With the absebce of the old Ya-Ya the week passed delightfully. Ermioni became the happy little girl she should be, and once she realised that I was not going to forcefeed her like her granny, she stopped screaming and kicking whenever we came near the kitchen. Even Nikos stopped playing up, and we were a happy threesome that left every morning for the park.
And then it was Tuesday again. I was going to meet a group of South Afrivan nannies at Omonia Square from where we would take a bus that runs all along the coast to a place called Vouliagmeni where we would spend the day at the beach. I was one very happy woman, as I think Dorah got tired of my 1920 swimsuit, and presented me with a beautiful new one that exposed quite a lot of my bosom, and at first I was a bitty loth to put it on in public, as I was not blessed with a voluptious and goddesslike pair of breasts! But as I got a lot less attention when wearing it, I knew that I do look better!!I have met the one girl Katrien before, but the others were also very happy to include me in their group. It was a glorious beach with a lot of sunlovers basking in the hot sun, and the lot with me started to fret that they look out of place with their bikini tops on. I just laughed, as by now I was used to people looking at me, and as nobody on that beach had so much as glanced at me in my new outfit, I was happy in my full suit. But they kept on fretting, some said take the tops off, some was shy, but after a hot and lengthy discussion, it was decided that the tops had to go! So they took it off! And then they sat like statues, shoulders hunched and arms folded protectively over their exposed bosoms.  After sitting like a group of bally Meerkatte for a long time, it was decided that they would go for a swim. Oh goodness, I never laughed so much in a long long time! Like little old women, backs arched so as to make a hollow for the breasts, and arms desperately covering the rest, they reached the water, where for the next hour I never saw more than their heads bobbing up and down!  Later we took the bus back and then we went to Faliro where we sat on one of the dockside tavernas and had a lot of biera (beer) with our meal of a variety of fish, and we all got a bit sozzled and flirted outrageously with the waiters, who enjoyed it as much as we did!

The next week passed without much excitement and because the old Ya-Ya went to her own home in Thesoloniki the children were very relaxed. She was a hazard for Ermioni's wellbeing as she overfed the poor child until she vomited, and then started all over again. I spoke To Dorah about it, and when the old woman suddenly started grumbling and giving me nasty looks whenever She saw me, I sighed one heavy sigh when I saw Petra load her laggage in the BMW to take her to the station. Then Dorah informed me that we were off on another sea holiday the next week, but that she wanted to take Ermioni with. I think she felt so bad, as it took a few days for the little girl to warm up to her parents. So one morning we were all packed into the BMW and off we went to Faliro, not on the Holiday yet, but we were going to Aegina for the day to see if Ermioni was over her sea sickness. That of course was one of the reasons, or rather the main reason why the child always stayed home. But we were scarcely out of the harbour when I saw Ermioni getting restless, and it wasn't long before she started crying and looking quite green. We docked at Agia Marina where the girls and I were on the Tuesday, and of course I was given a purse full of money to go and entertain Nikos on the beach, and we had a wonderfull day, swimming, eating and just walking around. Aegina has is famous for the many Pistachio trees, and the shops also were stocked with beautiful pottery. All too soon we went back to the Yacht, and when Ermioni realosed she had to go on the thing again, she started screaming. So it was decided that a house would be rented for her and me at Leonidios, a seaside resort where we were within reach of them as they will be around the islands there. Oh my, that was both a very bad, and  a very nice time, but first I had another day off, that was super. More next time!!

Luckily for me I had a Pasola when I was younger, so riding a scooter was not quite new to me, as the youngsters of course did not put any stops on, and it was either go or fall behind. It was so good to be out in the open with the wind cooling my face, softening the impact of the fierce sun. The road was beautifully kept, with trees lining it most of the way. We stopped at a few places, but the thought of poor Rosy, who was, according to the girls a real scarredy cat, all alone in Marina, took away a bit of the pleasure as we could not really do a lot of sightseeing. I decided that I will definitely come back to explore all the interesting places and buildings. At Marina we had a lovely lunch, the girls of course making up to the flustered young waiter, and he just blushing and trying to put the stuff down without mishap. All too soon the lovely day came to an end, and we took to the road back to the village of Aegina where we had to have the scooters back before six. We took the usual ferry back to Pereaus, and when I saw all the lorries and loaded tourbusses driving into the belly of the ship, I had a moment of panic that we would sink with all that weight. Then we all went up to the top of the ferry, from where it looked mighty far to the ocean down below, and stretched ourselves out on the benches and had a good rest. I was a bitty disappointed, as the island was almost just a blur to me, the girls more interested in what boys were on the loose than looking at sights! Lying there staring up at the blue-blue sky, I felt quite homesick. I did not feel like going back to my empty nest yet, but I missed my kids. Oh well, before I could get too sad we docked at Pereaus, and with all the excitement of getting off the monster ferry, I was soon in good spirits again, and looking forward to my next day-off. What lifted my spirits even further was when I got home and Ascala told me that the Ya-Ya had gone home! The poor Ermioni was a wreck when it came to eating, as the granny fed her until she wass ready to burst, and when all the food comes back out, she started again.
The next day Katrien, one of the South African Nannies phoned me, and we made a date for the next Tuesday to go to swimming somewhere. I was excited, as it is good to be able to speak Afrikaans again. It was bliss without the old Ya-Ya, and the children both seemed much more relaxed after she left!

