We arrived in Vass on the Monday the 16th May, two weeks earlier than last year, having driven by car this time. We are staying in the Imperial Studios in an apartment on the second floor directly opposite the campsite and next to the Euro Market. Hugo and Marlies are staying in one of the studios on the top floor and have started to plant their vegetable plot at the back of the apartments. Tuesday was sunny and warm and we both started the day with a 5 mile (8km) run in the olive groves (what we call the ‘P’ route). After breakfast we went along to say hello to Stelios and Vassiliki at the Cosmos Hotel and then called in on Roy and Eve on their camping ground next door. We cycled along the front of the hotels to Sun Waves where Jean and Clive were sitting on the beach. Whilst we were there Chris and Dick came to Sun Waves so we were able to say hello to them too.
Mel ran the longer cemetery route (14km) the next day and I had a rest. We went across to the campsite to catch up with Kula, Nikhei, Maria and Irene and had a coffee with them. They are ‘busy’ getting the campsite ready for the summer season and hoping they will have plenty of campers.
Thursday was a little cloudy but Mel ran to Kontarena and I headed towards Agio Fili beach and we met where the two paths cross. We didn’t go to the beach today as the water would be too cold for a dip as yet. We ran back into town and had a cappuccino at Livinakis but we sat inside as it was a little cool. Later we went to Sun Waves and took Mel’s windsurf kit. After unloading the car he rigged up three sails and put them in the rack, which at the moment is empty other than for Hugo’s sails.
The next morning it started to rain; Mel had already set off to run the ‘P’ but I decided to give it a miss! We drove to Lefkada Town after breakfast and had a coffee and a wander round before heading back to Nidri where we stopped for lunch. By now it was raining heavily and was quite cool as we sat and waited for our food in a cafe directly opposite where the Kefalonia and Meganisi ferries now come in.
During Friday night and all Saturday morning it rained heavily with thunder and lightening, we were glad not to be on the campsite! Later it dried up and we walked into town and then along to Sun Waves where Jean was lying in her bikini and Clive was sitting fully clothed!
Sunday arrived and the sun did too! We both did a long run – Mel went to Agios Petros, Nikolis and back through the olive groves (21km) and I did the 12km cemetery run. On Monday Mel ran the longer cemetery route and I went with him on the bike.It was a little cool to cycle and I wished I had brought some warmer clothes with me. We saw Larissa guiding a group from Wild Wind on their bikes in the olive groves.
Later we went along to Cosmos for a coffee and lunch and met Amanda, Rob, Josh and Sam there. They are here for a week and are hoping for some wind; it is a few years since we have seen them although I have kept in touch with Amanda by email. Josh and Sam are 22 now and both doing well at university. The sun was shining and the wind was gently blowing so we went to Sun Waves and Mel went out on the water for the first time with a big sail. It was hard work but he played around for a while and I sat by the pool on a sunbed and had a chat to Karen (yoga teacher from Healthy Options).
Mel went to circuit training for the first time this season with Amy on Tuesday morning and had quite a hard session. When he came back I went to Amy’s Swiss Ball session and Amanda came too. It was a bit overcast but the sun did come out in the afternoon. We chilled out reading and relaxing in the apartment as the wind is a cool northerly and not so comfortable for sitting on the beach as yet. We went to the private English school in town in the evening to see Cora (a Dutch lady who teaches English to the Greeks and was recommended by Vassiliki) to arrange to have some Greek lessons with her.
We decided to go out in the car on Thursday whilst it is still quiet on Lefkada to explore some areas we haven’t been to before. We drove to Vlycho and turned off to Dhesimi and had a look at the campsite and beach there. We had a frappe before moving onto Gheni taking in the views from the opposite side of Nydhri. We stopped at Dimitri’s water front restaurant in Gheni and had an omelette and another frappe.
The sun was shining but that cool, northerly wind was there again so we didn’t stay long after finishing our food. From here we went on to the waterfalls at Nydhri. We have been here before but much later in the season when it was very busy and there wasn’t much water flowing down. It was good to see it with less people there and more water!
In the evening we went to see Cora for our first Greek lesson which was a challenge! We have a long way to go but have made a start with learning some of the Greek alphabet. Jan & Evette had arrived this afternoon so we called in at the campsite on the way back to say hello.
On Friday evening we went for a meal at Maria’s in Ponti with Rob & Amanda, Josh & Sam and then for a drink at Stelios’. We had a very nice evening with them but they haven’t had a very windy week so are a little disappointed with the lack of windsurfing opportunities. But Amanda had enjoyed doing Swiss Ball and Yoga at Healthy Options.
Saturday was a lovely day – hot and sunny – probably the best day so far this season. We went for a bike ride to Agios Petros where we had a frappe stop as usual and then on to Nikolis. The restaurant area suffered severely in the earthquake; the wall has fallen away and there is a massive crack all the way across the floor where the tables and chairs would normally be. We cycled back down the road which also had a lot of major cracks in it, through the olive groves to Vassiliki. This was quite a hard ride for our first significant venture out on the bikes – 21km and lots of climbing! Later we went to Sun Waves and had a lovely relaxing afternoon sitting by the pool and enjoying the sunshine but there was no wind surfing as the wind never got up.
On Sunday Mel ran to Sivros (frappe stop) and then back via the monastery road (17km) and I did the cemetery route (12km). It was a cool, overcast morning so good for running but we were both tired from the bike ride yesterday. We did some Greek language practice after breakfast which made us even more tired!