When the Cheshire emerges...

Sitting in Santorini on my last afternoon here, swaying slightly from the boat we had to take to the Red Beach to swim today. Haven't gotten seasick from any of the water travel yet so I think I'm okay with travelling. Not so much with the getting ready part - I feel I take longer than normal and my sleeping patterns are faaaaarked. London tomorrow should put things back into a sort of routine for me!

So the rest of Mykonos was eventful. TV Rock blew the roof off, we stayed until 4:30 which was a huge effort considering Jana was sick (yet downed 5 drinks), and I had 7 and Penny 6 drinks (I was the better off lol). 'In The Air' was incredible, and I felt like the Mykonos stay was fulfilled.

Plenty of shopping, plenty of hot bronzed bodies... it was awesome. Actually, it wasn't just guys with the looks, all the girls were some of the most glamorous I think I've ever seen in my life. Slight inadequacy there?... Food was pretty good (pites amazing - I've had one at least every 2nd day even in Santorini), people mostly friendly, but transport is ridiculous. We stayed on the wrong part of the island - two buses to Paradise Beach with the day-club and awesomeness. But at least Santorini is easier... interesting because the island's HUGE!

Went to the Black Beach at Kamari on our first day, and the shopping there was nice. Food not so much. However, I certainly wasn't going in one restaurant after being pretty much hounded by a maitre'd who thought he had the world's greatest pick up line. Obviously thought I didn't know much Greek and therefore didn't understand what 'yiasou' meant... walking past a second time, he starts again... 'I'm the best yiasou. I'll give you the best yiasou you've ever had!' Shouting this down the street mind you. Actual humiliation. Having said that, he was the rotten egg. Greek guys here are so different to those in Australia...

Yesterday we walked on the active volcano just off the coast, and then made it up to Oia to watch one of the world's most beautiful sunsets - and it was stunning. And with all the people watching it, it felt really special. It's a more picturesque town than Fira (town centre where we are), and it finally felt like we were in 'Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants'.

Today was the Red Beach, where we had to get a boat out. It was alright, bit windy. I'm not a fan of pebble beaches, and that's what they've all been. Note to self: buy water shoe thingys. But the water's all so clear.

Clubbing in Santorini's actually really good. District within the town centre is close and all play good music. Jana and I stayed out until 4 or so going between three clubs (including one Greek which was awesome - even if I don't understand all the lyrics, the music's great). Hoping to go to Perissa tonight for Helen and I's final night out. Then London tomorrow - CLOTHES SHOPPING, FINALLY!

Don't have much time...

Ok so spent the last 6 days in Nemea, Greece, about an hour or so from Athens, past Corinthos on the Pelopponnese. My paternal grandpa is from a smaller village just outside Nemea called Dafni but most of my family don't live there now bcoz it's pretty small. Didn't see much of it (disappointing), but Nemea is great. About 29,000 live there, and very friendly and hospitable people. And they love their coffee. So I'm not a huge coffee drinker right? I had 3 frappes in 24 hrs and w jetlag it wasn't good. Yes, there was a bit of that and I didn't feel myself for days. Neither did my face :/ So to say the least I've stuck to OJ since.

Helen's learnt a bit of Greek which is great... My fam don't speak a lot so it's been a challenge but have understood more than expected so everyone wins! It was a learning curve for me too, and the places we've seen have been incredible. Didn't expect it to be that mountainous. But it's mountain after mountain after mountain... after mountain. Beautiful. Nafplio is amazing; Greece's first capital city... Went in Palamidi Castle where Kolokotroni led us to victory vs the Turks 200 years ago and was then jailed, and the night after it ate under it in the town centre. At 11pm on a Monday night and it was PACKED. The pizza here has tastier cheese and their pites (yiros') are AMAZING. Nothing's the same here!

Olympia was the big one for me and we went yesterday. I almost cried seeing the first stones, felt sooo privileged to be there. Missed the flogya (flame basin thing), bit annoyed because there weren't exactly any signs and the site's HUGE. Buuuut I did run on the ancient Stadio with ghosts of champions past. And there's video proof haha :)

Also watched the World Cup final... Well half of it, and then 3mins from the finish it cut out. Happy with Spain winning.

Now in Mykonos where the water's beautifully clear and it's extremely hot. Heard about back home... Ewwww. Funniest thing ever: love TV Rock's 'In The Air' after seeing 'Kings of Mykonos: Wog Boy 2' right? I've made it my Eurotrash song. And what loud poster do I see outside my hotel today? TV ROCK IN THE FLESH TOMORROW NIGHT! That's not coincidence, that's fate! I'll hear my song as it should be heard, yayyy!

Dear Diary,

Quickest entry ever: watched Uruguay vs The Netherlands as the last game in Australia and was impressed with the Oranje by the end of the game.

Boy was I wrong with my prediction... after a 14hr flight between Melbourne and Doha, the only way I found out about Germany vs Spain while being in Doha Airport for 7 hours was the cover of their only English paper The Gulf Times. So Spain beat Germany 1-0? Ha, the octopus was right again! Awesome...

Hoping to watch the final somehow here in Greece... we'll see how we go...

