A Murky Morning at Manchester Airport

Travelling to Poros : 3rd June - 5th June 2010 :

Things really began the day before - Wednesday 2nd - for I had to get our cat Peppi into the cattery and sort out other things. Jenny was working that day, so I collected her and we collected a few things from Tesco before going home. Tesco were rather helpful - we had used their Bureau de Change to change our Pounds (GBP) into Euros the week before. Then it was back to finish packing and relax, for we needed to get a good night's sleep.

On previous occasions (2006, 2007) we had been able to fly Olympic Airways from Glasgow Airport. As they no longer fly to Athens, the cheapest direct alternative was *wince* EasyJet, from Manchester Airport. Jenny worked out that we could get a cheap return on her Railcard to Manchester Airport station, then take a shuttle-bus or taxi for an overnight stay at a motel nearby. We wound up at the Manchester Airport Travel Lodge after taking a taxi (the shuttle-bus had just gone) for £ 6 to there from Terminal 1 outside the Station. I cannot say that I enjoyed the Travel Lodge - the passageways smelt of smoke and old food, the cafe was frankly filthier than all but one place we went to in Greece and Jen could not eat anything. After a sleep (woken by our mobiles) we showered, ate breakfast bars, drank tea, grabbed our bits then took a 4 a.m. taxi for £ 6.50 to the Airport.

An EasyJet Disaster...

There was some uncertainty about the EasyJet terminal, so we wound up walking to Terminal 3 with our cases. Not much fun, but at least we were on time for our flight, got checked in and waited (it seemed interminably) for the plane. All very grey and drear, although it brightened up later. The EasyJet flights have a system of fast check-in and speedy boarding - we had the first, not the second - but got aboard early enough to get seats ahead of the wing looking out on the port engine. I said to Jen that at least we were on the plane, so was relaxing (as Jen, alas, cannot) when the plane was backed out onto the apron and ran up its engines. Then, again, we waited...and we waited... and finally I asked one of the cabin staff what was going on. It was announced that fuel had been seen dripping from the port engine by a groundcrewman, so (after an hour) the plane was towed to another point on the apron and engineers opened the cowling. Another hour passed as we felt that this was like being in a garage with the AA, then it was announced that nothing could be done and we were going back in the Terminal. Another plane would be brought up from Luton and we were to go to Athens in that one.

Easyjet issued special passes so we didn't have to go through boarding formalities again, but they blundered in not telling us we would get refreshment vouchers whilst we were waiting. When Jen and I found this out, we had just bought sandwiches and drinks, having had the forethought to bring GBP with us. The breakfast bars again came in useful, as they were to later in the journey and in the holiday. We got our vouchers, bought a few extra bits, then went on our way to the boarding lounge, feeling EasyJet had blundered again. But our wait went on...and on... we finally boarded almost six hours late and were aware that there would be trouble ahead in Greece.

Greek Revolution hero Georgios Karaiskakis

The flight itself was largely uneventful, but I did wonder whether accumulated ash wear had made the fuel injectors in the first plane leaky, so maybe the volcano had delayed us. We got to Athens by way of a flight over the Netherlands (we saw the Zuider Zee/Ijsselmeer), Germany, the Balkans and Bulgaria, so it was a relief when we eventually headed south down the Greek coast and spiralled in towards Eleftherios Venezelios Airport at Athens. Both Jenny and myself were glad to land in Greece, happier still that our precious suitcases (wheeliecases, with handles) were soon re-united with us. I confess that by then I wondered whether we could get any peace, for the terminal was very noisy and I wanted away from it. Against Jenny's judgement, I got us on the X96 bus to Piraeus Docks at about 7:30 p.m. Athens time, to get to the Docks about 8:15 p.m.

A word to travellers; the X96 stops in a road about 100 metres from Gate E8, and you have to cross the road, a small park with a bronze statue of the Greek Revolution hero Georgios Karaiskakis on a horse, then a small double bus-lane, before you approach the road beside Gate E8. We thought of sitting outside the 'Filoxenia' restaurant, but after something to eat, Jenny thought we should be safer in the Dock Lounge or waiting room, just inside the gates. She was afraid that the 'Filoxenia' was closing up, but as far as I know it is an overnight cafe. So we went to the Dock Lounge and it was a serious mistake.

The Docks Lounge :

There is a locker room where for a few Euros you can put your cases (and, yes, they were safe, but the doors weren't locked and it seemed to be the staff rest room as well). We also tried to use the toilets; I managed, despite damaged toilets, filth and a lack of toilet paper, but the toilets had no plastic seats. Jenny came back with a similar tale and a tale of an enormous cockroach (steam fly) crawling over the floor as if it owned the place. Maybe the cockroach did - certainly we only bought bottled or canned drinks, for the hygiene was very poor. The Greek Tourist Board has some house-cleaning to do. We did go out for a walk as Jen likes ships and wanted to look at those in Piraeus Docks, so we looked the area over and then came back to the Lounge to take turns sleeping at a table in a corner. I managed to get a little sleep (or dozing) but I confess that I felt uncomfortable; it had started to rain (yes, Piraeus, in June!) and the mosquitoes became very active. Only later did we find out that Jen had been badly bitten on her legs and feet (she was wearing calf-length trousers) and although my shoes, trousers and socks saved my legs, I was bitten on my face, hands and ears. The bites emerged over the next 36 hours and were to affect Jenny's ability to enjoy her holiday. If the plane had been on time, we would have got the 6:50 p.m. ferry to Poros and would have been at the Saga on the 4th June, but as it was, we had to wait to the 5th and take the more-expensive Flying Dolphin.

Jenny at Poros by Dolphin 29

5th June : Saturday (first part) :

It was a relief when we managed to get our tickets from the ticket office beside the 'Filoxenia' and then drag our cases the last 100 metres along the dock towards the Flying Dolphin landing. Ours was to be 'XXIX' (29) and we found it and others being fuelled. Other notable sights were a seller of pastries (but Jen thought we'd had enough) and a number of beggars, including a young girl who I felt rather bad at saying "Ochi" (No) to, although we had been warned not to give any beggars any money. The point is, the beggars are often followed by pickpockets looking to see where you have your money, so my 2007 mugging was still fres h in my mind. But eventually we got aboard the Dolphin at 8 a.m., although Jen nearly fell with her case and an alert crew-member helped her. Our jinx still followed us; between Aegina and Poros the Dolphin suddenly stopped and was motionless on the sea for a minute before the engines re-started and we headed on our way again.

Poros and the Dolphin landing was an unreal relief; I took pictures of Jenny and the rain-wet wharf, still amazed to see clouds over Poros Harbour, with the long-extinct Methana volcano looking as if it was erupting. 3 Euro taxi ride to the Saga Hotel and we at last were back where we hoped to be - at the Saga Hotel with Zefi and her family.