Saturday 9th April 2022

All good things come to an end.

Even holibobs.

Saturday morning, and time to finish packing, check the room one last time.

Tere had been the possibility of one final orchid species. We had seen Limodorum abortivum about to flower on Thursday, and we hoped to return, but as the site was halfway up a mountain, and it would take an hour to get there, hour to get to the airport, then find the orchids, there just wasn't time, if we wanted the journey home to be stress-free.

So, we had breakfast as normal, although taking a bit longer as we chatted over the final meal.

Wagons roll at half nine we were told. So, the happy bus were ready by nine, all loaded and checked, triple checking passports and boarding passes.

I was hassled by an old guy with no teeth who spoke no English, apparently he was begging for drinking money, though this I only found out later. He had had an accident with fire earlier in life, as the skin on his fce was mottled, a hard life no doubt.

THe buses reversed out of the parking spots, we waved at the family that ran the hotel, and we were off through the village one last time, the roadscast of the morning service still echoing off the whitewashed houses.

We made our way out of the foothills and down along the coast to the airport.

All over.

Now the chaos.

We were first to arrive for the flight, so early no desks were open, so we waiting in lne for 30 minutes, by which time the queue was out of the terminal. I was third to check in, got my bag taken, then made my way up to security, where I was told I could take my bottle of juice through.

Who knew?

Out the other side, walk to immigration to find it not manned. So more waiting.

Others from the tour arrived, so we waited together, until and hour before the flight was due, the police came and opened the kiosks, and once we had our passports stamped, we got tot wait at the gate.

The inbound flight was late, but once it was on final, we were allowed to pass the gate and wait on the ramp overlooking the pan, until the jet landed and taxied in front of us.

More waiting as the passengers got off, then we were let on, finding the plane had not been cleaned, just get us on and the plane moving ASAP.

Only there were no slots now as we were late boarding, and then a bag had to be taken off, so we were 50 minutes late leaving, but leave we did, climbing into the clear blue sky, and climbing over the scattered Greek islands to cruising height.

And then relax for the four hour flight, as relaxed as you can be, jammed in together.

I had texted Jools that we were leaving, so she would eave from home two hours before arrival time, and be waiting for me at Stanstead. Traffic permitting.

Over the Alps, cloud covered everything, and that was the case until we were over Brussels, by then we were dropping down from cruising height, crossing the Channel, over Colchester and onto final.

Back home.

Getting off was fine, then a walk over the pan into the terminal, up some steps and onto a waiting shuttle train to the main building, joining the end of a long snake of people going to the self scan immigration gates.

Through that with no trouble, though others were having 'mares, grabbed my case, said one last farewell to Dave, and through to the arrival hall where Jools was waiting.

After a hug, we walked to the car, paid £22 for 70 minutes parking (!), and away out of the car park and onto the M11, heading south for home.

We talked all the way, catching up on news and events, with no traffic issues to speak of, we were home in 90 minutes, back in St Maggies.

And relax.

Pizza for supper, and a beer.

Leaving the unpacking for the morning.

Come eight, we were both shattered, so to bed, to read and then to sleep.