Today was partly an encore as part of my Corfu visit. A drive to Arillas to see the Krasakis family in general but Theo Krasakis in particular, who has emerged from a brief hospital stay with that well known complaint, ‘Nothing wrong with you, mate, go home.’ Theo, like many Corfiots I have spoken with, is bored sick with winter, passing his time by travelling back and forth to Corfu Town where he can meet his friends from around the island who are bored sick with winter, passing their time travelling back and forth to Corfu Town and so on. He estimated that he’d done 1000 kilometres to Corfu Town and back in the last week.
There was nothing boring about Corfu today though. I left my hotel shortly after 10.00 am wearing my usual T shirt, my blue Bench top and a storm jacket. (It is worth pointing out that I was not naked from the waist down.) By the time I drove off, the top and the jacket were on the back seat of the car as the few remaining clouds disappeared. It was a glorious day and driving, even on the wrong side of the road was a pleasure. 19c indeed. Winter?
Arillas was quite simply warm, although Theo was dressed as I would for heavy snowfall and a biting frost. And that was indoors. Most people over here seem to feel the cold, probably because they’re not used to it.
Next, I visited four people in Roda I had never before met. Mike, Jackie, Rick and Debbie, all ex pats living in Corfu and better still embracing the lifestyle and traditions of their new host country. They were incredibly generous with their time and I shall write much more about them at a later date. Suffice to say, I now see why people are so fond of Roda and the surrounding area.
Then onto Agni again and a coffee with the ever generous Pericles Katsaros, inside Taverna Nikolas, for another long chat about all things winter in Corfu and beyond. He has also decided he will take me for a bite to eat and “a few drinks” tomorrow for my last evening, which will make a 5.30 am start on Saturday an interesting prospect.
The island itself continues to impress. My ideas for the book that will follow this trip change by the hour but my first firm conclusion is that Corfu is much more than a summer holiday island, or rather it should be. Granted the weather is somewhat inconsistent during the winter months, but there is so much to see and do, and so much more than could happen to attract visitors, I do wonder why it hasn’t happened before now. More too about that later.
I’m winding down from now on. This has been a labour of love but it’s been a very tiring labour of love. Apart from my family (and Charlie the cat, who has not been well), I have thought of little else for weeks. I have been focused all day and woken up regularly each night just going through new ideas as well as having doubts about the whole project. It’s been impossible to switch off and in many ways that has been a positive.
Tonight, I’m getting the number two bus into Corfu Town to grab a bite to eat and maybe a beer or two and tomorrow won’t be a lot busier, at least not until the evening! And then Saturday morning, it’s all over. Just like that. I’ve already checked in for my flights (yes, the Corfu to Athens flight is definitely a propellor plane this time, gulp) and time is running out.
The bad news is that there’s a thunderstorm coming, or maybe if it’s later on when I’ve had a pint and got back here, the good news is there’s a thunderstorm coming.
Thanks for reading.
