I spent a couple of hours today registering a domain and setting up the hosting for a forum http://skipperforum.org – it is intended to help new skippers get experience when they are first starting yachting on their own.

Late afternoon, I decided to go  quite local and swam at Agios Fokas beach.  It being Sunday I expected to see busier beaches as it is the day that Greece goes to the beach.

I went mid-afternoon to the far end of the island – Panormos.  I’ve stayed there a couple of times and always tried to at least get there for lunch when I’ve been here.

It’s as far as you can go (map says 27k).  I even stopped and took a couple of photos.

Pyrgos is famous for marble and marble carving (random fact:  Venus de Milo is Tinos marble).

I had a walk up and down the harbour and popped in to say hello to Elena – whosel lovely studios I’ve stayed in I think twice.

Then I carried on around to the next bay for a swim – it was fantastic!

Despite the local council in their wisdom picking yesterday as the day to resurface the road with tarmac and lay new chippings for a couple of hundred yards leading up to Falatados.

I had a wonderful meal (giant beans, meatballs, fried saltcod with garlicsauce) – Adonis remembered that Michael always liked to have ‘grandma’s meatballs in tomato sauce’ at Kapileion.

It was lovely to get to meet Nikolas – he’s a really smiley baby.  Adonis told him that one day he’d be coming to London to “stay with Uncle Pavlos and drink lots of whiskey in pubs”

The place is called Rakobedermata – as far as I could make out this means, somewhere for “raki and everything”.  It wasn’t at all busy and I think my idea of helping out there might not work out – I think I’d feel in the way.  Adonis is talking to someone with rooms locally and he’ll call me to arrange me to come and have a look see.

The ride home in the dark was quite an experience – my transversus abdominus was well and truly engaged for the stretch of loose chippings.  The view across to Mykonos (to the sea beyone) was fantastic – I will try to stop and get a photo that vaguely does it justice one of these days.

Don’t tell my Mum but I’ve hired a scooter – €98 per week. It’s a little red Piaggio 125 Fly.

I had a cheesepie while mulling it over so I’m sure I can’t have been impulsive. In fact I did bring my summerweight protective jacket, kevlar lined jeans and gloves as I don’t want to be one of those people you see wearing road-rash or worse.

If I find that the roads are too scary as they are so bendy or awful condition to ride on I’ll give it back.

I rode to the end of Agios Fokas beach and back to get the feel of it but then waited till the sun cooled off a bit at half-four to go to Kionia for a swim.

I parked just by the Santuary of Poseidon and Amphititre and took a photo, especially to show Vinny that there is culture here (though, has anyone actually heard of Amphititre?)

I’m riding up to Falatados this evening to eat at Adonis’ place – making sure to go up before it’s dark so that if I bottle it I can come back down while it’s still light.

I was sitting at the little table outside my room, minding my own business, having just made my first mug of coffee of the day, when Iorgulla comes out with two slices of cake for me!

You should never underestimate the power of cake (or in this case κέικ)

This morning I went to the Wind shop to get some credit on my Greek mobile phone SIM – I can try it for mobile broadband if I don’t get on well with the Vodafone one I have.

I like the idea of having a local number for when I start callup up yacht charter companies to arrange for the september sailing trip with Vinny, Anna and pals.

At the Vodafone shop I bought a €20 scratch-and-sniff card that gives me 1Gb over 15 days.

I caught the 2pm bus up to Falatados to see Adonis. He’s offered to ask around to help me find somewhere to stay up there and is happy for me to help out in the taverna. I should get to see his baby son tomorrow and hear that there is a second baby on the way.

I’ve also made contact with my friend Margit and arranged to have drinks this evening

I will admit that I’m not getting great broadband connection from my room and do have to dangle my dongle out the window to get GPRS but I do feel connected.

The journey was fine – long but fine.  I spotted Lucas as soon as I walked off Superferry II past the row of people holding out their accommodation signs.

I took a smaller room with a fridge and use of shared kitchen – €25 per night.

It was bliss to put on the aircon and catch a couple of hours sleep in the afternoon.

I had dinner at Kapileion Taverna near the harbour – Angela and Manthos’s place.  They made a nice fuss of me and fed me well.

I asked after Angela’s brother, Adonis . . . last time I was here is partner was heavily pregnant . . .they now have a baby boy, Nikos.

Tonight I’m flying to Athens to spend two months in Greece.

I thought it would be good to blog.