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Just Travelous
  • Lys Kate

Just Travelous

A 25-day adventure by Lys Read more
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  • Trip start
    September 22, 2017
    Lys KateJust TravelousTraveler

    It begins...

    September 22, 2017 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    It is go time, my little car is packed to the brim and we are Sydney bound. I am humming with nervous energy, here comes 30 plus days of European fun. I love this feeling, knowing there are hundreds of possibilities laid out before me. I'm excited. This is going to be great.

    Talk soon.

    L    Read more

  • Lys KateJust TravelousTraveler
    I cut off Adrian's head but doesn't he have a lovely smile.

    Meg Mac and Burgers

    September 22, 2017 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    Ever been to Mary's? No? Go find that red light in a back alley of Newtown. It's worth it. Mary's is dark, electric and moody. It serves delicious burgers and an interesting selection of Australian wine. Heaps of fun.

    Meg Mac played Enmore theatre and was a-maz-ing. This woman is so bloody talented. Go see her and buy her album.

    All in all a fantastic night and a perfect start to this holiday.    Read more

  • Lys KateJust TravelousTraveler
    1

    Pre-Flight Saturday

    September 23, 2017 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C

    Nice and lazy day today.

    To start a sneaky gym session followed by an excellent brunch with Lorri, Amy and G'ma at Ray's Place.

    Rachel and Adrian left Nic and I in the city. A lovely manicure and pedicure later, we were on our way to the airport. Thank god we utilised online check in facilities, Etihad lines were basically out the door. Our "short" line took about 40 minutes to get our bags checked. A quick meal, a final boarding call and we're walking down the gangway in the nick of time.

    Travel advice learnt today. Do not put your dark passport on the dark seat of the plane which has dark carpet. Your passport can and does fall down the side of the seat inducing a state of panic. Always, take the time to stow that baby safely away.

    Now to get through this 14 hour flight.    Read more

  • Lys KateJust TravelousTraveler

    Athens

    September 24, 2017 in Greece ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    We are here! The best part of 23 hours cooped up in a plane and we made it. Weather is a lovely sunny 27°C, little to no clouds and a gentle breeze. We probably smell but are too excited to care. It's time to shower and get this party started.Read more

  • Lys KateJust TravelousTraveler

    All that Jatz

    September 24, 2017 in Greece ⋅ 🌙 23 °C

    We landed in Greece, cleared customs in record time and headed for the metro station. First little glitch... We forgot that Greece is basically a cash economy and could not purchase tickets. We spent the next 20 minutes searching for an ATM. All cashed up we navigated the metro like locals and with some helpful directions were at our accommodation for the night.

    Our accommodation was a quaint little 1 bedroom apartment in Athina. In this instance quaint refers to the fact our entire apartment was smaller than my bedroom.
    Our host Stefano, gave us the ground rules including don't flush your toliet paper (and can I tell you this is a bizarre feeling). A quick shower left us feeling envigorated and it was time to explore.

    * Note: Mum/Dad, I remember you once complained your apartment didn't have hot water. We were instructed to turn the water on at the mains 30-40 minutes before showering and turn it off just before showering.

    We found a little warren of eats at the foothills of the Acropolis and stopped for a bite to eat at All That Jatz. The service here was fantastic, largely due to the carafe and half of free wine we were given. With full bellies and heads buzzing we headed back to our apartment to catch up on much needed sleep.    Read more

  • Lys KateJust TravelousTraveler
    1

    Santorini

    September 25, 2017 in Greece ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    Early start with our ferry living at 7.20am. We managed to lock ourselves in the foyer of our apartment and had to call Stefano our landlord before 6am. Thankfully he answered and we were on our way. Next we ran into trouble as the ticket machine for the metro only accepted coins and needed to find somewhere to exchange a note for coins. Two cafes later we were on the train to Piraeus.

    We made it to Santorini by about 3pm. The ferry ride was llong and picturesque. We arrived at our hotel, checked in and sun baked by the pool. Our hotel is beautiful and our rooms has a balcony which over looks the sea.

