Hey! So it’s been a while and I am being asked, where is the
next blog? A lot has been happening –
surgeries, trips, detoxes, visitors, new jobs and new babies. It’s been rather hectic since I last
wrote. There is a fair chunk of it that
I really don’t want to discuss – I am well known for bottling up my feelings or
another chunk that the maudlin diary is hearing a lot about, but here is what I
can talk about today.
Last time we spoke I promised a happier blog, with holiday
pics (I am now officially a year behind on my travel blogs!) and so here it
is. I had my birthday last week and as
much as I hated it, it was nice to be spoilt by family and friends all around
the world. I am one lucky chick. The celebrations this year were low key. I had just arrived back from three weeks in
Australia and NZ, and was jet lagged and there were a fair few tensions that
did not put me in the celebrating mood.
But what was good was remembering last year. My birthday in 2013 was in Santorini. As much as I hate getting older, it’s hard to
be upset in paradise and that is what Santorini was.
 |
| Our first view of Santorini bay |
We arrived in Santorini via a short ferry from Naxos. My pack was on its last legs and it managed
to hold itself together to the end of the trip – so no fall out on this ferry… I was feeling really unwell, I had made the
mistake of drinking Amstel tops and the beer was not agreeing with me at
all. The heat was glorious and my skin
was turning a lovely toasty shade of tan.
 |
| Tahnee, Caz & I at the top of the volcano |
The next day dawned bright and beautiful – we decided to
head out to the volcano in the middle of the bay and see some of the sights. We took a gondola down the hill to the boats –
the view is just addictive, you cannot stop staring at it. The volcano is still slightly active and
reminded me of Rotorua – the sulphur smells and the vents as you walk up the
hill. The boat that we were on also
stopped at a thermal swimming hole, which was stunning to look at, but we
decided to sun ourselves on the deck instead.
 |
| Caz on her donkey |
When we got back from the volcano we decided that the best
way up the hill was on donkey. This was
a crazy 15 minute ride. And so much
fun. These donkeys were huge and had
bells around their necks. They were free
range, in that we were put on their backs and off they went. No one was leading them and I know nothing about
riding a donkey. My donkey was a bit
cray cray and wanted to be the first up that hill, not worrying about crushing
my legs against other donkeys or the walls.
It was hilarious and so much fun.
And there were well deserved cocktails at the top.
We watched another stunning sunset from a roof top bar,
drinking cocktails and I again thought to myself, how lucky I was to be in such
a stunning place, with such amazing people.
 | |
| Loving the quad bikes |
The next day dawned bright and sunny, and it was my
birthday. It was a balmy 28 degrees when
we got up and over breakfast I got to read all the lovely messages from my
family and friends the world It’s
strange to say, but I am kinda used to not being with my family for my birthday
now. I was excited as today we were
spending the day at the beach. We hired
quad bikes and headed out to Akotiri, a lovely black sand beach. The beaches had loungers and cocktails, as
well as wifi. We headed straight out for
a swim, to deal with the heat and then it was sunbathing and reading for an
hour or so. We then decided to head to
the other side of the island and see what the beach there was like. It was a day of wind in my hair and sun on my
shoulders. I loved being on the quad
bike – it was fast and so much fun. I laughed
a lot on that bike! The beach on the
other side was ok but not brilliant, we had a delicious lunch of squid and more
drinks, before making the long journey to Oia.
over.  |
| The sunset over Oia |
Oia can only be described as the posh side of
Santorini. All of the buildings there
are stunning. They are all white washed
and the streets are beautifully cobbled.
There are lots of wee art shops and stunning views. We headed to the tip of the island to see the
sunset. It was stunning and
crowded. And to our amusement, there was
a round of applause when the sunset.
Really. It was getting very dark
by the time that we headed back to Fira, it was a little hairy on the bikes,
but we made it back in one piece and it was time to party.
 |
| This was a brilliant birthday - with Alex & Caz (and Tahnee!) |
We put on fresh clothes and headed out to a restaurant with
a stunning view of the volcano at night.
The sea was shimmering in the moonlight and I could not have asked for a
more perfect setting. We were pretty
much the only people in the restaurant and for desert they bought me out a
gorgeous platter and sung happy birthday.
It was really sweet. We headed
out to the local backpackers for a few drinks and a bit of a boogie, before
heading back down the hill for home.
The next day was our last day on Santorini and our last day
of holiday. We packed up and caught the
bus out to the beach for the day. It was
windy this time and the sea was too rough to swim in. We sunbathed and enjoyed the last rays of
sunshine before heading back to Fira to see our last Greek sunset. There is a lot of public art on the streets,
so we decided to sit up on a park bench and watch as the sun went down. I hate the end of holidays – so it was really
melancholy to see it end this way. And I
knew that this would be the last holiday with my friends for quite some time as
they were heading back home very shortly.
After a delish dinner with more drinks, we caught the 1am
ferry all the way back to Athens. We had
a sleeper cabin that even had a shower.
It was great. I was exhausted and
went to sleep straight away, enjoying the ever so slight rocking of the
boat. We woke to the sunrise in Athens
and headed to the airport. It was all
over.
I loved my birthday last year. I loved our trip to Greece. The people were lovely, the view is incredible
and the ruins are amazing. I was in
heaven. This year was different on so
many levels. I worked my birthday. I was jetlagged and I was missing my family
so much. My Mum, sister and nephew took
me out a few days before I left for my birthday, it was a lovely meal and a
great day, but already I was feeling sad about having to leave. When my eldest nephew came running in to tell
me that he had chosen and been allowed to gift wrap my present, my heart nearly
broke with missing him already. I loved
the charm that he had chosen for my bracelet and every time that my fingers
find it I think of him. Which makes me
both sad and happy. I don’t want to
sound ungrateful at all, my friends here made a big deal and I was spoilt, but
my heart was not in it this year. It is
said that jet lag is the feeling of the soul trying to catch up for the
body. I love that, it is truly how it
felt for me this time. I felt a bit
shell like, and just a bit numb. It has
caught up with me now, and I have felt a bit better, but I still feel a bit
fragile and all over the place. I am
hoping that as time goes on, I can get back into the rhythm of London. It is always bittersweet leaving home.
So that is where I am at the moment. I am happy but feeling torn between two
places. I am grateful – I have the best
family and friends that anyone could ask for.
I am lucky, so very, very lucky. Promise
you some more exciting chapters in the adventures of Nic very soon. xx