All too soon we were home, where the old Ya-Ya waited like a spider for a fly too keep me on my toes. It is so sad that Ermioni didn't want to go to her Mum, clinging to Ascala for dear life. We were only going to be home for two weeks before we were off on another cruise, so I rang Liz, the British woman who helped me on to the right bus the day I got so lost. Liz was glad to hear from me, as it is nice to have friends your own age, and we made a date for the Tuesday, as we both had the day off. Tuesday dawned bright as usual during the Greek summers, and Liz phoned to let me know we were going to Aegina, a lovely island not far away, and I was to meet her and some other girls at Rafina, from where the hydrofoil, which I now know is called the Flying Dolphin will be departing. There was four other girls, and an older woman a little older than me, called Rosy. The hydrofoil was exactly like a bus on the inside, but after a while it became quite stuffy and we went to stand at the back outside, where the spray that the vessel sent up was cooling and fresh! Once on Aegina we decided to rent scooters and ride them to the other side to a seaside village called Marina. The young man in charge of this eyed Rosy with a weary eye, as she was not a small woman, tall and quite overfed to put it lightly. He was quite right in being worried, because the poor scooter assigned to Rosy sighed heavely when she almost flattened it by letting down her weight. The poor young man was horrified, waved his arms frantically, and in the little English he knows made us understand that he can't rent Rosy the scooter. Poor Rosy wasn't happy in the first place,  and we had to do a lot of smooth talking to get her to try!  Then the youngster disappeared and made Poor Rosy's eyes almost popped out when he came back with an evil looking scrambler. She went balistic, waving her arms and stating over and over in a hysterical voice that the man wanted to kill her! One of the girls, Fiona, then said that she rides her brother's scrambler at home, and she will take Rosy on the back, and us, seeing our excursion going bust, very enthusiastically agreed that it was perfect. So we did the deal, we on scooters, Rosy on the back with Fiona. Oh gosh, Fiona was to go first, and she pulled away very smoothly, but just as we relaxed a bit, the two on the scrambler got to the first bend in the road, and I think Rosy leaned to the wrong side, and her great weight was too much for the scrambler and the courageous Fiona, and the two keeled over, hitting the dirtroad with a resounding plomp! We had to calm down the young man who was almost crying, and hyperventilating badly, and only when his tears stopped did he tell us that there was a bus running to Marina! It was a very happy Rosy that smiled and waved at us as the bus pulled away!

The nice thing about the Greek men are that they love to sit and have long and earnest conversations. that is if they are not playing board games.




This is the hydrofoil that glides above the water, and That I, after two glasses of wine thought was some outerspace machine!

After a heavenly day spent on a small island called Iraklia, we headed for Folegandros, a very busy island, barren, with huge rocks strown all over. This was the last island before we returned home. Folegandros[ the Hora] was just beautiful. It looked as if it was built in two stages, and in what I took to be the oldest part, I strolled for quite a long time. The houses's walls seemed to form a wall around the town that looked as if could hold off all the pirates and other invaders that used to try and ravage the villages and towns. The Cycladic islands always had strong walls for just that purpose. The newer part was just as interesting and very pretty with narrow alleyways flanked by low stonewalls, and lots of courtyards with colourful flowers warming their petals in the hot sun. It was nice to have the whole afternoon off, and I had time to visit a few churches.One of these, the church of Panagia, was built on part of the wall of the ancient town. Then I took to the hills, and unexpectedly came upon Manos's Taverna clinging precariously to the side of a cliff. I was hungry, so I bought a take-away moussaka, bread and a bottle of coca cola, and found a spot in the shade of one huge rock guarded by a few age-old olive trees, and thoroughly enjoyed my late lunch. I then laid on my back watching a few fleecy clouds flit by, and thought about my life. I still got a bit claustrophobic just thinking of my empty nest, and knew that it will take some time to accept my new life without anybody sharing the house. That night we had dinner at a nice taverna, with Greek dancers entertaining us with their antics. We were all just so sad that we had come to the end of that wonderful island holiday.

 Here is a foto of the young Spiros with the squid and who had to keep running to do everything or his Gran threatened him with her stick!

This shows Spiros milking the goat for our coffee.

This is a typical house on the bigger islands. The stonewalls and steps are whitewashed regularly.

To experience the islands were such a privilege. Nikos and I spent hours watching the fishing boats come in and unloading their catches.

