SUNNY SPORADES

Jeff and I have just got back from two, fabulous weeks in the sunny Sporades. 

A small group of Greek islands in the North-Eastern Aegean. 

Skiathos, Skopelos, Alonissos and the fourth Skyros, 

which wasn't easy to get to, so doesn't feature on this trip. 

We share all our photos in 'real time' over on our travel Instagram account @hap_pea_travels so pop over there to get much more info and loads of pics!! It's a private account, so you'll just have to request to follow but you can see everywhere in a lot more detail.. 

DAY 1

An early alarm and a day of travel. We flew from Bristol to Skiathos, 

then got a ferry over to the island of Alonissos, our first island to explore.

DAY 2

Paralia Rousoum Gialis beach

DAY 3

Bus trip up to the Old Town and then a walk back down. 

Rewarded with a gyros and a swim in the sea!!

DAY 4

A beach day at Patitiri
And celebratory beers for Sam getting a 2:1 in his Degree

DAY 5

Patitiri beach day on repeat
Evening up in the Old Town

DAY 6

Bus beach day to Kokkinokastro
Final evening and the 9th annual Dance Festival of Alonissos 

ALONISSOS

If you like laid back, old Greek charm, then go to Alonissos. 

It's like Greece 30 years ago. No loud music bars, a slow pace, really friendly, relaxed, chilled.

DAY 7

Time to bid farewell to Alonissos and say hello to Skopelos, our home for the next 6 days.

DAY 8

Day at Panormos Beach

DAY 9

Bus to Agnontas Beach

DAY 10

Mamma Mia Bus Tour
Chapel of Agios Ioannis and Kastani Beach

DAY 11

A return trip to Agnontas and tea on the beach

DAY 12

Gale force winds, stormy seas, cancelled ferries, so a day in Skopelos Town

SKOPELOS

If you want a little more going on, a wider choice of restaurants, etc then Skopelos would be more your scene. Lots of shops and bars but still a quieter evening scene and a slower pace.

DAY 13

Farewell Skopelos...Yassas Skiathos

Finding Sarah Moores 'Greek Home' from the TV Series.

DAY 14

Boat taxi to Achladies Beach

SKIATHOS

If you like a busy resort, full of people, loads of choice of restaurants, bars, the party scene...then Skiathos is for you. There's a lot more going on and with only having 2 days here, we really have only just scratched the surface!!

We ate the best food!!

Swam in the clearest waters!!

And spent quality time together xx

Have returned loving Greece as much as ever xx

School's out for summer!!

Schools out for summer!

Jeff broke up on Friday as Glastonbury Festival begins. 

Shepton Tesco's was certainly fully stocked up for the festival goers!!

I did watch Lewis Capaldi on TV last night but that's as close as I'll get (for now!) Jeff does say that I need to go at least once. It's a fallow year next year, so maybe a Sunday ticket the year after!?! But if like this year, we're jetting off on our hols, I'd rather be in Greece!!

This week has really been about holiday prep. I did a few hours up at school, helping with Gallery stuff. Got my hair cut, dr's appointment, cleaned the house etc.

Sam and Poppy came back Thursday evening, all moved out of his student house and Cardiff, forever!!  Jeff is currently driving them over to Yeovil to get the train to London. Sophie arrives this evening, to make use of the house and garden whilst we are away. So it's all go!!

Todays task has been to pack!!

Use my incredible packing skills to get all of this....

...into this!!

Compression packing cubes for the win, every time!

 So, I'm ready!!

Early morning alarm set!!

Greece here we come! 

Will catch up here in a couple of weeks time. Enjoy the sunshine. It's always lovely weather here in the UK when we go away. It'll rain most of August, once we're home!!

Exams....over and out!!

HURRAH!!! Exams are done!!

I worked Monday and Tuesday invigilating exams and doing clash supervision, ending on a reader/scribe for an A' Level PE exam!! We then had a thank you lunch on Wednesday afternoon, which was a nice chance to actually chat to everyone. I'm still doing some hours in the Art/Gallery department as and when I'm needed, but exams are done until mocks in November and I guess a few internal tests as and when they pop up!

Sophie came home on Tuesday evening, Sam returned on Wednesday afternoon. Their visit timed to meet up with Mum and Dad down in Lifton. It's a good meeting point, an hour for dad and two hours for us and easily doable in a day. It was lovely to see them. I will try a pop down for a few days but I imagine the next time the kids see them it'll be at Christmas. 

We've had a mini heatwave this week. It's been hot, hot, hot!! 

Jeff and I joke that's it's just getting us acclimatised for Greece.

Saturday morning was the Summer Solstice. 

As always lots gathered up on the Tor, whilst I viewed it from the bathroom window during an early loo visit!

The sunflowers are enjoying the sunshine. We felt we'd planted them out a little late but they are growing by the day. Sophie is home whilst we're away on holiday, so should keep them watered and propped up!

A week today and we will be arriving in Skiathos!

I have started to think about packing. We're taking rucksacks again as we will be moving around, visiting 3 islands, so I need to be really mindful about what I really need. It's not so much, what I can fit into the rucksack, it's more the weight!! 

We have just bought 2 folding chairs to trial. With our easyJet Plus membership, we get carry on luggage as an extra, to the hold luggage we have already got, so we can take on these folding chairs as carry on as they are small enough in length to meet easyJet requirements. We are not opposed to paying out for sun loungers but it does get expensive if you have to do it daily and we prefer to find a small cove or beach without organised sun loungers. I usually just sit on a fold up padded square but the older we get......a little luxury and added comfort is always most welcome. Anyway they weren't hugely expensive, so we'll give them a try and see how we get on!!

