Winding down.

I’ve checked in for my flights, I’ve pretty well packed and barring one more final engagement in a taverna yet to be revealed, I’m ready to go home. It’s been an incredible stay in Corfu and I think I have enough material for more than one volume of my forthcoming book.

The weather today showed just how lucky I have been in the previous week. Yes, I have experienced some rainy bits but nothing that stopped me doing anything, except for my aborted trip to Paleokastritsa. Maybe next time?

The thunder rumbled for much of last night but a lack of alcohol and extreme tiredness ensured I slept right through it. I opened my curtains to find slate grey skies and heavy showers and made my way to the Cafe Kanoni later in the morning. I barely made it before the rain restarted. The Cafe, however, was warm and welcoming, as was the coffee. A farewell also to the dog and cats at Vlacherna. I could see them playing, in between showers, and when I left two of them were on the sheltered side of the roof by the bell tower. I hope they are still there in the summer. The light is so good in Greece, even from high above Vlacherna, you can see things clearly.

I drove into Corfu Town for the last time and headed for the Liston which was very quiet. The Syriza hut is still there in the main shopping centre and there are now a few posters from the other parties in Sunday’s election but I get the impression that there is a lot of apathy on the island. Life carried on pretty well as normal after the world economic crash, unlike on the mainland, although the people are far more heavily taxed than they used to be. Petrol and diesel is far more expensive, massively so, that at home. I ate a few dough based products – I am not entirely sure what they were, but they tasted good and were cheap – and waited for the right time to return to my car and of course chose the wrong time as the heavens opened once more!

I’ve spent the afternoon brushing up on my notes, which are scattered between notebooks, word documents, voice recorder and mobile phone.

So far as I can tell, the first part of my return journey will be aboard a small propellor plane, so that’s going to be exciting and then back to London in a good old fashioned airbus.

I hope you’ve enjoyed the ride. I have.