Thank heavens we left for Koufinissia the next morning. It is one of a group of small islands in the eastern Cyclades, sparsely populated and with very little amenities. We circled Koufinissia, swimming, tanning and walking. Well, me walking, as the Greeks do NOT walk up the hills!! They think me stark raving mad, but with the beautiful valleys and fragrance of wild herbs, it is just so delightful. Then we left for Schinoussa where we docked at a minute little quay, and Nikos and I immediately went exploring. There was one fishing boat, and one other yacht, but what fascinated us was a young boy hitting something floppy on the cement. With Nikos as my interpreter I learned that the floppy thing was a squid. First he took out the inc sac and the intestines, after which it was hit on the cement until it foams. Then it is rolled on the cement for a while, then rinsed, and all this he explained to tinos, to soften the meat. We left Spiros, as he told us he was called to his task and went for breakfast at a small white house where two tables on the verandah were sporting bright red and white check tablecloths. The old woman, fierce of eye and toothless took our orders after explaining that her idea of breakfast was bread and tiri. She then startled us by letting out a shrill 'SPIROS' that echo-ed through the hills, and we saw Spiros put the squid in an enamel bucket, and rushed to her side. Poor boy, his grandmother was a real slavedriver, and he had to lay the tables and serve us with the old battle ax breathing in his neck talking all the time in a menacing tone of voice. Then Spiros had to go and milk the goat we saw tethered just below the stairs for milk to put in our coffee. Oh it was all so idilic, and Nikos and I went to see the milking, where he told Spiros proudly that in Athens the milk comes from a bottle! He was absolutely dumbstruck at this strange way of getting milk! We were served the coffee, and was again startled when the Gran and grandson left us and walked up the hillside, the old woman talking heatedly all the time, helping her body get up the steep hill with a sturdy walking stick. We were still puzzling over this strange behaviour when they re-appeared, driving about twenty goats before them. Then the strangest thing happened, as they drove the goats straight to the sea, where they were made to jump off the low cliffs and into the water, and we wondered why they were drowning the poor things, as they did not seem to own much in materialistic things. The goats who tried to escape this ordeal were picked up bodily and thrown over the cliff! But, strange as it may seem, the goats started swimming for the shore, where they walked nonchalantly from the water and made for the safety of the hills. On Yannis's question about this strange happenings, Spiros said they do it to get rid of tics! Waau!

Woke up with a funny feeling that today would not be the best I ever had, and I was right. We were still at anchor near the nudist beach, but I was not worried as we always left for another place just after breakfast. So I sat on the deck reading stories to Nikos when Dorah and Yannis informed me excitedly that the wind was just right, and today I would have my first windsurfing lesson. Everything both inside and outside my poor body started to shake, and I started hyperventilating! Badly! I tried to tell them that I really do not have any wish to try and stand on that flimsy thing, but they convinced me that I would just Love it! Must say, I thought it looked nice whenever they or somebody else glided so gracefully over the water, and was all for trying, but not in the middle of the Aegian! But I was told to get my swimsuit on, and when I came back Dorah was in the water, holding the surf- thingy from the bottom, and Yannis was in the dingy, that was to hold me up straight! It was decided that they would get me standing, not letting go, until I have mastered the art. The art of standing part that is! Nearly bally drowned, the balancing part well nigh impossible for me, and  time and again I was just kind of on my legs, when the stupid surf-thing toppled, over and over again, dumping me into the sea, from which I popped up after what felt like hours, spluttering and gasping for breathe. but this people do NOT give up, and on and on we went, I got on my legs, toppled, half drowned, got up again, until suddenly, just as I was standing again, a sudden gust of wind caught the sail, and away Christina glided, like a big black and white swan, making straight for the nudist beach! This time, try as I might, the thing just would not topple, and I reached the rocky beach at about a bally hundred kilos an hour, where I crashed not too softly, but quite luckily, on the sand. I was quite dazed, and when I opened my eyes and saw all the naked people clucking over me, I closed them tightly and played dead! Dorah and Yannis reached the beach soon after, and were so worried, but I just peeped from underneath my eyelids, as it was too nervewrecking to look at the sights that the nudists presented! Yannis slapped my cheeks, and I decided that if I do come 'around', we would go back to the yacht, so I groaned softly and sat up. Once in the dingy I assured the worried couple that I did not have concussion, but faked being unconcious so as not to have such a close look at that naked bodies! My employers must have entertained the captain with my discomfort, and their's for that matter, and that whole day he kind of giggled when he saw me, and so was Dorah and Yannis. I sighed a deep sigh of relief when at last I heard the engins start, and just hoped to heavens that the next beach would be normal!

