Typing disaster: not my fault for a change

Well now, today I was going to continue with my blog posts talking about how to get from Rhodes to Symi. I wrote two pieces on one page and was half way through checking the spelling when two odd and very annoying things happened.

One: My typos were underlined in red, as usual, to show me where my mind had gone faster than my fingers, and where I needed to go back and change them. I right-clicked on one and made the change. I right clicked on the next, and the red underline vanished, and it looked like the word was written correctly. It wasn’t. I changed it manually. But this kept happening, and now, at random, Word gets rid of the underline and spell check/change options when I right click on an underlined word, and I have to look very closely to see what is wrong with the word. The next underlined word worked fine, but the one after that didn’t. Odd, I thought. I am all signed up, and everything is up to date, it’s a genuine Word package I am using, a new keyboard (about two weeks old) and the batteries in both mouse and keyboard are also new and fine everywhere else. Just one of those things, I thought, it will be back to normal when I next restart. (It wasn’t.) So, let’s press on.

Two: Once the spell checking was done, I ran the piece through a grammar check programme, and that was all going according to plan, as usual, when suddenly it was as if someone was holding down my delete key. The cursor started eating up all following words, and there was nothing I could do. I clicked on everything. No good; ‘word was not responding’. I checked the delete key, but it was not stuck down. All I could do was look on helplessly as my text, about 1,300 words, was swallowed up into the flashing cursor. Knowing that my auto-save is turned on to every five minutes, I thought, ‘I’ll close the programme down (with Ctrl + Alt + Del, the only way I could stop this word carnage) and start again from five minutes ago, which was when I started spell checking. I’d only have to spell check again; not a huge issue. But no…

I re-opened Word expecting to find the auto recovery option of the interrupted file, or whatever that handy thing is called, but it did not appear. I checked online in various places to find out how to manually recover auto-saved documents. I did as I was told and… No. The only files in that list were from yesterday. I researched further and found some other things to try but to no avail. In the end, I resorted to posting in the official forums for Microsoft and the other programme I was using, and I am waiting to hear if there are any fixes. But what this disaster has done (apart from making me distrust Word and its auto-save, and making me vow to always save even the shortest of blog posts to a file before I start writing them) was to take the edge off what I was going to write about today.

So, as long as I am over it, tomorrow I will start again and write something more helpful and more ‘Symi’. I just wanted to get this off my chest, so I don’t go mad. You never know, I may hear back from one of the forums with a fix, or at least an explanation. Meanwhile, I’ll investigate one of those file recovery programmes and see if that locates the hours’ worth of work that I have lost, which should have been auto-saved, but wasn’t. I’ll try and be in a better mood tomorrow.

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Arriving on Symi: what to expect

Following on from the last two days’ worth of info-blogs, here is one about what to expect when you first come on Symi. I am writing this for people who have not been to the island before; regular visitors will know what to expect.

Travelling with a transfer

Not the kind of transfer that you run water over and end up with a tacky, temporary tattoo, of course. I mean, if you are coming with one of the holiday companies who offer transfers, like Olympic Holidays or Kalodoukas Holidays, then you will be met at the airport, and a rep will take care of you. You can check out how it all works with the company when you book with them. I know that Kalodoukas also offer transfers only, so if you are flying on your own but want someone to meet and advise, guide you over, etc. then you can contact them.

Independent arrivals

You have checked that your flight arrives in time to meet one of the ferries [see Rhodes to Symi ferries], you have booked your flights and, where possible, your boat tickets [see Ferries To Symi] and you find yourself on a boat heading from Rhodes to Symi. That’s the first part of the journey done and dusted. But what can you expect when you dock in Yialos, Symi’s harbour?

Booked accommodation

If you have booked accommodation in advance, independently or with a tour operator, there should be someone to meet you. Visitor greeters usually hold up a card with the name of the business on it. Just wait around after you have disembarked and look for a sign, or someone walking towards you with a big smile. If you don’t see who you were expecting, ask someone. All the meeting reps are happy to help as much as they can, though they must prioritise their own visitors. Also, make sure you have a contact number and a phone in case you need to ring your accommodation.

Un-booked accommodation

Be aware that, although it’s not so rife on Symi as it is on other islands, accommodation owners might approach offering you a room. That’s fine if you’ve not booked, and the usual rules about checking the price and location before you commit to a viewing apply. You shouldn’t find anyone hassling you hard, though, and if you do, walk away and go in search of a sign, an office, or a holiday rep for advice.

If you are arriving by the Blue Star in the morning, you may not find anyone offering rooms as the Wednesday boat currently arrives at 05.30. The Friday ferry arrives around 07.30, so you might have more luck that way. But I reckon it’s safe to say that there is always something available on the island, even in peak season, but it may not be where you wanted to stay. Pedi, Yialos and Horio offer bus and taxi access, but Nimborio does not, and you will either need transport, once there, or good walking legs. (It’s not too far, actually, and it’s very quiet, and supermarkets will deliver supplies.)