Dear Diary,

EXPLOOOOSIVE stuff last night, now THAT's what I'm talking about!!! The World Cup has continued to deliver in the finals series with near upsets, actual upsets and plenty of scandal and drama in between. Oh, and Paris Hilton being arrested and then let go over her friend's marijuana possession. Cover-up so Hilton didn't get more jail time - or (shock horror) a bad rep? TOO LATE, she dug her grave looooong ago.

Ok, the important stuff. Had to be out during the Germany vs Argentina game BUT utilised my Mobile TV package and ended up watching plenty of it on my phone. Yes, in a pub. They had no screens so I didn't have a choice. Unfortunately the sound option was cancelled out by the live music but with four of us crowding over a screen with about 80% clarity it still had a tense enough feel. One friend didn't want to know the score, so I obliged his wish... but when we start shouting OOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHH over Germany's third goal he's looking at us with a mix of envy and curiosity - I simply said 'Go... just go.' We didn't see him for a while.

Saw all the goals so feel proud I had a solid viewing of the game. And seeing Diego Maradona's face on the final whistle was priceless. Was debating staying up straight through until Paraguay vs Spain, but after a trip to Vili's for a Bacon and Cheese Sausage Roll left me with an upset stomach (but to be fair, it was triggered by the alcohol, the food was awesome as always) I needed a lie-down. An hour later, the last QF began.

So I discovered being on about 50 minutes sleep doesn't really work for me. Plus being in a warm, cosy room with my brother asleep kicking his legs around everywhere didn't help. The first half's a slight blur but what happened afterwards makes it irrelevant anyway except to say that it was a good contest in that both teams refused to concede. It was the same for most of the second half, except for the goal obviously. Which came more from luck anyway; any double crossbar hit will startle the defence. The goalie had no choice but to attempt a scramble back but had no chance. And this comes after yet another interesting series of events... that neither team could capitalise on penalties two minutes apart and that Paraguay should've had another crack at their's because the ref missed the Spanish encroachment in the box. Ended up sleeping in after going back to bed: with the 50 minutes before, hours of sleep: 5h50m.

Quite frankly, it was a scrape. After hearing so much about how Spain were meant to be the hot favourites, from what I've seen they haven't impressed. Even in this game against an impressive South American nation they just don't appear like a team deserving of the prize. As much as I hate to say it, I think Germany will take this out. They'll thump Spain (and while the Argentina pounding make the Socceroos look pretty good this'll look even better) and meet Uruguay in the final - haven't seen much of the Oranje crew but again, not overly impressed.

I'll miss it tonight. But the void's filled with the only game of Wimbledon I'll see in 2010 - the Men's Final. Eeeexcellent. I feel bad not having watched any tennis. But what's a girl to do?

Dear Diary,

Things have been rather hectic these past few days - organising a party will do that to you. And not to mention muddling your memory; can't remember what games I actually tried to watch four nights ago, that's deplorable.

So night 18: This is the hazy one... think I watched the beginning of Netherlands vs Slovakia and vaguely remember Dad waking me up saying 'You're missing the soccer, the soccer!!!' I remember brushing him off and somehow stumbling to bed, not knowing what time it was or even caring that I was missing out. Missed Brazil vs Chile completely and didn't know the score until a while later. Hours of sleep: something like 8, 8.5. That's the most I'd had in weeks. God knows I needed it.


Night 19: I was starting to prepare for my party here, so getting photos off an infected computer in a room whose TV doesn't get SBS made it hard for me to watch Paraguay vs Japan properly. Ended up being a tense game though (enough to make me sit down for the last bit of ET and the penalties), a shame Japan couldn't further Asia's aspirations. Was really keen on getting up for Spain vs Portugal so I did. Confident that Spain would win, and they did... don't remember too much of it again (wow, I'm really sounding like a broken record by now aren't I?). Hours of sleep: between games 2.5, after another 2 I think? So about 4.5.

Night 20: No matches! And I didn't even realise until later because there was so much I had to do anyway. Hours of sleep: 3.5. And THAT'S because photo collages don't magically create themselves.

Night 21: No matches here either I think (it's frying my brain so I'm giving up on trying to figure it out. Because I know I had to finish the collages and so still had a late night). Hours of sleep: 6.5.

Night 22: My party! And Brazil vs Netherlands was on! I was at the bar watching it on the screen above amidst the festivities and saw Brazil's goal early on. I had hoped the DJ would play 'Cup of Life' as I'd requested (hey, it's the World Cup and that's the best theme for it ever) but alas he did not. Total shame. Can't believe Brazil lost! That's so crazy! Maybe it was because they were wearing their blue and they're not used to wearing a duller colour. Maybe they passed to the Oranjes by mistake a bit because they got confused. Either way, the Cup's provided some really interesting upsets after an average start. Almost had another one with Ghana vs Uruguay too - Dad excitedly telling me in detail how the Ghanaian hit the crossbar with his penalty and then lost in the shootout. It's like with Japan but for Africa - but they should be so proud to have gotten so far, an awesome effort.


Hours of sleep: about 10.5. I KNOW, RIGHT? But when you're intoxicated you can't help it, and then find yourself getting to the duties of the day at 4 in the afternoon. Oops. Going to be out for Germany vs Argentina tonight, hopefully there's a screen where we're going. Or I'll tape it. OR I CAN WATCH IT ON MY PHONE! After all, I did pay for access, sweeeeet. Geez I'm smart sometimes. And Paraguay vs Spain should be good too, I can watch that at home.