The next few days were uneventful, we just swam, ate and tanned, as the beaches we visited had no facilities. Then one morning we left early, and threw anchor at one of the picturesque little coves on Ios. It was quite windy, and I had my hands full to keep everything together, and prevent the child, who wanted to stand up next to the captain, from falling overboard. The result was that I did not give attention to what was going on on the beach, and after a bit of a struggle Nikos and myself were on dry ground. Nikos was in one of his wayward moods, so all my attention was on trying to keep him still so I could plaster him with suntan lotion. That is when something very strange passed in front of me, and my first thoughts were, no, can't be! But then this apparition came into my view again, and having finished with Nikos, I looked up to see if my eyes had deceived me. It did not. It was a man, big and handsome, and STARKERS!! His only adornment was a thick gleaming golden chain, lying cosely and very showy between his thick chest hair. When he saw me looking up he gave me a flashy smile, and I smiled back, not thinking straight, and being a friendly person. This man now walked up and down, and I kept my eyes lowered, as it was bally embarassing. When the child started laughing and pointing with his finger, I started looking around me, and felt a warm glow creeping up from my neck to my face. The beach looked like an asparagus field wilting under the harshness of the yellow sun. But it was the lot playing beachball that made the child screech with laughter, as everything that could shake, shook! The women, some of them as old as time itself  were lying quite unembaressed, but they embarassed me hugely, as their shrunken busts lay like overdried prunes on their scrawny chests! I prayed for Dorah and Yannis to swim out, as the man with the chain was making it plain that I was of interest to him, and greeted me after circling us about ten times, with a wolfish smile and a soft 'Yassas' that means hello. Oh please earth, swallow me! As I was clad in my very chaste black number, the other people started noticing me, looking at us with a lot of interest. I nearly cried when I saw my employers's heads bobbing towards the beach. I had to laugh at their faces, as I don't think they expected a nudist beach, and they took pity on me and gave me a few hours off. I immediately set off for the interior, as it was of much more interest to me than the lot on the beach, and could you believe it, the naked Adonis started following me, but when he realised that I was actually going up the mountain, he capitulated, and left me to me to my own devices. Phew!!!

Woke up with quite a headache after the nightmare of the previous night, not feeling like a very happy nanny. It was ten  when I opened my bleary eyes, and when Nikos woke up some minutes later and started moaning ans screaming for every little thing, I clutched my ouzo soaked brain between my hands and tried to ignore him. Not easy! We left Livadi just after eleven, and when Nikos fell asleep shortly after, I stretched my tired body out on a deck lounger and slept  until the shouts and sounds on the busy harbour we were docking at woke me up.Felt a lot better, and when Nikos woke up half an hour later, he was also in a much better mood!We were now at Sifnos, and docking at Kameros. From the yacht the island looked desolate and mountainous, but the village was buzzing, and I smiled broadly when given the rest of the afternoon off to explore. There was a number of interesting shops and buildings, and a number of pottery workshops which produced lovely pottery wares. Then we all went for dinner, where Yannis again ordered a lot of dishes that we shared so that I could taste them all. They were really two wonderful people!
We all had an early night, and the next morning we took the bus up to the island's capitol, Apolonia. I was pleasantly surprised as the road leading up to the town was beautiful, the most astonishing valleys unfolded with every turn in the steep road.Lots of small white churches dotted the landscape, as well as the prettiest windmills that looked quite out of place, as I could not think that there was water beneath that scorched land! Apolonia was one of the most beautiful towns I have seen so far, although it lay sprawled out over three hillsides. Because of the many levels it had a lot of terraces, and also a lot of walls, built for protection against pirates and other unfriendly seafaring visitors.My legs were severely taxed by the steepness of the very narrow roads, and I was happy when we sat down for a bite.We had a lovely lunch looking down on the Aegian far below, where the boats in the harbour, and the  ones anchored along the coastline, coupled with the tiny colourfull dots of the sunbather's umbrellas on the beach, made a breathtaking picture.I realised suddenly that I had not given a lot of thought to my empty nest the last few days, there just was NO time!

We found that the last bus down to Livadi left hours ago, so Yannis enquired about the possibility of getting a taxi.We were told where to look, and did find the taxi, but no driver. After enquiring at all the houses where there were still lights burning without success, Yannis made us sit on the sidewalk while he went off to see what he could find, either the driver or a place to sleep. After a while he came back with the news that he found two men who were kind enough to go looking for the taxi owner. After waiting for  about an hour, two figures dimmed up from the darkness, supporting something looking like a sack of potatoes between them. When they dropped their charge on the ground at our feet, it seemed that it was indeed the driver. This being just lay where he fell, snoring his head off, his mouth wide open, showing a set of unexpected white teeth. The two Samaritans then slapped the man a few times, without response, and Yannis was now talking fast and furiously to them. They then nodded and disappeared into the night, coming back a while later with a flask filled with hot sweet coffee, which they poured without any sympathy down the poor man's throaght. The man spluttered and coughed, then tried to sit up, and assured Yannis that he was now ready to take us down. We were aghast, Dorah putting up one helluva squeal, and Yannis assured us then that he would wait till the man was sober enough. After the two do-gooders had walked him up and down for ages he could stand on his own, and Yannis decided it was safe, and we got into the taxi, me in front. Oh good heavens! The man pulled away with screeching tyres, going like a bally maniac, then put his hand on my leg. I tried to take it away, but the car swerved so violently that I left it, and looked to the back for help. But both Yannis and Dorah had eyes as big as saucers, Dorah desperately cradling the sleeping Nikos in her arms. As we left the town the little winding road became extremely steep, but the mad driver never once took his foot off the petrol pedal, neither put a foot on the brakes! We hurtled down at breakneck speed, but miraculously missed the little houses on the side. I was a wreck, as every time we swerved around a bend I thought we were going to topple down the hill, but we made it down, and we roared to a stop in front of the yacht, the bally man's hand now high up on my leg! I threw it off with force, just about fell out of the car, and started crying from sheer relief, and so was Dorah! Dawn was breaking when we at last got to our beds. Luckily for me Nikos woke up only at about ten, so I was quite rested when I came back to life!