    A few cocktails later and we headed into Thira for dinner. We found Da Corta, a seafood restaurant with a view. Unsurprisingly the food was delicious and fresh. We had a mixed seafood plate, with grilled octopus, fish, prawns and oysters. Service was brilliant and our waiter Andrios was lovely.

    Next stop was to check out the local night life. We start and end with Murphy's. It was very touristy with tacky decor and 80s music. However the people were friendly and the drinks were cold. It turned out to be a big night and I know my head is going to hurt tomorrow.    Read more

  • Lys KateJust TravelousTraveler
    1

    Thira

    September 26, 2017 in Greece ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    I woke up feeling very sorry for myself, definitely too much alcohol last night. I tried to sweat it out at the gym but made it worse and decided to rest by the pool for a few hours.

    Eventually, I began to feel human again so we decided to explore Thira/Fira (not sure which name is more correct as it appears to have multiple spellings). Fira is the capital of Santorini located on the Caldera Cliffs and overlooking the volcano. It's full of winding streets and hidden pathways along the cliff face. Such fun to explore.

    We descended the 600 stairs down to old port. Navigating the donkeys and their poo. If you are prepared to pay, you can ride a donkey up and downthis slop. At the bottom there was beautiful clear blue ocean, some quaint shops and funnily enough some boats. It was then time to ascend... It was hard work and suddenly the sun was beating down, which made it hot and sweaty too. We also had to contend with herds of donkeys racing down the steps. We tried playing chicken with one heard of donkeys. We lost, one of the donkeys damaged my shoes (thankfully not my feet) and Nic was sandwiched between the wall and the donkey,with enough force to get airborne. I'm glad she wasn't hurt and didn't go over the edge. We made it to the top bit couldn't find stair 600, the highest we found was 588. I'm going to count the stairs back to our hotelas the last few steps.

    We had dinner at Classico Cafe and watched the sunset over the volcano. Just magical. To finish we found a dessert shop and tried some loukoumades (mini dounuts) and then meandered home.    Read more

  • Lys KateJust TravelousTraveler

    Volcanos and Hotsprings

    September 27, 2017 in Greece ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    New dawn and our first stop was the nearby volcano, Nea Kameni. We took a boat from old port (yes we went down those 600 stairs again) and sailed to the volcano. On arrival we took a 20 minute hike to the summit and walked around the active crater, which aside from a slight Sulfur smell looked like nothing more than black rocks.

    I'm gonna get my geek on and give you a geology lesson on the Cyclades islands. Santorini was once a large circular island that included nearby Thiraisa (which is on the other side of the Caldera).

    About 3600 years ago a massive volcanic eruption occurred. The ancient society which inhabited Santorini was wiped out and the power from the eruption created a giant a sink whole. This sink whole is known as the caldera and is the large depression which separates the islands.

    Within the depression is Nea Kameni and Palea Kameni, two volcanic formations created from the 6 eruptions over the last 3600 years. The last eruption was in 1950 and was considered minor with no damage to Santorini.

    We got back on the boat and headed for the hot springs, located on the shores of Palea Kameni. The waters have a high mineral content including magnesium and iron which means they have historically consider to have therapeutic benefits. I'm not convinced, I could certainly smell Sulfur, which had also turned the water brown but didn't feel healed after my swim. However somewhere deep below. a magma chamber assisted in heating the water to a pleasant 28°C, so not complaining at all.

    All in all a fantastic tour that is informative, fun and affords spectacular views of the Santorini coastline.    Read more

  • Lys KateJust TravelousTraveler

    Oia - Whiter and Bluer than you imagine

    September 27, 2017 in Greece ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    We took the sea ferry to Oia and we were once again afford spectacular views of the high cliffs of the island. Upon arrival we tackled the 300 stairs to reach the town centre. While less stairs than in Fira, they were at least twice as steep. Legs burning we made it to the top, and will probably now have buns of steel after climbing 1000 stairs in 2 days.

