as i logged on today all i could think about was the fun times i have had in arillas. no matta wot the weather id rather be there than here i mean the people are nicer you dont get pushed around its just nice an carm. i was just thinking about what it would be like to spend x-mas day there(i wish) well best go. love Lil miss (Hannah)
Wish I was there too Hannah, how about we cancle Christmas and fly out to Arillas ?
Just remember you'll need a lot of patience to get there, its taking me three flights and 10 hours to reach Corfu on Christmas Eve and thats if it all goes to plan, but I am looking forward to it!
Blimey Joe, thats a long time to get there isnt it!!!
But worth it to spend Christmas in Arillas with your mum. I hope it all goes to plan for you!
It is possible to do it in less time but the flights are nasty, this way I have decent flights with good transfer times, well in theory anyway.
good luck joe but enjoy!!
Joe, email me please.
"Wish I was there too Hannah, how about we cancel Christmas and fly out to Arillas ?"
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hahaha mum thats funny i wish we could click are fingers and be there without all the waitng about. GOOD LUCK JOE hope it goes to plan what every you do.
Thanks I really am looking forward to it, I've only been to Arillas once in winter and I love the peace and quite, its so welcome after how hectic everything is here. Another 90 minute drive this morning from Bolton to Manchester (20 miles) makes me appreciate it even more!
What flights are you having to do to get there for xmas Joe ?
During Winter Athens is the only gateway into Corfu so you need to fly there first. Being based at Manchester the only direct flight from MAN to ATH is with Olympic 3 times a week, its a horrible flight, goes at nearly midnight and arrives at 430 in the morning when the transfer is at 500 so you always miss it and end up spending half a day in Athens airport, its nice but not that nice.
To try and avoid this I let the computers here churn out some routes, the best being Manchester to Zurich then Zurich to Athens with Swiss Airlines and then Athens to Corfu with Aegean. While not necessarily the quickest route, the flight times are good, I should be in Corfu at 1900 leaving Manchester late morning and the transfers are all guaranteed and of a reasonable time (1-2 Hours), with my airlines concessions it was also very good value and not much more than £200 at full price, I did book early though.
Obviously with three flights you takes risks with delays, that's why the computers decided for me to transfer at Zurich instead of Amsterdam as the airport is smaller and travelling in December may be quite funky with the weather but its all character building and I'm in no rush. It's all a little easier if you live dowe south as BA operate London - Athens quite regularly and Easyjet also do the route but it can be very expensive.
The most fun way if you have the time is Ryanair from Liverpool to Venice and then the Ferry from Venice to Corfu, its very relaxing and highly recommended if you have the time, it takes over a day.
OOh I'd love to do Venice then over to Corfu. Maybe we'll think about doing that for our honeymoon :D
well my next holiday is to Amsterdam with college on Monday just wish it was arillas ill try picture the beach and the rainbow bar and have fun but its not arillas hope everyone has a nice Xmas luv Hannah
Where in Manchester are you Joe we are in Stockport
That sounds so complicated..... I dont mind DIY but its the connecting flights that worry me. I like the little airports. We live 5 mins from Gatwick so are used to that but going somewhere smaller is great fun. We flew to Germany this March with Ryannair from Stansted and landed in Dusseldorf Wiesal (I think?), anyway it was really small, we had a bit of a bumpy ride too as it was so windy and very cold but we whizzed through customs and passport control and was out in 10 mins. and the airport seemed dead, no one around!
We are always looking for flights to Crete as my friend lives near Chania. The cheapest flight we had was £179 but have seen it for much less on days we couldnt go, direct from Gatwick. Sometimes though she has to get a flight from Chania to Athens and Gatwick or Heathrow. Her son has caught the ferry from Athens to Souda Bay and that takes 8 hours. There doesnt seem to be a cheap way of reaching these Greek Islands out of season does there? I dont think I would mind travelling if I didnt have a time scale to fit into, just a backpack and all the time in the world, it doesnt matter then does it? Oh, and having the cash to do it as well helps.
Not long now Joe, have a brilliant time!
Yeah id love to be able to have the luxury of not having to work and just packing up and setting off round the Greek Isles with no time limit, would be just heaven!! It does seem that because its out of season its a bit of a trek to get to some places!!
Small airports are great for beating the queues and if all goes to plan they are a great alternative, albiet usually miles from the actual city they serve, however if your flight picks up delays or tech issues you can end up stranded and out of pocket as there is no support available, the more expensive carriers have representatives at all overseas airports, the no-frills guys don't, but as with everything you get what you pay for and 9 times out of 10 it does all go to plan.
Quote from: gaye on December 05, 2006, 06:41:31 PM
Where in Manchester are you Joe we are in Stockport
I work at Manchester Airport but live in Bolton right next door to the Reebok stadium, about 40 minutes away normally but again 90 minutes today as people drive to close to each other in the rain and crash........don't get me started, you know how bad the traffic is in and out of Stockport, its even worse than my direction.
Quote from: smiffy on December 06, 2006, 11:49:59 AM
Yeah id love to be able to have the luxury of not having to work and just packing up and setting off round the Greek Isles with no time limit, would be just heaven!! It does seem that because its out of season its a bit of a trek to get to some places!!
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i know the feeling id love to be on land in the winter and sail round in the summer for a few weeks at a time. i would love to live anywhere on Corfu well maybe thats wrong not one or two villages(the one that chase u with olive oil i cant remember an names but try keep away if u no wot i mean)could u imagine living in Arillas all year round meeting new people all the time it would be my heaven maybe when Ive finished college and find a job out there can always keep dreaming luv little miss aka Hannah
The smallest airport i ever saw was in Pierre, South Dakota.