Early next morning we left for Serifos where we docked at Livadi, after passing scores of small bays surrounded by large rocks.High up on a steep hill the town of Serifos, or Hora was winking at me to come up and have a look.With its small white washed houses, and the Venetian castle perched high up on a steep hill, it looked like a place where I could well spend some quality time.As we were on a so called beach holiday, I never really had enough time to explore the lovely villages, but was told that I would get extra days off when back in Athens. Livadi had a long beach, where Nikos and myself spent the afternoon, and later we all took a bus up to the Hora. The winding road leading up to the town was steep and narrow, and time and again I thought we would touch the buildings that were scattered along the road, when we had to squeeze through between them, the busdriver never slowing down at all! We got off at the town square. The Cycladic villages were all built around a square almost like an amphitheatre. We strolled around, enjoying the white washed houses with their colourful flowers blooming on every little verandah until it was time for dinner. I would have liked some time on my own to walk up to the Venetian castle, but as it was I never got so far, as the night turned into one big village party.
All around the square were tables and chairs belonging to different little tavernas, and we sat down on the first available table, from where we watched the other tables filling up with the villagers. After a wonderful meal of first some bread dipped in olive oil and then a lamb stew with potatoes, we were all relaxed and happy. Then an old man started playing wonderfully gay songs on an old accordion, and before long a few people were dancing. Dorah and Yannis joined in, and when an old man of about a hundred years old and no teeth asked me to join, I gladly did. I couldn't quite master all the steps, but when the people found that I was a South African, they all jumped in to try and teach me. Oh, it was a wonderful nigh, that is until at about three in the morning we tried to get back to the Yacht!

I am alive still, believe it or not! That is after my swim with the fish! After a while of hanging onto the step, I couldn't ignore the child's entreaties to come and swim, neither the parents's stern looks , and as it was one of the first prerequisites for me getting the job to be a good swimmer, I let go, and actually swam out  and away from the yacht. That was it, I was hooked, and was longlipped when we had to go to the beach for lunch later on, and afterwards had to entertain Nikos on the beach again.Was a bit surprised when the captain arrived long before he was due, and with a lot of handsigns and face distortions tried to tell me something. At long last I understood when he gave up and said: 'Hella, hella!' Hella means come, and I quickly packed up and followed him to the dinghy. The wind had suddenly came up and was chasing some heavy clouds across the sky at amazing speed. It was hard getting into the dinghy, the waves now quite high, and I had to cling onto Nikos who wanted to stand up to see better. At the yacht the captain immediately went up to his tower, and Dorah came down to tell me that a storm was brewing, and I had to stay in the lounge with Nikos.
Half an hour later all hell broke loose, as the wind was now screaming like some demented thing around the yacht, and the beautiful blue water of the Aegian had now turned into one churning monster. One minute a huge wave would pick us up, and we would be suspended high above the wild waters below, and then suddenly we would be tossed with a sickening thud into the angry sea far beneath us!I could hear glasses and stuff crashing from where I sat on the step  leading onto the deck, clutching an outraged Nikos who wanted to have alook over the railings! 'Christina,' I said to myself when we were again picked up by a gigantic wave, then fell down like a piece of driftwood, 'today you will be a fish dish for the Aegian fish'! My arms were aching from holding the child, and I was very near to just let him go after he bit me with intent to harm, when the wind suddenly died down, the clouds weeped a few heavy drops, and in a flash all was back to normal, except our kitchen that was in a bit of a mess!
Lying in my bed later

