Corfu 2008
By Kirk Anderson

Drinking hard in the pub quiz!

 

Thinking hard in the pub quiz.

Friday 3rd October
Having travelled all night, we finally arrived at the hotel early afternoon and spent the afternoon unpacking and having a rest before getting changed and coming down for dinner.   After dinner, some people decided to call it a night while others stayed down in the bar for a few drinks.   We watched some Greek dancing then took part in a quiz.   Our team got 30 out of 40 questions right.   We didn't win but we were only 6 points behind the winners!

 

The pig tree!

Elvis is in the building!

Planning meeting

I just want to be your Teddy Bear.

Saturday 4th October
This morning we relaxed around the pool after breakfast, then went to a meeting with the travel rep to hear what there is to do in the area.   After lunch some of us went for a walk around the village and did a bit of shopping.   We strolled across the beach then visited a little chapel.   Geraint showed us olives growing on a tree, then figs growing on a fig tree, some people thought he said pigs were growing on the tree which caused us a lot of amusement!   When we got back we had a meeting with Wendy and decided what we want to do this week.   Some people are very tired again this afternoon so went off for a little siesta before dinner.
After dinner, we all went to the bar to join in with the karaoke.   Bill did his Elvis impersonation to great applause, then later on most of the group got up and sang "Summer Holiday".   Cath sang "Super Trooper" and Andrew, Steve and Bill sang "We will Rock You".   It was gone midnight by the time we all fell into our beds.

 

Lunch out.

Bingo!

Sunday 5th October
Today was a very windy day.   We went out for lunch at a local cafe.   Afterwards, some of went for a drive around the local area.   We visited Arillas, then went on to Sidari before returning to the hotel.   After dinner, we played bingo in the hotel lounge with the other guests.
After the bingo we joined in with some Greek dancing and watched the waiters do a fire dance!

 

Lunch at Paleocastritsa.

Greek dancing, lead by Bill!

Down on the beach.

Leeds United?

Monday 6th October
Today we split into 2 groups.   One group went to spend the day on the beach.   We rented sun beds and parasols and soaked up the glorious sunshine.   We had lunch in a beach-side cafe before going back onto the beach.   We had fun writing our names in the sand and our favourite football teams as well!
The other group went in the car with Geraint and Delia to Paleocastritsa.   They visited a monastery and then stopped to admire the views across the bay.   They had lunch down by the beach before heading off again.   On the way back, they stopped at a road-side store to buy some local produce, then on to a road where they could see both sides of the island.
This evening, we took part in a music quiz and joined in with the Greek dancing again.   Bill lead the dancing group!   Afterwards, we had the 2nd part of the music quiz, AND WE WON!

Winning Team

Staying cool in the pool.

Is that Bill or James Bond?

Tuesday 7th October
A lazy day around the pool today.   Bill was on the prowl with his water pistol!   Some of us did a spot of shopping and then we drank the champagne we won in the quiz last night.   We had it in bucks fizz so that there was a enough to go around us all.
After dinner we joined in with the karaoke again.   Several of us got up to do duets, Frank played his harmonica and then the whole group sang Summer Holiday again.

 

Captain Theo & Cath.

Swimming by the beach.

Pull!

Swimming off the boat.

Wednesday 8th October
Most of us went on Theo's Boat trip today, we left the hotel at 8am and caught the coach to Corfu Town.   We got on Theo's boat and set off.   Theo chased Cath around with shaving foam, so Cath chased Theo round and gave him a big kiss!   He filled a hat with shaving foam and put it on her head, when she took it off all all her hair was standing on end!   There was lots of loud music and dancing, and a water fight on the front of the boat.   Very much the same as last year!   We arrived at a secluded beach where we rented sun beds and had a BBQ.   It was very hot, not too hot for a tug of war between the men and the ladies though!   Then we got back on the boat and set off for a quiet cove where people could have a swim in the sea.   Cath was the only one from our group who went in the sea.   After the swimming the boat headed back to Corfu Town and we caught the coach back to the hotel just in time for dinner.   Afterwards we retired to the bar where there were singers and dancing girls!