    This town, like Fira is built into the cliff side and is roughly about 100m above see level. The town itself filled with winding streets,secret walkways, cave like houses and beautiful churches with white washed walls and blue domes.

    We explored these hidden paths ways, drooled over how amazing these churches were and then found a bar, Flora Cafe with a view of not only the volcano but also the nearby blue domed churches. We enjoyed some delicious Herb Mules. Mesmerised we sat and watched the sunset over the spires of the church in the town square. Simply amazing.    Read more

  • Lys KateJust TravelousTraveler

    Atlantis Books

    September 27, 2017 in Greece ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    Legend has it the formation of the Caldera and the island of Santorini was the inspiration for Plato's Atlantis.

    Also an amazing book store founded by some philosophy students from Brown, Cambridge and alike in 2004. It is a underground cave completely covered with shelves of books in English, Greek, French, Italian, German, Spanish, and Chinese. Most books appeared to be paperbacks but I did spy some first edition hard copies, for the true connoisseur.

    Rumour also has it there are sleeping nooks hidden amongst the books for staff. Who are all amazingly well versed in literature and their recommendations are recorded on notes throughout the shop. There is also a fantastic you diverse range of books available. An amazing bookshop, best I have ever seen.    Read more

  • Lys KateJust TravelousTraveler

    Mera Beach and the last of Santorini

    September 28, 2017 in Greece ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    On return to our wonderful hotel, The Majestic Hotel after the afternoon in Oia, we found the staff had left us a surprise. On arrival we had told staff our holiday was a birthday gift. They left us an amazing golden gaytime sponge. It was so delicious.

    Some early morning yoga by the pool with a sunrise in the background was the perfect start to our next day.

    After yoga we headed to the beach. Mera Beach is very different from Australian beaches with its black volcanic rocks/sand, sun beds and quaint straw umbrellas. The lack of waves made it feel like in some respects we were lying on the shores of a lake, but regardless it was stunning.    Read more

  • Lys KateJust TravelousTraveler

    Mykonos

    September 28, 2017 in Greece ⋅ 🌙 21 °C

    After the bus took 20 minutes to get Mera Beach we assumed it would take 20 minutes to return to Fira. Not so... It decided to loop around Perissa first. 40 minutes later, a very hurried walk/run to our hotel and we were on the shuttle on the way to the port, abet a little later than planned. All to soon we were on the ferry and heading to Mykonos. The wind picked up today and it was noticeably choppier on the boat ride.

    We are starting to get the hang of public transport and we're able to negotiate the local bus from the port to town and then walked to our hotel. Our sore legs quaked in fear when we saw the Grand Beach Hotel's driveway. Quite possibly the steepest I have ever seen. But we made it and that burn is doing wonderful things for our arses and calves (I hope). But it was worth it for the view.    Read more

  • Lys KateJust TravelousTraveler

    Windmills

    September 29, 2017 in Greece ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    First stop today was the Windmills of Kato Myloi. A feature of the island since the 16th century and remnant of time when the island prospered from being a port along the Europe/Asia shipping line. Now only a few remain and are scenery. I'm not sure if any of them are in working order as they are now tied down. It's a pity... We had a steady wind blowing of 25-30km/h and gusts up to 42km/h. Probably would of been enough to get these bad boys turning.

    One of the windmills was open and we able to look inside, it was pretty basic. On the lower level you have what I'm assuming was a storage area. On the upper level you have a wooden floor and the inner mechanisms of the windmill which I'm again I am guessing was once used for the production of grain.

    A little kitsch for my taste, but given it was free and easy to get to worth a look.    Read more

  • Lys KateJust TravelousTraveler

    Hidden Gems of Little Venice

    September 29, 2017 in Greece ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    Next stop was exploring the streets of Little Venice. You could spend days in here. The streets are filled with clothing shops, hidden cafes, restaurants, bars, houses and Greek churches. It has an electric atmosphere, filled with hustle and bustle. The streets themselves are narrow cobblestone pathways running between whitewashed buildings, with colourful trims to break up the stark white. It's beautiful.