If I knew what was waiting for me next morning I would have: a] Played very ill or dead or  --b] Took the ferry back to Pereaus the previous night. Woke up fresh and rested to a beautiful day, made Nikos and myself a good breakfast, then sat on the deck reading 'The Three Billygoats Gruff' for the hundreth time, and watched as we passed the most lovely small beaches.We were on our way to Flambouria bay, where I was assured would be no crowd of sunbathers as there was no road to it,  and only accessable by boat.
But then disaster struck! I was told to get Nikos and self ready for swimming, so I did and packed the usual beach bag. My body was starting to look a little better, as all the running after Nikos was making me shed weight fast, and the red had turned to a reddish brown. I was waiting at the dingy when Dorah said: 'No, no, you will swim in the sea today!' 'Where in the sea?' croaked I, now a bitty alarmed as Nikos was perching dangerously on the metal step at the back of the Yacht! Yannis then explained to me that I will have to dive from the step into the bally ocean, and I started hyperventilating! Badly! I peered into the water to see if I could detect any man eating monsters, but only large schools of tiny fish were swimming around. But that did not convince me, and I told them that I will not go in and be eaten by sharks! There was a lot of laughter as Yannis laughingly told the captain what I said! More laughter, and then Yannis said that there had never been any sharks in the Aegian sea! By now my heart was gallopping like a runaway horse, as I noticed how mountains of water was shoos-shoosing underneath the yacht, and I saw in my mind's eye how poor me would be pulled underneath and drown! Was now shaking like a half set jelly!
That is when the child decided to dive in, and the Parents looked at me with stern, off you go; faces, and I hyperventilated a bit more, and saw my whole life playing off in my mind in two seconds, then I closed my eyes tightly and sort of fell off the step! Luckily I have very porous bones, and when I shot up from the bottom of the ocean like a piece of cork after some scary seconds, The whole family started clapping, and I pinched myself, just to make sure that I was actually still alive!Then swam to the step and hung on for dear life while Nikos urged me in a shrill voice to swim with him and I thought of my kids at home who could lose their mummy in the blue-blue Aegian!

Next morning very early we left Merihas and after a short trip we came to the Chora, also called Messaria, still on Kythnos.I did not sleep well as my poor  half cooked body made it impossible to find a comfy position. Messaria is just beautiful, looking fresh against the harshness of the plateau it was built on. I was given the morning off to explore the village, and was absolutely thrown by the beautiful churches with the most wonderful paintings and also some lovely woodcarvings. The little houses with their pots of geraniums and daisies of many hybrids was also a delight, and I was very happy to just stroll around. Later I found a small taverna with tables on a shady verandah, and ordered a breakfast of tiri [cheese] and bread. The bread on the islands is delicious, round and heavy and crusty!  With the bread you usually get some olive oil to dip the bread in, but I just loved the cheese, as every island's had a very distinctive flavour and taste. Delicious!!!
Next to me a group of old men with long beards were playing tavli, a board game that is said to be Greece's national board game. It looked to be an intently serious match, heads bent and shoulders taught, but  they were all taking long puffs on their pipes, blowing thick clouds of smoke into each others faces, which didn't seem to bother them at all!
A little way from the verandah a group of women were having a nice get together, their voices sometimes low and earnest, then suddenly someone would say something in a louder tone, and all of them would try and talk together, their voices rising to an earsplitting crescendo. I was wondering if some absent fellow villager were being discussed, or maybe the faults of their husbands! It was all so strange to me coming from South Africa, as people at home were much more inhibited.
I sat musing about the joyfulness of this people that could not be leading an easy life until it was time to go back to my duties. Dorah had bought me an ointment for the sunburn, and boy, did that made a difference to my welbeing!! Of course Nikos was intent on going for a swim, And I just sighed and and tried to reach the water as unobserved as possible! Kept the shorts on until almost at the water's edge! Oh well!!!!!

Nikos did not sleep well that night, had a terrible nightmare, something his mother told me he regularly got, and neither did I, so it was decided that we would stay on the yacht so that he could sleep. I wasn't feeling too well either, as in order to tan faster, I did not put suntan cream on the previous day. I was feeling feverish and looked like a bally overcooked lobster, my skin a bright and evil looking red.So I silently thanked the Lord for small mercies, as I could just picture the interest if I bared my wellrounded, red bottom on the beach for the beautiful people to be entertained! Nikos fell asleep just before two pm, so I cooked myself a late lunch, made myself comfy on the deck underneath an umbrella, and sipped on a glass of red, then a second one, and a nice quite typsy feeling stole over me, making feel at one with the world, the lapping of the water at the boat's sides lulling me to sleep. That is when I was shocked into a state of panic! A huge, long thing like a plane without wings was coming towards us at breakneck speed, and this alien looking thing was hovering inches above the water! Before I could have a good look this thing from outerspace was past, and I  was reeling from shock. On reflection I decided that the wine was making me see things, so I tipped the rest
of the bottle into the sea.
Worried the whole afternoon about my seeing strange things under the influence, albeit only two glasses, and when Yannis later asked me what was wrong that I was so quiet, I asked him earnestly never to leave me bottles of wine again, as it make hallucinating. Such mirth as they showed when I told them what I saw was bally indecent, and I went around feeling a bitty foolish when they told me that the yellow monster was nothing more than the Flying Dolphin, a Ferry that sort of hovers above the water. Forgot what they called it. Still, with the fright still fresh in my mind, I decided to go easy on the drink, although up to now I only had a glass when having a nice meal. I was also quite relieved, as I thought that with such a twisted mind I would not be good for the kids, and might have had to go back to my empty nest, and for that I was not quite ready!!!!!

