category would be new found friendships, the learning experience, challenging oneself, seeing new places and discovering a new type of me.

Growing older doesn’t provide you the liberty of acting younger. Growing older means having to wise up mentally and characteristically so you won’t have more elderly folks giving you ‘that’ look. Everyone around me has achieved something in life or contributed back to society. I have always gone on and on about wanting to contribute back to society but honestly I have been a BIG humbug. It’s just NATO – No Action Talk Only. Very simple to just talk but having the courage needed to make that first step is monumental.

Moaning and groaning about how life treats us unfairly is just bollocks…’yeah, but, no, but yeah…’excuses, denial, and ignorance. Definitely time to do something about it. It can’t be completed in a year but at least then I would know I am walking down that chosen path.   

Staycation in Crete!

I decided to reward myself with a short break after the flurry of writing and handing in assignments. Even though I had a wonderful break with hubby dear but there was a constant nagging at the back of my mind (Mr Assignment). I was mentally tired and that one week of doing essentially nothing did not recharge my battery – probably the same environment does not do wonders. SO I decided to make the decision of joining Maria to her island in Greece – Crete.

Maria has to go to Crete to sit for the teacher examination. For me it would be to just get away from everything.

We left for Crete on 29^th Jan – at 0300. I slept early but Maria didn't so she was quite the zombified by the time we reached Crete. We travelled via Amsterdam and Athens. The transit at Amsterdam gave us quite a scare. The plane landed at 0800 and decided to do an F1-like round of the runaway. By the time we alighted, it was 0820 and our boarding time for the next flight was 0835. We then had to do run to board the next flight to Athens. Have to exit immigration, rescanned the bags and avoid the millions of people and reached panting at our gate. The ironic situation was the gate we were boarding was practically next to the bloody gate we alighted. I slept from Amsterdam to Athens after breakkie. About the breakfast aboard KLM – I have never eaten any airplane or hotel meals, for that matter, which was super healthy. I had yogurt, gouda cheese, mixed-grain bun, and muesli bar – all organic!

Upon reaching Athens, Maria entered the zombie state. While waiting for the flight we chatted and walked up and down the check-in desks to find the appropriate desk. The Athens airport is LOOONG. The flight to Heraklion took less then 50 mins (including landing time). We then rushed out to catch the taxi to Rethimno. So far the trip was going  according to plan. The taxi driver offered to take us to Rethimno for €40 each. Insane. Nope – took the bus. €6. Maria told me there was a farmers' demonstration going on this week. Maria laughed at the demonstration though – 3 tractors, some cars and a small group of people – that is not a demonstration according to her. It was my first time though – the farmers blocked the entire road, they were burning something, revolutionary music was blaring from the speakers and black flags were flying. We had to switch buses as no traffic could passed through the blockade. There was a bus waiting to bring us to Rethimno. On the way, my stomach didn't feel so good as the road was starting to twist and turn – almost similar to the route up Cameron Highlands, more twisty I feel. Had to close my eyes and tell myself to just hold it in.

Upon reaching Rethimno. Maria's dad picked us up from the bus stand which faces the most stunning view – the sea, the snow-covered mountains, the castle and the town. I didn't know about the stunning view till the next day as we arrived at night. We had dinner at her Dad's side. Roast chicken, salad, fries and one of the best cheese I ever had. Then we retired for the night at her OWN apartment. Did i mentioned that Maria has her OWN apartment. And it is a beautiful decorated and cosy apartment. Yeah – we have a long standing joke between Ruth and Maria. Ruth has her own forest and lake whereas Maria has her island but this time she can claim that she has her own apartment as well.

      Knossos, Iraklio                      Rethmino                              Chania

I visited three major towns in Crete – Heraklion, Rethimno and Chania. Rethimno and Chania are very beautiful towns. Heraklion not that much because it feels like a bustling metropolitan – busy busy busy. And the people in Heraklion really dress up. Very trendy sunnies, top of the brand boots, handbags, clothing and etc. Posh – felt quite out of place. Well I was already out of place with me lugging my camera equipment and speaking broken Greek.

I visited Knossos which is 5kms from Heraklion. Took the bus and stopped in the middle of no where. It should be in the middle of no where since most archeological sites don't give off the impression of being an air-conditioned enclosed area serving tall glasses of iced Long Island Tea. Who wants to wallow in the heat and come back encrusted in dry dust and smell of old bones. The Minotaur myth originated from Knossos, Crete but instead of finding entrails of young maidens and lads, I was almost conned into parting with €70 for a private tour.

Entrance to the archeological site is free for all EU students and since I am studying in Edinburgh, Scotland, yours truly didn't have to pay. But as I approached the entrance to the site, a lady approached me trying to sell me the private guide idea around the site. In the summer the price is €140, winter would be half price but for me she would give €50. I told her I couldn't afford the price and she kept reducing it by €10 till it reached €20. €20 I can afford. So she told me to wait for another 15 minutes to see if she can get more visitors which in my heart I had doubts since the winter season is like attracting bees with vinegar. I waited and in the end I told her – nah I will pass on the idea. So I went around the site myself and most of it was a reconstruction of what the excavator thought the palace would look like. No talk about the Minotaur bull. I guess that is acceptable since it was a myth and I was supposed to be in awe with broken stones and pillars.

Chania was great. Great harbor, great view, great atmosphere. Chania is the place for people with love. Love for their family, love for their children, love for their parents, love for their friends and love for their partners. Chania just gives off that love. The old town streets are quite confusing but they usually end up at the old harbor. The architecture is a mixed of Venetian and Greek. Venetian with their ornate roofs and grills, the Greeks with their sturdy white walls.

I met Maria's family as well. Her grandparents are lovely. Her parents though divorced are super nice and her young sister is a wonderful feisty little girl. While Maria was sitting her examinations, I had wonderful chats with her granny though we couldn’t speak each other languages but with body language, hand signs and a bit of basic English, we eventually muddle through it.  

I was wonderfully taken care by Maria’s family – her maternal granny prepared the meanest sadziki. Her mom makes the most mouth watering roast mutton. Her paternal granny roasted the best potatoes. Just delicious. I even had raki with more great Greek dishes which I can’t remember the names. Just remembered the name of the alcohol – raki. Heavy duty stuff if you down them in one go.

Raki!

I met Maria’s friends as well and her sister’s aunt. Great friends. Who would ever thought my Greek connections or network would blossom in such a manner...I think I impressed them with my youthfulness despite the I-can’t-believe-you-are-that-old expression after disclosing my age. I enjoyed a cuppa of joe after such a long time. The coffee wasn’t the pansy type but the hit you between the eyes type – Greek coffee and Frappe. Greek coffee is unfiltered coffee (yes that means you drink the coffee powder with the liquid) and Frappe is mixing the coffee with sugar before adding water creating a froth like mixture on top of the coffee. However, I am off the caffeine addiction and back on the tannin juice.

I am invited back to Crete in the summer and I fully intend to fulfil that promise.

Crete is soothing since it has the majestic hills and fierce sea – calms this old lady’s restless soul.

Check out the pictures here!