Tuesday September 2nd - Nigtmare flight to Athens

Lay by pool all day and got kicked out for not checking out in time. Argued that they didn't tell us a check out time. They were going to then charge Sirena 30 Euro a night because she was not with Busabout, but then the nice manager winked at her and said 'I didn't see you, right?'. Lucky or what!!

Sirena and I said goodbye to Racheal and headed to the airport for the evening flight to Athens. A complete nightmare flight because it turns out Virgin Express fly every single European flight via Brussels, which is almost all the way back to London! Totally unimpressed with the whole trip as nowhere to sleep at the supremely crappy Brussels airport for the six hour stopover we had in the middle of the night. Flight over a complete nightmare. Brussels airport....nowere to sleep at all. We attempted to sleep on some cold hard plastic seats but it was pretty pointless. Air conditioning on full blast in this enormous room the size of a hanger and it was pretty miserable. Gave up in the end and around 3.30am went in search of coffee and breakfast. Flight out was then one and a half hours delayed (just to make it all the more painful). We didnt take off until 8.30am. Virgin Express charge you for food and drinks!! Made it to Athens midday next day only to find my backpack had been broken into with the lock jimmied and now rendered useless. All my papers and letters I have yet to send rifled through and crunched up. No idea why anyone would do this? Demanded an apology from Virgin Express carriers but they refused. Have now added Virgin Express on my Most Loathed Airlines, next to United.

Got the bus into town, and then ripped off in a cab to the hotel. Athens very hot. The hotel we had managed to find on the internet, although central, was crap to say the least. But we were both exhausted and didnt really care as it was only one night. Sirena coming down with a cold. We crashed out until about 5pm, sleeping through a Summer downpour outside. When it cleared up, we took a walk to the Plaka disctrict where all the restaurants and outdoor markets and souvineer shops are. After checking every single restaurant menu, we lucked upon a cheap outdoor place with gorgeous views over the Acropolis, lit up on the hill behind us only about 100m away. I finally got to satisfy my cravings for Greek Salad, Tsatziki, Taramasalata and eggplant salad. Yummmo. Sirena had the house specialty ... the most tender lamb strew ever. We feasted till late then caught a taxi back to the hotel, completely satiated. :-)