    Some of our favourites were Mathoura, a speciality store that sold its own roasted nuts, an amazing collection of dried fruit, baklava, and home-made chocolate delights. We tried and loved the pistachio baklava, the candied orange in dark chocolate and sesame roasted almonds.
    Ntoukas Kitchen Lab, a cafe that made the best spanakopita I have ever tasted. It's coffee was delicious and all its pies and tarts were home-made and looked divine.    Read more

  • Lys KateJust TravelousTraveler

    Late nights

    September 29, 2017 in Greece ⋅ 🌧 19 °C

    What can I say... Cocktails and gyros. Yum!

    Being conditioned to years of early starts... Our night started at about 7pm, turns out the night life here doesn't kick off until after 11pm. Regardless we found some bars that made for a great night regardless of the time.

    Our first stop was Cosi. A cute little bar with good easy listening music and a wide range of cocktails. The bar had outdoor seating and it was lovely to watch the people flock though the streets of Little Venice.

    Stop number two was Caprice down by the water front. The blue decor was a little lairy for me but the service was great. The bar staff were friendly and helpful. I particularly enjoyed there spicy cocktail which I can no longer remember the name of. We left just before 11 and already it was starting to get busy.

    Feeling a little famished, we sought some good old fashioned Greek sustenance, Gyros. We found a place called Sakis and ordered. I went chicken and Nic chose pork. The were delicious and provide us with some extra fuel.

    Next we hit the Scandinavian bar and disco (although we never found the disco part). Probably my least favourite bar of the night but it was one of the few places I have seen that served cider.

    It was now after midnight and the moody of the town had changed. There was a smokey haze and sexual tension hanging in the air. We hit Argo. It was a tiny nook filled with people. The music was 90s RnB and the staff helpful. The vibe was electric, with the staff occasionally ringing the bell and the overhead lights flashing. Everyone somehow managed to find room to dance.

    Now hopefully we don't have too much of a handover tomorrow.    Read more

  • Lys KateJust TravelousTraveler

    Ornos

    September 30, 2017 in Greece ⋅ 🌬 20 °C

    We walked to nearby Ornos for a late breakfast (well really it was lunch) and found Bowl. Everything about it screamed Australian cafe, and turns out it basically is. It is run by two expats with a focus on organic all day breakfast. It was lovely food and I especially liked that they used glass bottles for water which they reused instead of the usual plastic bottles I have become accustomed to. It melted my greenie heart.Read more

  • Lys KateJust TravelousTraveler

    Party Hard

    September 30, 2017 in Greece ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    After lazy day trying to escape 45km/h winds. We headed to Joanna's Taverna. Set on the beach, we were hoping for great seafood but all we got was mediocre stuffed calamari.

    We headed back into town and found Montparnasse, a piano bar. It has a speak easy feel and is located on the waterfront. They have a large cocktail menu, I can highly recommend the Rhubarb Gimlet. Just before 10pm people appeared everywhere, it went from empty to packed in minutes. A pianist with a deep American drawl and a happy smile appeared. A silence fell. His fingers caressed the keys and music filled the bar. Requests came from the crowd, the first? Unsurprisingly Piano Man by Billy Joel.

    Phyllis, a Mediterranean lady in her sixties casually dressed in sneakers, black slacks, a shirt and a pink cardi. Her style clashed with the decor, but she took her place by the piano and serenaded us with her gravely voice. The night continued to improve when we discovered Phyllis had pizzazz, she had a dirty sense of humour and gave zero fucks. The set was fun, light and included favourites such as *****.

    Next we found a little bar called Alley. The service here was on pointe. The bar staff were attentive and we're soon making us all their favourite cocktails including a number that weren't listed on the menu. This place has the best cocktails I've tasted in Mykonos.

    At the recommendation of the bar staff at Alley we went back to Caprice. It was teeming with energy. The music was a mixture of Greek and 90s pop. My Salsa and newly learnt zorba moves featured on the dance floor.