Last night we went to see the Salt Path, just down at our local theatre. I read the book during lockdown and was looking forward to the film but it was a little disappointing to be honest and I found it to be really slow. Nice scenery though!

So this week is about getting organised for holiday - cleaning the house, washing and changing the bedding. I have a hair appointment and a HRT review appointment and Sam and Poppy are back here on Thursday, bringing the car and the last of Sam's stuff back from Cardiff. I have a few hours of work and am meeting a friend for coffee, whilst trying to avoid the Glastonbury Festival traffic. Jeff breaks up on Friday and then we head to Bristol airport early Sunday morning!! So a busy week ahead x

 

Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's Day!

Wishing my dad, Jeff's dad and Jeff, dad to our two, a very happy day! 

We're popping over to Wells later to go and see Jeff's dad. I'm seeing my dad on Thursday and Jeff will see our two on Wednesday evening.

I do need to update my photo's! 

We have lots of the four of us but I need a good one of Jeff with S&S on his own.

I had to crop this picture from a big family group pic at Christmas!!

This time last week, Jeff and I were heading to Bristol to see Sophie Ellis-Bextor

As always, she was fantastic. So much energy.

The rest of this week has been exams and clash supervision. 

I did have Wednesday afternoon off and managed to catch up with a couple of friends over coffee. And then on Friday evening...

.....a group of us went out to Bill's! 

I usually meet up with them all individually but with work, it's not happened, so I suggested we all got together. I used to work with them all at Sainsbury's. Two years on, they're still all there and have remained good friends.

The weather this past week has been mixed. 

We've had rain which the garden definitely needed. 

My fig is looking fantastic. 

The sunshine we are promised for the week ahead, will help them ripen and flesh up!

So, next week? 

I have two more days of exams and clash supervision and then that's it, exams are done!! I have a bit of work in the Art Dept. getting stuff ready for the next exhibition. We have a lunch to thank us for our invigilation over the past 7 weeks, on Wednesday afternoon. Sophie and Sam are back that evening. The three of us are then heading down to Lifton on Thursday, to meet up with my Mum and Dad for brunch. Sophie then heads back to Cardiff Thursday evening. Sam does the same on Friday in the Micra, to start packing up his life in Cardiff, emptying his student house for the final time!! So another busy one! 

4 years of Uni done!!!!

Lets start the weekly round-up with a huge shout out to Sam, 

who has completed 4 years of UNI!!! 

He had his last exam on Friday and that completes his Uni experience. I honestly thought on a couple of occasions that this day would never come. He isn't a model student and he has no idea what he wants to do, but I believe Uni offers so much more than just study. He needed to grow up and become more independent and he has achieved that. He has also enjoyed his course, once he changed from Chemistry to History and Economics. He's made great friends, enjoyed some great adventures in Morocco, Montenegro, France. Had three very different living experiences from living in Halls, sharing a house with seven, to a house of five during this past year. He's taken on the responsibility of managing the bills and utilities in this last house and has managed his own money better. He's met his girlfriend and is going to be spending the next year with her, whilst she completes her final year. He has no idea what he wants to do, so who knows what he'll do next!! I guess it could be hard having a sister who knew exactly what she wanted to do, who got a job straight out of Uni, who already has had promotion and is financially sorted..... but, they are two completely different entities. You honestly wouldn't think that they had been brought up together and I actually love that they are so different. So I just wish him success and happiness, as he figures out what lies ahead x

So, the rest of the week? 

It's been a full on week of exams for me. I've done all 10 invigilation sessions, a mix of GCSE's, A 'Levels and Year 9 mocks. I need to invigilate as many exams as possible and make my money now, as I won't get paid in August or September. The weather has been pretty rubbish this week, so I don't feel that I have missed out. It did make getting Benson Boone tickets a little trickier but Sophie was able to work from home and secure us the tickets. That's her birthday sorted, as we see him at the O2 in London on her actual birthday!! Something to look forward to.

We've had a little visitor here this week. We've spotted this hedgehog out in the garden twice now. He/she seems to venture out just after 9.30pm and has a little route along the side of the shed, up to the back door. I love it! 

Maybe the wild lawn area has made the garden more attractive to it. Jeff has spotted a few slow worms and we've definitely noticed more bees. It's also been a lovely colourful display of wild flowers too. So much better than a plain square of grass. What's not to love?

The garden has probably needed the rain, after a dry Spring. The trouble is, it's also got colder and I don't 'do' cold!! Fingers crossed it looks like it'll warm up again by mid week. I went out last night, to the BTEC Art students Private View and I changed into a jumper, in June!!!!

Tonight Jeff and I are off to Bristol again, to see Sophie Ellis Bextor! 

It's my 3rd time seeing her, so really looking forward to it. And it's good that I've managed to get Jeff out again during term time!! Things are getting slightly easier for him, as the exams draw to a close and his Year 11 pupils start to go home.

Next week is another busy one. Another full week of exams and clash supervision. I have one free afternoon, which is already booked up with a long overdue coffee date. That is the only thing about doing the exams, it's finding pockets of time time to catch up with friends. My weekly walks have also gone out of the window for now. I have just a week and a half to go. I then get to help out in the Art department and do a little bit of gallery prep for the September exhibition. So it's all go! 

Have a good week.