London knows we are leaving....no longer any need to impress... The weather now as one would expect for early spring... Chilly.... drizzily.... One last school run.... The road traffic heavier.... The foot traffic lighter... the walkers and riders have retreated to their cars.... The school drop off regiment still strict....parents await in the wind and the rain for the teachers to appear at their classroom doors....
The meeter and greeter arrives on time ... Off to Heathrow... The outbound traffic tolerable... the inbound traffic akin to a parking lot....
The Aegean self serve checkin process... smooth.... the English security... efficient and polite..... Heathrow terminal two continues to impress.... we try the seemingly endless sushi train.... watch them slice the susumi while we indulge in the offerings of the train... like everything in London.... good but abrasive on the wallet...
If the Greeks are in trouble then the customer service performance of their airline will assist recovery... The loading efficient... the food exemplary... the wine good... We are amused by the requirement for most of the plane to perform an inspection of the plane's conveniences.... they queue from row twenty to row 35.... We are not sure of the urgency but the inclination seemed spontaneous....
We arrive in Athens.... clear customs.... efficient.... To domestic.... walk.... walk.... walk.... Through security again.... Again the pacemaker card is useful.... Walk...walk... Walk... find the gate..... chaos.... The Aegeans are let down by the Athenians.... It is a domestic flight yet passports are checked...re-checked... questioned.... referred to the service desk... all attendants still their queues and join the discussion.... the Checkin process proceeds in short bursts followed by extended delays.... look ahead in the queue... two young Somalians..... this will be interesting.... The passport is checked and rechecked... Look at the boarding pass.... Look at the passport... Finally through... Thank god for the colour of my skin.....
Onto the bus... London has phoned ahead... into glorious sunshine.... the vests are discarded..... Rhodes here we come...
We approach Rhodes..... 8:00 but the sun still in control of the landscape.... penguin number one photographs from the plane window.... Island....Island ... Every expanse of sea dotted with islands..
Arrive in Rhodes..... Learn another lesson from the Greeks..... You must take every opportunity to progress your position in the queue.... Push from the back of the plane towards the front....Don't let the people in the front seats out.... Push ahead regardless.... We learn their strategies fast... We take appropriate assertive actions....we approach the doors into the terminal....we cut off those attempting to come in from the flanks..... Successful.... Bags retrieved.... the taxi rank is approached.... we are accosted by taxi person .... We do not resist... follow the accoster to his Mercedes car ...towards the old town of Rhodes..... think to ourselves.... we have been hijacked by an unscrupulous Grecian taxi operator.... how wrong.... 40 minute trip.... he asks for 25 euro..... very reasonable.... we reassess... Just another Grecian having a go....
The Casa d'Oro..... Inside the walls of the medieval city near the port....old.... quaint....greeted by a lady of Swedish decent... Lovely .... Welcoming.... The room delightful.... The bed hard.... hard....very hard.... We hope this is not typical of Greek sleep furniture....
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