    The night was carefree and fun and all to soon it was very very early. We were in bed before the sun, but only just.    Read more

  • Lys KateJust TravelousTraveler
    Finally on a boat.

    Oopsie Daisy

    October 1, 2017 in Greece ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    A slow start today had us getting to the port just after one. Our ferry was due to leave at 2.05pm. 2.05pm came and went. No ferry. It was running late. It finally arrived 40 minutes later. There are crowds hurrying like mad to get onto the gangway. The wind had died down and the sun was shining for the first time in days, we decide to wait for the crowds to thin. Mistake. Big mistake. The crowds are barely onto boat when the gangways begins to lift. We tried to get someone to stop them, but nope. Ropes are being untied and thrown back onto the boat. This boat is leaving and we aren't on it. There is no second chance.

    Thankfully we were able to get a ticket to Syros and then Paros but with the boat not arriving in Paros until 10.30pm it makes for a very long day of travel.

    To pass the time we found a nearby restaurant, Molaraki which serves the best zucchini fritters I have ever tasted. The sunset was also pretty spectacular, but I would of preferred to watch it in Paros.

    Fingers crossed we don't miss anymore ferries... I could use some sleep (preferably in my hotel bed).    Read more

  • Lys KateJust TravelousTraveler

    Paros (we made it)

    October 1, 2017 in Greece ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    With the winds still howling and choppy seas we made it to Paros at close to 11pm. After spending a huge portion of the day waiting around we were utterly exhausted. Thankfully we had prearranged transport to the hotel because this island is far more difficult to navigate than Mykonos or Santorini.

    A short 20 minute drive and we arrived at our hotel in the town of Naousa, check in was fast and we were in bed quickly. That's when we my stomach started to churn. It felt like I was back on the ferry as my stomach rolled again and again. I really want to sleep instead I am seasick on land. Bugger, not fair.

    Hopefully this passes soon.    Read more

  • Lys KateJust TravelousTraveler

    Antiparos

    October 2, 2017 in Greece ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    Today started with a rather expensive cab ride to Pounta as we missed the morning bus and did not wish to wait two hours for the next. Our cab driver, George took advantage of the road (or maybe just ignored the speed limit). Regardless we were flying along at speeds of about 140km/h which paid off when we made the ferry with seconds to spare. My Greek is poor, but I have a suspicion that good old George called the ferry operator and told him we are on route. Either way making the ferry saved us an hour of waiting.

    We took the ferry across to nearby Antiparos. On arrival we attempted to hire a quad bike. No success, unfortunately they would not rent us a quad bike as we had no experience and it was very dangerous. I think this wouldn't of been an issue if we weren't female. A male hired one shortly after us and it was pretty obvious he did not know how to drive a quad. With no other bike hire shops open we were stuck with a bus to the Grotte.

    The Grotte or Cave of Antiparos is located on the south eastern side of the island, roughly 110 metres above sea level. This cave is believed to be one of the oldest caves in Greece. The entrance to cave is an arch, whch at a guess is about 10 metres high and 20 metres wide. The arch is framed by a small church aptly named St John of the Cave. Slightly inside the mouth for the arch you find a mammoth stalagmite, which is believed approximately 45 million years old and the oldest in Europe.

    We then descended into the cave, 411 steps to be exact. The cavern revealed was large and deep, in excess of 100 metres. The cavern had been vandalised with many stalactites being removed and names engraved in the limestone. Overall, despite the damage it was worth a visit just to see the sheer grandness of the cave.

    Next, we headed back into town and treated ourselves to some relax time. The local spa, Flora offered some great spa packages. Nicole went for chocolate and I algae/seaweed. We were lathered in our chosen product and them wrapped in a electronic blanket. Eventually, once we were good and sweaty it was rinse time. The package finished with a full body massage. We left smelling delicious (Nic more so than me), feeling refreshed and with soft supple skin.    Read more

  • Lys KateJust TravelousTraveler

    Scrumptious

    October 2, 2017 in Greece ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    After catching the local bus back to Naousa (a much cheaper option than the morning's cab), we set off in search of a seafood restaurant in the town square. We never found it. Instead we found Yenleni, an amazing wine bar.