Where you dock

Where you dock depends on what boat you are on. Currently, the Blue Star arrives on the north side of Yialos harbour by the clock tower and the Dodekanisos boats dock there too; that’s where most reps and accommodation owners wait for their visitors. If you are coming on a day boat without a guide, you will arrive on the south side of Yialos harbour (again, usually, as things do sometimes change) and will be facing the clock tower over the water. Follow the road into town; it’s only a few hundred yards. You will pass the bus stop (on the hour, ever hour to Horio, Pedi, Horio, Yialos), and then the taxi rank.

But: some boats stop at Panormitis first. There will be an announcement telling you that’s where you are and, if you see a sheltered bay with a large, long building with a clock tower and steps in the centre, then you are at Panormitis. If you get off there, you can see the monastery and then get back on the boat. there is a bus service to Yialos, which takes about 30 minutes or so, but it only runs a couple of times per day. If in doubt, ask before the boat leaves.

Once you have arrived

What happens next is up to you. You should keep checking Symi Dream and other Symi sites for details about where to stay, what to expect and what to do. But the sure thing is, you will find a warm welcome and a perfect place to relax and explore.

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Ferries to Symi
Yesterday I was talking about making sure you’ve got a ferry connection when you arrive in Rhodes for your Symi holiday. Today, I wanted to answer another question that people ask me, usually via email or on the Symi Dream Facebook page. The question is, ‘Where do I find the ferries to Symi?’

Many returning visitors already know this information, but things can change, so it’s always worth checking. Probably the easiest thing to do is ask your travel agent, a good search engine online or the company website where you booked the ferry tickets. That’s going to be either Blue Star Ferries or Dodekanisos Seaways if you’ve gone directly to the ferry operator. (See yesterday’s post for links.) Here’s an image I pulled from somewhere that might be of use and, below, is how to use it.

Rhodes harbours for Ferries to Symi

Mandraki harbour is where you now find the day-trip boats, the Symi II, the Nikolaos X and others that operate trips across for the day, via Panormitis and on to Yialos, and back. It’s a great day out if you are holidaying on Rhodes and want to see Symi. Mandraki is the harbour with the arrow at the top of the image (above), and it’s right next to the old markets area, police station, courts, National Bank, etc. It’s very easy to find, and the bus stop from the airport is up at the top of the road. But…

If you’re coming to Symi, then the Dodekanisos Pride and Express, the catamarans, leave from Kolona Harbour, just a bit further along the shore from Mandraki. If you look at the second arrow down, on the image above, where it says ‘Large Yachts’, it’s actually pointing right to where the Dodekanisos Seaways boats are. You can get off the bus, walk to the seafront at Mandraki and then follow the path/road, heading right (if you’re looking at the sea), past the coffee shops, through St Paul’s Gate (beware of people trying to sell you things, ambushing gipsies, etc.). Or follow the main road around and back out again, and along the boardwalk. You will see the Dodekanisos kiosk across the water with a large display board. Follow the boardwalk to the entrance and, well, it’s easy from there, you can’t miss it.

However, if you are booked onto the Blue Star Ferry (currently the Blue Star Patmos), or the Panagia Skiadeni (Dodekanisos Seaways’ larger ferry) then you will need to go to the Commercial Harbour. That’s the third arrow on the map above, where it, strangely, says ‘commercial harbour’.

If you’re walking, it’s about 30 to 40 minutes to get from Kolona, even though you can see the boats not too far away. Follow the new boardwalk around the outside of the old town, past Akandia Gate and Akandia Harbour (where the larger cruise ships call in) and to the bend in the road. You will see a boatyard on your left, between you and the harbour. Use that entrance and follow the signs. The Panagia is (or at least, was last year) sailing from the quay closest to the entry of the harbour. The Blue Star ferries are down at the other end, and this can add five or ten minutes to your walking time, depending on how fast you walk. My advice is, always, to get there early. In fact, I think everyone should be slightly early for everything apart, perhaps, from their own funeral. You may see a couple of large Blue Star ferries waiting, so make sure you check which one you are meant to be getting on. I doubt anyone will let you on the wrong one, but you never know.

Airport to harbours

And the easiest way to get from the airport to ferry? Well, jump in a taxi for about €25.00 (it may have gone up by then, and you might have to pay extra for luggage, cabbie’s chat, use of a seatbelt, etc. (only joking, the seatbelts are included)) and the journey is roughly 20 to 30 minutes. Or you can take the bus to Mandraki and walk from there, but leave plenty of time. The bus, on a clear run, only takes a little longer than the taxi (let’s say, 45 minutes) and is one-tenth of the price (€2,20 last time I used it, last year), but you will have to walk to the harbour at the other end.