That night Dorah and Yannis went out again, and after I won the struggle against an angry little boy, I made dinner for myself and the captain, eating it on the lower deck. As it was such a lovely night, a cool breeze blowing away the heat of the day, I went for a stroll through the village, and then sat on the deck watching the people strolling by. It was nice to daydream, pretending that it was my yacht, sipping a cool juice.  Next day we lifted anchor quite early, and after a short trip we docked at Merihas, on the Western side of Kythnos. The island itself is dry and hilly, but here and there the faded green of an age old fig tree gives a bit of softness.
Of course I was given money again, and with our bag filled with oils and hats and towels, me and my charge were sent off for the day, to do whatever we felt like.
I tried to explore the village, but it was sweltering hot, so decided to go swimming until I was relieved of my charge when the parents decided to wake up and take him for a while.
The beach and blue sea was a strong contrast to the dry and harsh interior, and the bright umbrellas shading the beautiful people as I came to call them, in their bright swimwear, was enough to make the lowest spirit soar!
All but mine! Not really, as my spirit did soar, and I felt happy and free, until I had to take off my shorts again, and immediately felt a lot of eyes watching me. I think the lot must have been so bored cooking themselves almost to the state of beef jerky, and anything not the norm is viewed with distrust and amazement!
I decided that Nikos's happyness was more important than my own discomfort, and very bravely, but with insides shaking, I did my duty, and sprinted where-ever Nikos went.
I was now in a better state of mind concerning my empty nest, and the pangs of fear that tormented me at night was a little less frequent. At least I had a whole year to sort myself out a bit!

No time of even thinking about the scaryness of my empty nest, as early the next morning we left Loulidi, and within an hour we threw anchor about half a kilometer from the village of Koundouros, still on Kea. Nikos and myself were taken to the beach which was littered with beautiful people baking in the sun. All was perfect as there were other kids with their nannies, and Nikos was quite happy playing with them, and I mingled with the girls. But then he decided that he would like to swim, and I was forced to take off my shorts and bare my well rounded and lilly white thighs. It would still have been ok, if we went into the water and swam, but no, the child was running up and down, running into the water at sudden spurts. The water was very deep at some spots, so I had to be near him, and I was panting up and down behind him like a bally albino walrus!
After a while I noticed that all the beautiful people were sitting up watching our sprints across the beach, some with awe, some looking thunderstruck. I must have been one sorry sight, as all the women were bronzed to perfection, and beautifully sculpted, and they were all topless. I was clad in my granny swimsuit that my children threatened to burn about ten years ago, and this little number did not allow for even a glimpse of a clevage! The women were so perfect that I suspected that Athens had a lot of very busy sculpting doctors who would have a field day trying to sculpt me!
Luckily I do not have a too bad selfesteem, otherwise I would have been devastated, but nevertheless, I was shaken, and when Dorah and Yannis eventually swam ashore and told me that I could explore the village until lunchtime, and to meet them at the taverna after, I exhaled thankfully, and made for the shops to buy some selftanning lotion. None of the shopowners new what I was talking about, and After walking myself into a state of exhaustion, I gave up and decided to try at the next island or bigger village.
We had a most beautiful meal of different fish dishes. Yannis is such a lovely man, and decided to order one of each of the dishes, and then we would share in order for me to taste eveything. What absolute bliss, but this state of bliss was spoiled a bit when they left after the meal and I was again left on the beach with my tormentor, who behaved almost too well, but I think his tummy was too full to be running around!
I was really getting into the swing of things, and lokoed forward to our next port of stop!

After the yacht was secured I was given money and told to spend the rest of the day as I liked with Nikos. It was sad to think that this rich kids grow up with strange people, and I thought of Ermioni who always stayed behind. One day they would fly away and the parents would not know much about them. Sad! We walked around the village a bit, and I had an icecream, but all Nikos wanted was a dry breadroll and a juice. Strange that a child who could choose anything, decided on a dry breadroll! We evetually made our way back to the wharf where a fishing boat had just docked, and Nikos was enthralled with the excited bustle around the loading off of the fish. It was such a merry atmosphere with the fishermen shouting gaily at each other, then laughing raucously at their own jokes. We spend a happy hour watching all this, but when it was time to leave Nikos was not happy, and put up a caterwauling fit to make people think he was being thrown to the fishes! One of the fishermen walked up to us and admonished the screaming child very sternly, and Nikos had such a fright he tried to hide behind me, but then walked back meekly at my side.
Back at the Yacht Dorah told me that she and Yannis were taking a taxi to Loulida, the capital of the island for dinner, and that the Kapitanio would take Nikos and myself to a local taverna. We found a nice little taverna where we sat down at one of the tables with its red and white checked tablecloths. The two others decided on rabbit, but I just could not work up an appetite for that! Never had rabbit before. So the captain tried to explain the menu to me, of which I understood nothing until he pressed his finger on a word, and then flapped his arms and made cluck-cluck noises! I immediately knew that it was chicken and shook my head iffirmatively. Chicken indeed! My meal consisted of a mountain of boiled potatoes, and something resembling a chicken, but just a little bigger than a sparrow! I rolled my eyes at the waiter, but he gave me back stare for stare, and I kind of realised that it would have to do! At least the potatoes were enough to fill up three people! The picture shows the captain going for a stroll.

