Middle-aged flash packers

Here we go again

Depending on how you feel about Covid, are we stupid, foolhardy people courting inevitable hospitalisation and death; or are we intrepid and devil may care travellers, setting a

sterling example to all those cowering scaredy-cats out there?

Neither actually. We are opportunists, foreseeing a winter of lockdowns and isolation, and are taking a last minute mini adventure to the Peloponnese while we can. We also felt very disappointed having had our family trip of a lifetime to Nepal cancelled – sitting at home when we should have been trekking the Himalayas seemed like a torture we didn’t want to endure.

Greece is virtually the last place left on the list of countries we can still go to without quarantine. I feel ridiculously grateful to them for letting us in, as the UK’s rate of infection is rising rapidly. I do have my toes crossed as I write this, as there’s always a possibility the Greeks may decide to change the rules, drag us off the plane on arrival and shove us in an unholy quarantine prison/hotel for 14 days, after which we would be due to return home anyway, for a further 14 days self isolation.

Hopefully not.

Clearly many other people had similar ideas to us as our flight to Athens was jam packed.

However rational I try to be, Covidfear lurks in the darkest recesses of my mind, and it jerked into the forefront when a studenty type young girl took her seat between Steve and I. I couldn’t help but imagine her snogging lots of boys, infected saliva everywhere, and absolutely no hand washing. Her attire of dirty and torn joggers did nothing to ease my troubled mind, so I made myself as small as possible and went to sleep. My defence worked like a dream (haha!) because when I woke up she was gone.

Despite feeling as though I had a sign on my forehead screaming “this woman probably has Covid” we weren’t pulled over for a random test which was a huge relief. Once we were in our car and on the motorway, a sense of freedom flooded us both. Free from the apoplectic hysteria of the British press and the ludicrous conspiracy theorists. It may well be the same here but as I don’t understand Greek, I’m in a blissful state of ignorance.

The giddy sensation of freedom continued while we found and checked into our apartment in Nafplio, and then on into our meal at the delightful Pedalio Mezedopoleio, just 10 minutes walk from our abode.

Some tighter Covid rules have just been introduced – bars and restaurants must close at midnight instead of whenever. Well doody doo, I’ll drink to that. And I did.