Thursday 30th May 2019
Today promised to be a marathon of travel, and it delivered in every possible way.
Leaving Home
Ed and I left Norfolk in the dead of night, at 3 a.m., running on adrenaline from the excitement of the upcoming trip. The roads were eerily empty, the kind of stillness that makes you feel like you’re the only one awake in the world. That peace ended abruptly as we hit the M23, with headlights peppering the darkness and the hum of engines pulling us closer to Gatwick. By dawn, we were in the North Terminal departure lounge, toasting the start of our adventure with a full English breakfast and an early pint at the Red Lion. A pre-flight beer might be unconventional, but we figured it’d help us sleep on the plane—or so we told ourselves.
Flight to Mykonos and Naxos Ferry
Boarding the flight was smooth, but then came the dreaded announcement: a 40-minute delay due to landing restrictions in Mykonos. Panic started to creep in. Our ferry connection to Naxos had a tight two-hour window, and delays have a way of spiralling. But fate threw us a lifeline: the pilot managed to claw back some time mid-flight, and we landed only 25 minutes late.
Our plan to take a bus to the ferry port in Tourlos evaporated when we saw the schedule—a 40-minute wait would mean missing the early 3:20 p.m. ferry. Desperation called for quick thinking, and we hopped into a shared taxi with another couple, splitting the €15 fare. Of course, irony loves to play tricks, and we arrived to find the ferry delayed by 90 minutes. The wait wasn’t wasted, though. The Greek sun embraced us, and a couple of cold Mythos beers quickly eased any lingering frustrations as we sat in the concrete gate area. The view wasn’t particularly scenic, but with a warm breeze on our faces and Mykonos Town shimmering in the background, there were worse places to be.
By 4:30 p.m., the Seajets Superjet glided into port, right on schedule for its revised departure. We boarded and were soon skimming over the Aegean’s calm, glittering waters toward Naxos. I’d braced for seasickness but found myself perfectly fine—perhaps the sea itself was feeling kind that day.
Naxos Town
Stepping onto Naxos’ now-familiar harbour was like a homecoming, recalling my past visits over the last two years. The nostalgia hit me hard as we wandered south of town to Creparea, indulging in sweet crêpes and refreshing water under the warm afternoon sun. The beach at St. George called to us next, its sunbeds practically begging us to collapse into them. Ed was out cold in minutes, while I lost myself in my Kindle, Spotify softly playing in my ears—a perfect snapshot of bliss.
When the sun dipped low and the café staff started clearing the loungers, it was time to move on. Hunger was gnawing again, so we strolled along the harbour and settled on pizza at Il Girasole. Sharing a veggie pizza, Greek salad, and house white wine, we savoured every bite. Stuffed and content, we drifted into a bar we’d visited before, the memory of the Euro 2018 finals still lingering there. This time, it was Turkey vs. Greece—a dull game save for two goals we missed in the first 20 minutes. Still, the beers and lively atmosphere helped pass the time.
By 11 p.m., exhaustion was setting in, but the night wasn’t over yet. We ambled towards the Temple of Apollo, its ancient silhouette a striking contrast to the glowing lights of the port below. From there, we settled at Captain’s bar, where I wisely swapped beer for a Coke and prepped for the final leg of the journey with an anti-sickness tablet.
Ferry to Amorgos
The ferry to Amorgos, scheduled for 11:55 p.m., teased us with a 30-minute delay—and then another 30 minutes as it unloaded lorry trailers. When we finally boarded around 1 a.m., the top deck’s chilly winds quickly drove us inside, where warmth and fatigue wrapped around us like a blanket. Sleep came easily, but not without setting an alarm—missing our stop wasn’t an option.
At 3 a.m., we arrived in Aegiali, stepping off the ferry into the quiet, starry night. Relief washed over us when we saw a girl from the hotel waiting at the harbour, still patiently there despite the late hour. A short uphill walk brought us to the Yperia Hotel, where we were shown to our rooms. I barely had the energy to toss my bag to the floor before collapsing onto the bed. Sleep came instantly, heavy and dreamless.
The journey had been long, chaotic, and unforgettable. Three islands in the space of 12 hours. Tomorrow, the secrets of Amorgos would reveal themselves—but tonight, the bed was all I needed.
