Going home

So, Corfu is all over, at least it is until August, anyway. It was an incredible trip, very hard work and very stressful (honest!) but ultimately highly worthwhile.

I would have loved to have stayed longer and maybe managed to visit some of the resorts for a bit longer, but thanks to the incredible generosity of so many people in Corfu, I have so much raw material my book on the island in winter should be a whole lot better.

My last night in Corfu was spent in the excellent company of Perikles Katsaros, who owns Taverna Nikolas in Agni. Perikles went out of his way to help me with my project, meeting up with me on three occasions during the week, in addition to bumping into him by chance at Athens airport when I arrived. His knowledge and wisdom, not to say his incredible generosity, tell you everything you need to know about the true Corfiot spirit. Last night, he took me to a grill room in Corfu Town, well away from the tourist glare and what a treat that was. Perfectly cooked chicken, a pork kebab to die for and some gorgeous beef, accompanied by the freshest Greek salad and a few Amstels. The food was so good that the great man got a take away for his family!

Thanks also, as ever, to the Krasakis family in Arillas, with whom we have spent every summer holiday in a decade. And Dimitris Kourkoulos from the Brouklis taverna – a top, top man.

Mike and Jackie Connors in Roda too, thanks very much for your tour, and to your lovely friends Rick and Debbie. Four ex pats who have not only emigrated to this wonderful island, they have embraced its culture and consciously, and lovingly, integrated into the community by learning the language and buying into the Corfiot lifestyle. I’ll be in touch soon, I promise!

Helen at the Ariti Hotel who missed me leaving this morning and made a point of driving to the airport to say goodbye! How kind was that?

I was lucky with my flights too. Instead of a small propellor plane, it was an Airbus A320 out of Corfu and another out of Athens. Neither were full – far from it – and I had three seats to myself on each journey.

I am having a few days off from Corfu now. It has occupied my thoughts day and night for a good few weeks now and I need, somehow, to take a break and then throw myself into the project before the spring.

Until next time, Yammas!