Gavdos was really good for me. I like this island – apart from the landlady and her husband, the policewoman and the e-bike rental guy, I didn’t make any contacts, so this time it’s the island itself that I’ve taken to my heart (like Akri). But on we go, to the south-west coast of Crete, to Palaiochora. And here I meet Andreas, who is checking on his boat (*), moored here in the harbour, with his sons Konstantinos and Janis. He helps me find a petrol station attendant who is willing to pick me up with my canisters, fill up at his station and drive me back here…
Yes, everything has to be done, step by step, to keep going.
Then it’s back to the village, so to speak. This time with my scooter – I need to buy fresh food, especially fruit, and water. And I want to eat something good. The jump over to the Peloponnese is imminent… Will Georges’ prediction come true? Being well prepared helps. (If the engines had failed and other mishaps had occurred and I had drifted far out to sea, such things still weighing on my mind …)
The south of Crete seems ideal and perfect for holidays: far enough away from the tourist centres in the north (or difficult to reach), but also urban enough to offer all the usual amenities. The climate is fantastic, even if the landscape isn’t necessarily spectacular. The evenings are particularly enchanting and even I find myself watching the sun sink into the sea.
(* Funny how the photos came about: first Andreas took a photo of me with his children, then his son Konstantinos took a photo of me with my brother and father… That’s how it goes when you don’t have a tripod handy. And then the interactions begin 😉