I didn't know that they did anything small in America, but
that took some beating. The terminal was like a cowshed,
and the bags were brought in on a wee trailer. The only
planes that go there are just wee puddle jumpers, and you
have to walk to and from them. There were about a dozen
seats in the terminal hut. lol. We hired a car there and I
swear it was grandpa walton that brought it to us. Then he
said 'when you go back, leave it in the car park with the keys
in it. It'll be fine! We never heard any more, so I presume it
must have been o.k. (not many places in America you can
do that either).
We have been logging on and looking at the photo of the day, and checking the weather, ever since we got back on 31st October. All three of us wish so much to be back in Arillas.
I have been trying to work out how to get us there out of season, with even thinking of Eurostar to Paris, and then the Stendahl train to Venice and then the ferry, but its all so expensive (and takes days!). Driving is another option, or even (and this is at the moment just a fantasy whilst daughter is still at school), taking a kitted out Lanrover (husband's passion), camping en-route and getting deck passage on the ferry (you can sleep in your vehicle if equipped) from Venice to Corfu, and then we would have a car whilst there. We could camp in it, and just rent a room occassionally (to have a shower for instance!).
Bliss. But it would have to be for a good few weeks, so maybe when daughter has left home, and we have retired..............but I maybe by then there will be out-of-season, cheap, direct flights? Or teleportation??
Anyway, have a fantastic Christmas Joe, we are very envious.
And seasons greetings to all of you!!!!!
Caroline
I was wondering about a cheap Ryannair flight to Brindisi then getting the ferry to Corfu, But they might not do the boat out of season. Or perhaps a flight from Brindisi to Corfu which is only about 1/2 hr, we had to stop there to refuel before we could land at corfu last year.
Most of the ferries operate all year round but at a much reduced timetable, I always use this site (http://www.greekferries.gr/) its about as accurate any can be when travelling by Greek Ferry, as Lozicle once said in a previous thread times are in GMT (Greek Standard Time).
Quote from: little miss on December 06, 2006, 08:16:36 PM
I would love to live anywhere on Corfu well maybe that's wrong not one or two villages(the one that chase u with olive oil I cant remember an names but try keep away if u no wot i mean)
Its called Makrades as long as my spelling is holding up, very crazy place that could only exist in Corfu, I think its one of the oldest towns, our Thomas Cook brochures actually recommend tourists to go there, perhaps the locals are on commission.
heheh Greek Maybe Time (GMT) :D :D
Thanks for posting the ferry info, going to give that a peruse in a bit :D
Oops, should pay more attention to my typing....
Makrades Joe. - Brings back loads of good memories.
Years ago I used to pay regular visits to the "Mimosa" a little Taverna sat right oppostite the more "upmarket" one that coachloads of tourists used to pile into. Poor Thomas at the Mimosa, nearly empty, watching, mostly German tourists being "sheperded" into a Taverna across the road.
How sad is that? - A traditional looking Taverna but people going for what they are used to perhaps.
I went there on average 3 times a week,sometimes for Breakfast, sometimes mid afternoons, had a couiple of drinks and just watched the world go around. The map and olive oil sellers got so used to me passing that they eventually gave up. I got to know Thomas and his father quite well so it was very sad when one following year I went back and his father had died the previous winter.
I must have been going there twice a year for 5/6 years with the last year being probably 3 years ago.
When I arrived that year the place was closed and I was informed Thomas had left to pursue his ambition to be a priest. I have driven past since and someone else runs it now. Maybe another visit sometime?
Happy Days eh? - And yes, I wish I was there now.
Regards
Negg
Oh yes - Makrades!
We passed through there on the way to Paleokastritsa in October and a man leapt out at us, waved the car to a halt and then stuck his head in the driver's window, leered at us and virtually forced us out to try his wine! a bit un-nerving to say the least. On the way back I just said "keep your foot down and don't make eye contact!". We still laugh about it ("where you like-a to go today?". He even offered to sell us his house to 5 million Euros!)
Caroline
Thanks Neggy, I've only been through Makrades once that I remember on the way to Paliokastritsa or Palio-catswiskers when I was younger. My mum told me a story about one of her friends in Corfu losing a bet and as a forfeit they had to sit in the road and try and sell some olive Oil to the passing tourists, the locals in Makrades found it hilarious and they sat outside together drinking wine all day long getting quite drunk, it is beloved they managed to sell the Olive Oil but no seems to remeber clearly :-)
JOE glad u knew where i ment the name had gone in my head but you remembered. Ive had some right laugh there but also some scary time i thought my dad was going to run the old women over cos she just jumped at us. maybe wen I'm 88 i live there and join in the selling. we had a laugh an a joke because they always knew when a car was coming i think they have a webcam up the hill or were ever best to trap us. the lads at the rainbow bar was saying they have never had that problem it must just be us maybe we smell diffrent because its not all looks. well ill get off tea ready and i could do with warm food after the cold and wet day at college. luv lil miss
Makrades what a great place! Is it possible to bypass it on the way to Paleo? I don't think so!
I have really fond memories. In 2001 we stayed in San Steph with our daughters and their very good friend aged 13.
On the way back from Paleo we were accosted by the map people and bought some local wine.
Word must have got round because we were hounded for the rest of our journey through the village!
Finally, we drove past an elderly lady clearly sleeping at the side of the road who woke at the sound of our car and leapt out to flag us down.
I will never forget Maria's laughter.....it rang round the hills. She wanted to go back to take photos!
10 days after our return Maria died suddenly [ Sudden Adolescent Death Syndrome ] but every we time we drive through there , and we do so deliberately now , I hear her laughter which was quite distinctive!! and remember her with great love.
Gaye that's so sad. I've never heard of that condition. At least you've got lovely memories of her!