Katakolon

Wednesday 5th

Once again we woke at 10am. This is a bit earlier than I normally wake at sea. I think the brand of sleeping tablets I’ve been given is not as long-lasting as my normal brand. I tend to wake after about 5 hours sleep and then doze for 3 hours. David, who normally only sleeps for 6 hours each night, sleeps soundly for 8 hours or more.

Our plan for the day was sun and sea. We set off for the small local beach in Katakolon. We found our own little patch of sand and put out our towels. The sea was glorious. It was so buoyant that my arms and legs rose to the surface while my body sank slightly. It was actually uncomfortable trying to swim because my arms and legs were so high. However, for the first time in my life I actually managed to float on my back! We alternated swimming and sunbathing, with one person at a time minding our valuables. We could see a beach café but it was closed and falling to pieces. However, a couple of enterprising souls had the concession for the beach. One would take our order and the other would hop on a motor-bike and go to the nearest café to buy the drinks and bring them back to us! I was sorry I did not have my camera with me to take photos of such a glorious spot.

We put our clothes on over our bathers and headed into the town. I was soon wet in interesting places! ‘Nanna, have you wet yourself again?’ asked David. We wandered the shops and David found a stunning necklace and bracelet for me to buy. (See photos in the next blog post.)

In the next street we found the bars and sat in one with a couple of bottles of retsina and some water. David kept filling my glass when I was not looking, so I had over two glasses of wine. I could not walk a straight line on my way back to the ship! It had been a lovely relaxing time, checking out the internet, laughing and chatting. Unfortunately I flopped back dramatically on the couch in a ‘drunken’ swoon without checking to see how high the cushions were on the couch. Not high enough! I hit the wooden back of the couch and left a bruise that lasted for over a week.

We arrived back on the ship with just enough time to get ready for dinner. More wine! Afterwards we went to a sequence dancing session and the last half of the show. I had noticed that the casino had David’s favourite machine, the only one he ever plays, where coins are put in the slot, bounced off a wall and then brushed into a pile. I had to try it out. We spent $15 in coins and David won two coins back! I’m sure the machine is rigged. 

We listened to Nexus in the Winter Gardens, and then went to the ballroom for an hour. Of course we finished off with a snack on our balcony while we relaxed before bed.