Free like a bird

24 hours ago marked the moment when I packed my bag and left Athens. The boss was not happy at all... Despite what you might think about hostel bosses and how they should understand a backpackers way, this bloke was fumin'. He even mentioned that I wasn't welcome at any of the four hostels he owns in Athens. Oh well.. He was just a genuine 'malaka' anyway.

From Athens, I caught a Blue Star ferry to Thira port on Santorini. The boat left Athens at 7pm and arrived at midnight. As a result, I bared witness to one of the most amazing sunsets I've ever seen over the water. As it became darker, only the little lights on islands passing by and the stars were visible. Somehow at this time, I managed to break into conversation with a German couple who were travelling on holiday. Turns out this German bloke's company made the glass for the sky walk over the grand canyon! How's that!?

Later when midnight struck and the ferry made port in Thira, I got off and started to think about how the hell I was gunna get to the hostel on Perissa beach (the other side of the island). Good old fashioned island spirit kicked in, however, when I was talking to one of the guys holding up a piece of cardboard with another hotel's name on it. I wasn't going to his hotel, but he said he would drive me all the way to my hostel for nothing. Top bloke.

This crazy chain of events didn't end when I got to the hostel. As the reception is only open from 9 in the morning, I had to find something to do. So here I was standing outside the hostel with my big bag and hat and along come a big group of American guys who scooped me up, bag and all, took me to a local bar, threw a vodka shot down my throat, put a Corona in my hand and proceeded to convince me that "not all Americans are assholes". I wasn't complaining. This went on until about 3 in the morning when these blokes were kind enough to let me crash in their hostel room until light.

hahahah.. oh god... in the morning when I got up, they told me that they were all American Coast Guard and that they were on their way back to America having fought and captured a bunch of Somalian pirates... They tell me their ship is floating out in the Caldera. Might go check it out tomorrow..

Sorry about the lack of photos. Will post some up next blog.. They charge for internet here and my 30 minutes is up.

Thank god I'm in the islands..