I fell asleep without the now familiar pangs of panic when my thoughts start revolving about the life ahead. I get this weird feeling of being suspended somewhere between heaven and earth, and although I knew that it will be difficult to work through my suddenly solitary state, I knew I will have to accept it.
But for now I am in a dreamlike situation, and I was actually becoming quite at one with the world.
Anyhow, I knew that it would be hellish to wake Nikos up at 5.30am, but that was my instructions, as their driver, as well as a taxi would pick us up at six for Faliro where the yacht is anchored. Nikos was outside himself with fury for being woken up, and his screams reverberated through the house, waking up Ermioni as well. She was staying with the Ya-Ya. But somehow I got the message that we are going on the yacht through to him, and he suddenly fell silent, looked at me with wonder and mused: 'You are like a giant!' Well, in a house where the tallest person couldn't be higher than 1.5 meters, I must have looked like a giant as I am a healthy 1.75.
Mouth fell open when I saw the amount of luggage the parents were taking with. The Taxi was just for the luggage! Goodness!
At Faliro we stood on the top deck watching the preparations, and also the people. It is wonderful, as different restaurants have tables and chairs all along the quayside, and it looked so gay with all the different tablecloths, and the waiters scuttling around to get everything ready for the day. All over people were bustling around their yachts to prepare for their different voyages.
At last we were off, and I felt a lot of my cares fell away as the soft breeze kissed my cheeks. It was a huge yacht, with three bedrooms, one en suite for Dorah and Yannis, one room alone for me and Nikos, and one for the woman who would do the cleaning and cooking. The captain slept up in his tower. Then there was our bathroom, a nice kitchen and a huge sittingroom. There was also the downstairs deck, and upstairs a small one where Dorah suntanned.
Nikos and myself had the downstairs deck to ourselves, and it took some doing to keep him safe as he insisted on leaning far over the side of the yacht making my insides churn like a fan running at top speed.
Our first port of call was Korissia, also called Livadi, one of the safest natural harbours in the Mediterranean, according to our captain, who with his almost non existent english vocabulary, would become my source of information on the trip, where we anchored, and slept.

I sat on the pavement somewhere in Athens and cried, and sitting there being burnt to cinders by the yellow Greek sun made me think of my shady courtyard with its pots of fragrant herbs and flowers, and I cried a little more. The so looking forward to day-off had really turned into a nightmare! When I got back to Kiffisia, I couldn't find a soul who understood which bus I wanted, but just as I was really starting to hyperventilate from frustration, voila, a good samaritan who assured me that he was going on the bus that would take me to Gounari street, and promised to show me the way! Which he did! Unfortunately I was put down at the wrong Gounari, miles from my house. I knew within minutes of boarding the bus that we were going in the wrong direction, and when after a while there was no sign of any of my landmarks, I tried to tell my friend , but he assured me that I was on the right bus! The Gounari where I was put down eventually was just about on the other side of Athens, and stretched for miles to my left and right, with not one thing that I recognised. So I walked for bally miles to the right, but later assumed that I should have gone to the left. I again walked for ages without anything I recognised. My house was situated in quite a hilly area, and there was no sign of even a bump in this area.
So, my poor legs by now feeling like jellysticks, I sat down. And cried! Not only because of my present situation, no, I used it to vent my anger and sadness at my child that flew away, and my wayward husband who betrayed me, and is now dead, and just about at the whole world.

Just as I was really getting into the swing of selfpity, someone tapped me on the shoulder, and I found a lovely woman smiling down kindly on me. And she could actually speak English! She listened to my tale, and said she would get me on the bus back to Kiffisia, and there I must go to the Steers restaurant, and  ask the owner to help me get on the right bus. I was so relieved I almost cried on her shoulder! So, weaponed with a piece of paper with her name on, I got back safely to Kiffisia, and found the restaurant, which belonged to a South African born Greek. He was very obliging when he saw who sent me, and also because I was South African, and introduced me to a British woman called Liz, who became a good friend. She got me onto the right bus after we had a coffee, and when I at last closed my door behind me, I exhaled properly for the first time that day. A good night's sleep cleared my head nicely, and when Dorah told me in the morning to pack enough clothes for me and Nikos for three weeks at sea, I perked up remarkably and almost winked at the old sour Ya-Ya!
The image is of my courtyard at home.