The next day we headed back to Nisiros. We had got up at silly o clock 05:30 to let Diane see the dawn at sea but it was overcast ! Lucky white heather eh?
We arrived back and berthed next to Rob who we had met on our 1st visit a few days before.
Diane managed to attract Noel , a Belgian who took it upon himself to help in every boat that arrived . He either cycled round on his bike in his swimmers or got his dinghy out . Rob reckoned he did it in the hope of a bottle of wine etc as payment. It gave rise to a new saying “Doing a Noel” He was well smitten by Miss Diane, and having figured out she was unattached, kept giving her the eye.
That night we booked a table at Ellenis restaurant in Palon. Noel wasn’t invited, lol.
Nisiros is famous for having a live volcano. It appeared in James Bond’s Moonraker.
“Tell M little Nelliie’s met with a warm resshepsion” said Sean.
We hired a car to see the volcano and tour the island, little did we now we were going to have a Bond adventure as well. We were the only ones at the crater early in the morning, In the last 3 pics you can just see Louise & Diane in the middle of the volcano.
We then went to Nikia a UNESCO heritage site for coffees and a view of the volcano we had been down into earlier.
The lunch stop was in Emborios having 1st visted a geothermal fissure in a cave which was like a natural sauna.
The taverna we ate in was one of the best mezes we have ever had and the view from the hill top village was magnificent down the valley to the volcano.
After lunch the adventure really took off . We hadn’t intended off roading but that’s what happened . We took a track which seemed to head down to the coast but it just kept getting smaller and steeper, whre Diane got out to clear the rocks and “ Throwing the discuss” .Eventually we were sliding down cinders and the car was up to its bonnet in them. We were stuck half way down a mountain track. We tried to reverse the car out, push the car out, but the wheels just kept spinning and burrowing deeper. Eventually we decided no option but to continue downwards! It was steeper and hairpin after hairpin on these slippery cinders. We managed some how to edge the car out and Louise ran ahead while I drove the car. I couldn’t even feather the brakes. After what seems like an eternity we hit a “better” road – if you imagine a really bad Forresrty Commission track you won’t be to far wrong. By now the disk brakes where solid with cinders and the pads were whining like jet engines. It was a brand new car!!
Diane rock clearing and throwing the discuss.
We limped back into Palon turning heads all the way and explained we were having a bit of trouble with our brakes. The people were lovely told us not to worry it would be easily fixed. We all felt really bad.
Later that afternoon we drove the 4 Km to Mandraki the main town but it was spoiled a bit by our earlier adventure and the damage we had caused not to mention the embarrasment of driving a squealing machine.
Giving up for the day we returned to Palon & gave the car back. Time for a beer.
Bloody hell you all in that volcano mad me want to sing and I will walk 500 miles. So glad I was not in that car. I would have got out and walked, met you at the bottom. Lol. Although if James Bond had been driving he would have had no bother. Lmao. x
LikeLike
Funnily enough I was telling Gillian Stephen and Gary that story only last week. I said shot putting and giving them an impression. Poor Gillian laughed so much she peed herself. She had to go and get changed 🤣🤣🤣
LikeLike