    The food was fabulous. We started with delicious bread and dips. Both were clearly made on site. The olive dip in particular was fabulous. Next was entré, we shared a slow cooked chickpea dish. The highlight of the night; the flavours and textures just perfect. Our waiter later told us the chickpeas are slow cooked overnight which is why they are so flavoursome. We had veal pasta for main and the meat was tender and juicy.

    As it was a wine bar it would be lapse of me not to talk about the wine. Their wine list by both the bottle and glass was extensive (and I don't think I saw the entire list). It mostly focused on Greek wines and had wines to suit most budgets. Nicole chose a light refreshing white. I settled on a red from the north which had a similar palate to a Cab Sav after trying a number of Merlots that weren't quite to my liking.

    The service in general was great, but the sommelier's attentiveness was a cut above the rest. He successfully combined our preferences and his knowledge to find us the best matched wine for our food.

     Feeling sated, we were just about to request the bill when our waiter brought us a small slice of chocolate cake. It was so moist. The flavours Delicious. All ready full we made room for it. The sommelier brought us a digestive, which I pretty confident was home brewed port, made by his mother in law. It was delicious and sweet and the perfect way to finish the night.

    If you ever visit Paros this place is a must.    Read more

  • Lys KateJust TravelousTraveler

    O Laundromat where 'art thou?

    October 3, 2017 in Greece ⋅ 🌙 17 °C

    We said 'antío' to Paros and set off for Athens. For our ferry ride back we had purchased economy tickets and found that so had every one else. There was no where to sit except black plastic chairs in front of the toilets. It didn't take us long to pay the 5€ for the upgrade to a designated seat. Definitely worth it, would of been a long 5 hours otherwise.

    Athens and Greek public transport is easy to use. We purchased a multi day pass which allowed us to bus and train all round Athens. As we were now the queens of the metro, we quickly navigated to Kerameikos station and walked the breezy 40 metres to our apartment.

    Our apartment is, or was at some stage a shag pad. It had a pallet bed side table, a racy red futon, a tyres stack with a pane of glass on top for a coffee table and an easel. The thing that really gives you the sense that this is a shag pad is that it is directly above a gay nightclub and seems to have matching colour schemes.

    After settling in we packed up a rather large amount of dirty clothes and went to find the nearest laundry. We trekked and trekked.... And found a dry cleaner with an old man that did not speak a word of English. As we speak no more than five words of Greek none of which relate to laundry, it was a very short conversation.

    Finally 2 hours after setting out we found a laundromat it was three metro stations from our apartment so a bit of a hike. We wanted our clothes and partially dried some (we ran out of coins). We packed up our clothes and caught the metro home.

    We needed to dry our clothes so utilised every possible drying surface in our apartment, cupboard doors, TV, coat hangers, chairs and an easel. It looked ridiculous.

    We finished the night off with dinner at Good Wolf, it had a great atmosphere, pleasant staff but the food was mostly forgettable.

    Sleeping was fun too, I found myself waking up singing to very loud club music more than once.    Read more

  • Lys KateJust TravelousTraveler

    Syntagma Square

    October 4, 2017 in Greece ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C

    Today was Athens Tours a la Tourist. The day started with a metro ride to Syntagma Square, the central square on the steps of parliament house. Parliament house was originally a palace. It was initially built as the residence of King Otto but has been used as the house of parliament since 1934. Historically and socially this square has significant importance to Greeks.

    The name comes from the uprising in 1843 when the military gathered in the square and demanded a constitution from King Otto. Unsurprisingly Syntagma means constitution.

    Within the square you can find the tomb of the unknown solider which is guarded by Evzones. These men are elaborated dressed complete with pompoms on their shoes. Every hour there is a changing of the guard, and they do some crazy marching complete with high kicks.

    We then strolled through the botanical gardens taking in the beautiful Zappieon (yellow building) which is used for meetings, ceremonies and private functions.    Read more

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