There's life in the old dog yet...

Aussie Paul's Birthday bash.

Before we left lefkas we had the very important occasion of celebrating Paul birthday on his boat, we had a great afternoon and evening with loads of laughs, very load ones in Paul's case.  It was just Paul, Jules, Fergus, Nev, Anne, Tommy, Sandra and myself but I'm sure we made enough noise for fifty people.  Thanks to Jules for putting on a super spread and everyone for a great afternoon.

Our potential mooring in Olympic marina, Lavrion.

Lavrion

 On Tuesday morning we set off for Athens to stay at Peris hotel just outside Rafina and within a few minutes of the airport.  We had arranged to stay for three nights prior to flying back to the UK in order to suss out potential overwintering ports for 2015/2016.  The hotel has been great in looking after our car for our six weeks absence absolutely free of charge.  If anyone needs to use them they have a web site which is very basic but gives you contact details, www.perishotelapt.gr/  the cost is €80 per room per night including breakfast.

Rafina ready for Christmas

 On Wednesday morning we set off on our mission to find somewhere for the following winter looking at moorings and marinas from Athens, which we we wouldn't touch with a bargepole, up to Evia which is gorgeous via Rafina, Porta Rafti and Lavrion.  The Athenian places were just not secure enough there was no life on the marina's and the area's involved are slightly less than salubrious, maybe fine if you are always there but we leave the boat for long periods so not for us.  We did like both Chalkis and the Olympic marina at Lavrion, these both had the same problem.

Ice rink in Chalkis Evia.

There is no one living on the marina's throughout the winter period, in November everyone has gone away not to return until Easter.

The lovely town of Chalkis.

I don't think the current Mrs. W. would remain current for long if she had to put up with me for four months without any chance of some type of social life within a sensible distance.  In a way we would be in the same situation as we used to be when living up in the mountains at Assos where we had to travel for anything vaguely resembling entertainment.  I had not realised that for winter living Lefkada would take so much beating.

The school choir, featuring Mason and Jessica (nearest).

 I think that going forward we will probably stay in the Ionian and travel with the car to places we wish to see perhaps having a few days away at a time.  Just thinking to myself, a happy missus is a quite life!

Sandra's Family get together.

And Mikes birthday too!

My poor old mower deck, no bearings left.

 On Friday we set off back for home and all was going very smoothly until we were approaching Paris when the pilot announced that there were problem with the NATS system in southern UK and no one could enter UK airspace.  He would slow down and fly about a bit using his contingency fuel which he did but half an hour later he came on again saying that we would have to land at Amsterdam's Schiphol  airport to refuel and await a resolution for the problem.  So we had about an hour on the ground before continuing our journey.  Seven hours sat on the plane in total.  Our train time had well gone before we got to Manchester but to be fair with Trans Pennine trains they honoured our expired tickets good on em!

Sunday we got to see two of our Grandchildren Jessica and Mason singing in the school choir at the local garden centre, of course they were brilliant you would expect me to say anything else.

In the evening we went to the local hostelry, to have what is now an annual family get together with over twenty but not all of Sandra's family, this year it was organised by Sandra's cousin Kath who made a super job of it and we all had a great night especially Mike, Kath's nephew, who was a day short of his birthday and was duly embarrassed.

On Monday I finally managed to get the deck off my lawnmower and order the correct parts for mending it.  They have to come from the USA and the postage and import duties are actually almost as much as the parts themselves, nevermind they are still much cheaper than getting a new lawn tractor.

Merry Christmas everyone.  Les, Sanny and Geoff.