 

John in the dune buggy.

Hot hot hot!

Thursday 9th October
Back to the beach again today.   We rented a dune buggy and took turns to cruise down to the Marina and back (until we accidently ran out of petrol and had to be rescued!).   Bill particularly enjoyed the buggy as he could strap his walking frame onto the back of the buggy and avoid walking to the beach and back.   Quite a few of us went swimming in the sea today, which was a welcome relief as it was very hot down on the sand.
We had lunch in a beachside restaurant again before returning to our sun beds where Bill got all the lads helping him build a sand castle.
After dinner tonight we played bingo with the other hotel guests again.   Bill joined in with the Greek dancing, and even the fire dancing!

 

Outside the monastery.

Lunch.

Friday 10th October
While half the group went shopping in Sidari today, the rest of us drove up the narrow, winding road to the top of Corfu's highest mountain, Pantokrator.   At the top we visited the monastery and had a drink in the cafe.    The monastery was fantastic, the inside was highly decorated in the Greek orthodox style, and was very peaceful inside.   The only shame was the enormous telecommunications mast towering over it all!
On the way back down we had lunch in a cafe in a little village.   The Corfu chicken was lovely!   Back at the hotel we had dinner then took part in the quiz.

 

Around the pool.

In the chapel.

Saturday 11th October
A quieter day today, we spent the morning around the pool soaking up the sunshine.   Andrew and Steve played a game of volleyball in the tennis court.   After lunch some of the group went for a walk up the hill to visit a little church.
This evening we played bingo then most of us had an early night ready for an early start tomorrow.

 

Fruity.

By the beach.

Sunday 12th October
Split into 2 groups again today.   A few of us attempted to visit the monastery at Paleocastritsa, however the monastery remained elusive and we got horribly lost in the poorly signposted, windy little roads in the interior of the island!   We settled for lunch in a beach-side cafe in Agios Georgios, where we had the most fantastic fruit cocktails and huge sandwiches.   After lunch we took a stroll along the beach front.
The rest of the group set off early to Corfu Town to go on a boat trip.   They visited the town of Parga on the Greek mainland, then the town of Paxos on the island of the same name just off the south coast of Corfu.
After dinner some of us took part in the music quiz again although most people fell straight into bed!   The people who did stay up won the music quiz again!   We are the champions.......

 

Mmm champers!

And for you Madame?

Monday 13th October
Another quiet day, lots of time around the pool soaking up the sunshine and a spot of shopping in San Stefanos.   Before dinner last night's victorious quiz team drank their prize, champagne!   Next week we'll be home so someone else can have a chance at winning!

 

Vroom!

Screeech!

Tuesday 14th October
Went to the beach again today while a few of the others went off on another boat trip.   We hired a dune buggy again as it was so popular last time.   Bill and Steve made a sandcastle driving course for Jackie's electric wheelchair which went well until she got the wheels stuck in the sand and had to be dug out!
Bingo after dinner again tonight.

 

Made it!

Dancing at the Greek evening.

Wednesday 15th October
Today we hired a second car (Suzuki Jeep!) and went monastery hunting again, this time we found it!   Had a good look round and visited the museum.   The grounds were amazing and inside the church was beautiful.   We then drove down the mountain and had a look round the shops in Paleocastritsa itself, before having lunch by the bay.   After lunch we took the scenic route (on purpose this time!) back to San Stefanos.   After getting changed, it was time to get on the coach to head off to a Greek night where the wine flowed freely.

 

Say cheers!

Or yamass!.

Thursday 16th October
Final day today, most people went into Sidari to spend those last few Euros.   When we got back, everybody packed their cases ready to fly home tomorrow.   After dinner the ladies who clean the rooms came in to have a final drink with us.   We played a trick on them and put rubber gloves on their drinks!   Then on came the dancing girls, and we all had a party!

Final Night party!