Rambling

August 6, 2020 James Collins

Rambling

Yesterday’s walk, for me, was again up the hill following the main road, and this time, I went all the way to ‘picture corner.’ This is the place where the tourist buses stop so that people can get out and take photos overlooking Nimborio bay, Yialos and Pedi. As usual, the sun was coming up, so there are the same-old images, but from a slightly different altitude. Also, when looking at Yialos, you find the scene is bathed in grey light rather than the bright red and orange that the Pedi valley has at that time of day.

While I was doing that, Neil went off to Nimborio for a walk and a swim. He’s doing many more miles than me. When I wake up, I am always in a rush to get to work, and although the walk yesterday only took me an hour to cover the three miles, that was time enough away from the desk. I did write a scene in my head while I was tramping up the hill (without stopping), but it’s a scene from a book that’s not yet conceived, and I have no idea what story it might fit into. Still, thinking time, peace and quiet, and spectacular views are always a good way to start the day – when I can be bothered.

It’s too hot for walking later in the day, and by the time the late afternoon comes, I’m settling in for a few hours of downtime, usually on the sofa with a good film or a book. But that’s just me. In other news… I can’t think of any, except you can no longer just ‘pop’ into the bank to pay or withdraw, not unless the money involved is over a certain amount. This is to reduce the number of people being inside in one place at once, as the numbers of infections have been rising. Not here, I should add, not yet, but in the country generally. I guess, with some people ignoring the restrictions, not wearing masks because they are in a ‘safe country and thus feel safe, and more people coming in from abroad, it’s to be expected. Anyway, enough of that ramble, I’ve done my walk, prepared this for tomorrow (today) and now I can finally get down to something more creative. It’s 8.45, and I feel as though half the day has gone already.

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Boats, mainly

August 5, 2020 James Collins

Boats, mainly

It’s been a while since we had some shots from the balcony, so I thought I’d have a look at my camera and see what was on it. The camera tends to stay in the living room which looks out to sea, so I leave it on the windowsill for when something exciting might be going on out there and come back to it from time to time.

It’s been a time for boats, it seems. The Blue Star One (above) and the Nikolaos X both came in on Monday for the first time this season…

Recently, I noticed a small flotilla of sailing boats….

And we’ve also been having the regular visits from the Stavros, and sometimes, the smaller day boats from Rhodes, including this one that I’d not seen until this year.

Hopefully, that means some trade and business for the harbour, and maybe even some for the village where, on Monday evening, things were starting to busy-up. There was music outside Lefteris kafeneion, where some of the more typical summer activity had returned. No Symi Shrimp Festival though, which was due about now.

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Sunrise shots

August 4, 2020 James Collins

Sunrise shots

And off we go a-wandering… Yesterday, before down, up the hill to the first bridge over the old riverbed just beyond the top cantina. The sun came up as I was coming down, and I saw the usual succession of cars and motorbikes with army officers on their way to work. I passed the goatherd and his dog, three other men walking their large dogs up or down, and was serenaded by the summer cicadas as they deafened from the trees. It was a pleasant, sultry morning, and I returned home dripping but invigorated ready to get on with the day’s work, which unfortunately began with having to pay my health insurance bill for the year. That was okay, I was expecting it, and it’s all part of the master plan. Actually, considering what it offers, the price isn’t bad, but if you are thinking of taking private health insurance, all I can say is, get in early, before you get any older because the older you are when you start, the more costly it is to get started if you see what I mean.

If you’re living in Greece and have independent means (private pension, savings, etc.), then you need private insurance. If you’re working for a company, your IKA should be paid for you, that’s your national insurance, and if you are self-employed, then you have a government scheme you can pay into. If you were thinking of emigrating here from the UK, then you need to do that and be registered to live here before the last day of this year, and there are various things you will need. I’d suggest asking the consulate or your embassy to be sure as I read conflicting information on Fakebook and only trust the groups that are run by the embassy staff.

Anyway, that’s not what I mean to talk about. In fact, I don’t know what I mean to talk about. I think I only intended to show you yet more sunrise shots from myself or from Neil who, yesterday, walked to Pedi for a swim and then headed off to Nos and back as his morning walk, arriving home just as the Blue Star One arrived on its new Monday sailing. No doubt, even more sunrise shots will be added to the album and stuck up here in the days to come.

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Bits and pieces

August 3, 2020 James Collins

Bits and pieces

We are well and truly warming up into August now, with temperatures in the high thirties even at night, and the courtyard plants are gasping for a drink, which they will get this morning. (Our hosepipe is connected to the mains, and so we only get water in it three days a week, so on the Friday to Monday stretch, the plants come last in the pecking order.) I’ve had a quiet weekend at home working, as per usual, though I did pop out yesterday for some fresh air, and sat in a more or less empty square with a glass of soda watching the world go by, or not, as no-one was going anywhere because everyone had gone to the beach, I hope. Either that or they’ve been transported to the colonies, and no-one’s told us. All very quiet. But also very pretty as Neil’s photos today attest…

One of the things I have been busy with is getting a new book out there. This is one of the Clearwater ongoing mystery stories, but this one can be read as a standalone (and it’s not got any nookie in it like some of the others, though there are references). Obviously, when you’re on book seven of a series, it will be more gratifying to have read the others, but with this one, there’s no need (not really). You’ll get an idea that there’s a history behind the story, but you don’t need to know it in detail. It’s mainly about one young man coming to work in service below stairs in London in 1889, and finding his new house is nothing like the regimented, authoritarian and backwards household he has been used to. There is a mystery involved, and it is based on real people and events from the late 19^th century, much of which is actually true. It’s quite a sweet story, is called Home From Nowhere, and it’s available on all Amazon platform. Anyway… Enough rambling, on with the week.

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Something for the weekend

July 31, 2020 James Collins

Something for the weekend

To see us off into the weekend, here are a few photos Neil has taken during his 100-mile walk this month. He’s done brilliantly, getting up early and going for long, regular walks, sometimes being out for three hours or more. Me? Well, I’ve written 90,000 words this month, and am about to release another book (100,000 words), so my brain and fingers have had some exercise at least. Have a good weekend.