Whose idea was it to LEAVE Santorini

The First Rule of Santorini is You do not talk about- joking. The first rule of Santorini is to consult Richard Lotz... Neil and I arrived on the Island and were greeted by it's sunny island weather, and friendly atmospher. From there we started on Richard's program.

After exploring Perissa Beach (with it's black sand, and cliff back drop) on the first day, we took a boat tour on day two. The Jack Sparrow style sail boat left the main port of Santorini at 12 noon (exactly an hour after it was suppose to take off, the main port on a Friday is somewhat crowded, and I guess when a Sail boat is facing off against a huge Ferry, or a city floating on water, the Sail boat tends back down). Our first stop was a volcano. Oddly enough the first thing they told us about said (active) volcano was how to identify the signs of an erruption... It didn't errupt, we are still here (I have volcano all over my shoes). From the volcano, we sailed off to a near by hot springs, where we jumped overboard and swam through freezing cold water to get to the nice, warm (yeah we'll call it warm) springs. Then we stopped off at another nearby island and walked straight up the cliff side to an untouch greek village. Seeing an old town, perched on the top of a small island, with nothing but smiling old greek relics (the people were smiling at us too) was a real experience and unlike any of tourist Europe. Our last stop took us back to Santorini and stuck us at the far west end of the island, for there World Famous Sunset.

This time Neil and I joined a crew of donkeys and made our way to the top of the cliff like idiot tourist (it was way to much fun, freakin donkeys, who knew - actually all this is still part of the Richard Lotz island program). The sunset was pretty impressive (Neil may have taken three dozen pictures of the sun sinking into the ocean), however the way people behave when there is a "World Famous" anything is the exciting part. Little kids would elbow old men out of the way just to get a better eye blazing look, only to have the old men push back. It took no time for the crowd to rial it self up to the point where people were starting to judge the sunset. "Well I don't know, it isn't that impressive", or "... I didn't want to see the stupid sun set, that was your idea". But come 8:30, when things started to heat up with bright colours, everyone was happy again, friendships were solidified. The crowd actually clapped when the "show" was over (good work sun?).

Day three on the island I was already missing the Pirate Ship, but Richard's schedule had a fix for that too. Rent a Car. It was like driving a go-cart. We rented a Atos Prime, which is greek for small P.O.S. We toured the islands peaks and beaches. At one point, with our gas tank low, we cut back and forth up a cliff on a one-lane, cobble stone switch back that took us straight up to the sun. It was scary (Athens projects type of scary - Neil was driving, so maybe scarier...). Travel Tip number 23: do not let Neil drive a small car in greece, let John drive. Like I said, a freakin go-cart. The island is amazing. Each beach has a completely different feel to it. In one day it felt like we had been to 4 different resort style sea-fronts. Each of the three main villages are also unique, and fun to explore. All the drivers are the same though; out of their Freakin minds, I loved it.

Had I not named this trip a Euro tour, it would have been very easy to get stuck in Santorini. The island has something for everyone. Travel Tip number 26: Go to Santorini. Travel Tip number 27: consult Richard Lotz about Santorini. We are now in Rome. When our plane landed it was pouring rain... Like I said, whose idea was it to leave Santorini.

Stelio's Place: This hotel is amazing. Stelio himself came to pick us up from the airport (he also dropped us off again, at 6 in the morning). Just a real swell guy. Also a Richard Lotz pick...