We spent the morning doing catch up stuff as Jules and Sue did things for Paul. They had to feed the cats he feeds as well as his own dog and deliver things into hospital for him. They told us on return that he had another person in the room who could speak English and had also had a motorbike accident (he had lost 3 toes!!). This man assured him he would start feeling less sore soon. John was trying to sort his phone and has basically decided, after a lot of research, that it is not fixabled but will keep trying.

He had time to make a video of the view we have been enjoying all week and upload it onto Facebook.

We had nice rolls for lunch when Sue and Jules returned and a blob out time for three after that as it was very warm today. I caught up with my geocaching logs then got side-tracked by a local puzzle which I didn’t have time to complete before they all surfaced. Then we were offered a canyon drive to the south coast in the air-conditioned car, which suited us all. We first went to replace a cache in the other direction, near a church. It was cool here as the area was damp with water that seems to always seep from the hill side in this area we were told. You rarely see water running in the countryside.

The area that was the destination is accessed by 2 gorges. Jules drove us in via the more spectacular Kotsifu gorge where we kept trying, with no avail, to see where the water could be that would have caused the erosion. We stopped at St Nikolaos Church, which was in an amazing spot and built into a cave. It had natural light through one window, and almost glowed. The cache could well have been not found as we had no reception, but Sue did, and then Jules spotted the cache and gave us the hint to walk a bit further.

We had a small drive around the town/village of Plakias which is a seaside area popular with Greeks and Germans. We stopped at a sandy part, Damoni Beach, and paddled in the Libyan sea before having drinks in a taverna on the shore. Jules and Sue told us of some wonderful walks they had done in the area, but it was too far, too hot and too late for today. However, we mutually agreed it is lovely to leave a place wishing you had more time, as it gives you something to come back for. The southern coast is very stark and rugged but has many beautiful spots, and you can only reach the villages via the various gorges (or ferry boats) as there are no linking roads along the coast line.

We went back via the other canyon, which was not as steep but still interesting. The views from here could almost have been in New Zealand as the land was green and covered in what looked almost like grass. It was far less stark than the views we have become familiar with.

Sue and Jules had been plotting and, instead of an evening meal in Georgioupolis, we stopped at a family run tavern a few kilometres short of the town/village for a meal on a terrace that overlooked the sea. The sun set as we dined, which gave wonderful light. We tried a couple of (new to us) starters of eggplant salad and grilled cheese and John had caramelised octopus as a main, while I had lamb chops. The food was delicious and the wine also nice, which is not always to be expected. Jules was just a bit peeved that the usual free sweet treat and raki did not appear, but we didn’t need it.

We stopped to shop in Georgioupolis on the drive back, which is worthy of mention because it was after 9pm on a Sunday evening. Admittedly we were in a touristy shop, as I needed a cap and another singlet top (as did John) . The town was happily humming along. Then we all had cocktails in the Cotton Club where we had been on the first evening. I was keen to revisit it and appreciate it properly this time as I was unwell there on our first visit.

We then headed back to Sue and Jules for our last night in Crete.