So, Airport to Mandraki by bus, roughly 45 minutes (add on waiting time as the bus is about every 30 minutes), add on walking time to Kolona at, say, 15 minutes and, for the commercial harbour, add on another 30 at least. Taxi to Kolona, roughly 30 minutes and add another 10 to get you to the Commercial harbour, to be safe.

Finally, by the way, you can book ferry tickets online before you travel and collect them at the kiosks by the boats when you get there. In peak season, it’s always best to book in advance, but on quieter days you usually don’t need to worry.

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From Rhodes to Symi
Two topics today; Rhodes to Symi ferries and… me! First of all, I may have told you that I’ve been setting up another blog site. This is for when I want to write something about writing. It was also set up to show potential travel websites that I have a blog – it’s a long story but, the bottom line is, I started writing some articles for a new travel blog agency and they required me to have a writer’s blog. I didn’t want to use Symi Dream, as this one is all about anything and everything, with a Symi leaning, and it’s all a bit over here and over there. The new one is purely about writing and my books and things, and slightly more serious.

Anyway… Long story short, the blog is up and running, and I’ve started writing for a new travel website. My first article for them, about Bran Castle, Romania, is due out on 18^th and I’ll leave you a reminder towards the end of the week. The more visits and likes and all that that it gets the better it will be for me. I am hoping that, as Symi Dream now has up to 1,300 unique readers each day, a few loyal readers will click to my new article and show the new site that I bring a following with me. But, I’ll go on about this nearer the publication time. Meanwhile, if you want to see my new blog and maybe share it with any friends who might have an interest, you can find it here: ‘Writing thoughts.’

 Rhodes to Symi ferries

The reason I know about the number of visitors to Symi Dream is because I looked at our server stats on Sunday. While there, I also looked at the keywords people are using to find information about Symi and a lot of the most popular search terms concern travel, ‘Ferry Rhodes to Symi’, ‘Sea transfers, Rhodes to Symi’ and ‘Ferry from Rhodes’, that kind of thing. It looks like people are starting to plan their summer holiday – those who have not yet already booked them. Therefore, a couple of links might be of interest and so, here they are.

If you are travelling from Rhodes to Symi independently, you might like to first read Andy’s latest news and posts about travel to the island (including flight info and news on airlines) at the Symi Visitor Travel Blog.

If you are coming to Symi on a Wednesday or Friday, you can currently (and the timetable runs for several months) get across in the afternoon/evening for those two days. This means that as long as you arrive on Rhodes before about three in the afternoon, you can come over the same day. This is with Blue Star Ferries. That’s the link to their timetable, you can also find the booking and other info on the site and use the EN | ΕΛ links at the top to change the language to English or Greek.

If you are travelling to Symi on other days, then the Dodekanisos Seaways site is the one to see. At the moment, you can get across on a Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday morning at 08.30. The timetable expands as we get closer to summer and more journeys are available. Also, later in the year, the Panagia Skiadeni, the larger ferry, should start operating on day trips and some afternoon, evening runs. Your best bet there is to keep an eye on the Symi Visitor travel blog mentioned above. Unless you land at Rhodes at something like 06.00 in the morning, though, the current schedule means an overnight stay on that island before you can get across. As I always say, check your boat connection before you book your independent flights.

Some sensible people have told me they’ve heeded this advice in the past, bravo. Other people have contacted me and sent notes along the lines of: “Can you help me? We arrive at Rhodes at midday on Tuesday and are booked into Symi that night, but we can’t find a ferry!” Such messages are usually worded as if to make it sound like my fault, but I do what I can, which is usually to say: “You will have to stay overnight in Rhodes.” But keep an eye on the ferry timetables as, the closer we get to Easter (April 16^th) the more crossings are available; check the Dodekanisos Seaways timetable in particular.

So, if you are planning a trip to Symi and coming on your own (that is, independently) then a) check Andy’s blog for up to date travel news and b) make sure you know what the boats are doing before you book a flight. Things get easier the closer we get to summer, but the Easter timetables are already available for both ferry companies. Tomorrow I’ll talk about harbours and getting from the airport to the boat. Don’t forget to check out my new blog and share the news, please, to help support a struggling writer. ‘Writing Thoughts.’

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Symi Saturday photos
A few more photos from better weather days for you today as we head off into what looks like it’s going to be a wet weekend. But, if you are reading this on Symi and want something to do on Sunday, then the Amateur Dramatics Society of Symi are giving a show at the Cultural Centre on Sunday the 12th March at 6.30 p.m. and the entrance is free.

I’m biding my time until the rain stops and I can head down to Yialos and investigate the arrivals at the courier, and to check the post office and buy more food for the cat. (Must also order biscuits for the strays, and some more cat litter so Jack has something to throw around the porch with wild abandon.) Meanwhile, here are some photos to give you something to look at. If you want to add another, more occasional blog, from me to your list of favourites, then take a look at my new site – which is still ‘under development’ but working – at ‘Writing Thoughts‘ and, if you’re up for it, give it a like and share around your social media.

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