Mykonos, Greece

5th - 10th Aug

Mykonos was one of the places I found myself the most relaxed, there was no pressure to do anything but sip cocktails by the beach or wander through the town in search of the best frozen yoghurt. The crazy, carefree attitude of tourists alongside the wild nightlife made it a very new experience to other countries I have visited but what really amazed me, even with all the thousands of ‘annoying’ tourists that pass through every year was the local people’s genuine desire to help & get to know their visitors, it came as such a shock to me that I found myself falling into deep conversations with shop owners & offering rooms in Australia to waitstaff at local resturants! Kindness is a dangerous thing! But it completely changed my initial idea of this ‘Party Island’ proving The key to travel is to ‘expect the unexprected’.

Mykonos continued to impress me with their local cuisine as i discovered an impressive fruit salad at my local bar ‘Kahlua’ on Paraga Beach that consisted of an enormous hollowed watermelon overflowing with fresh seasonal fruits - luckily I had a friend to share with! Frozen yhogurt bars were a popular sight through the streets of Mykonos, an idea I hadn’t discovered until now, but this yoghurt drought soon changed as a natural frozen yhogurt with nuts & berries became the easiest midday snack for under 3€! (if you find the right place).

Next to the great food & people are Ofcourse the world famous Djs that make regular appearances in the Mykonos clubs, Names such as Afro Jack & Bob Sinclair were among the few i attended at the ‘Paradise Beach Club’, with the main acts not starting until after 2am you are donating an entire day & night to these events that usually don’t wrap up until 10am the next day, thankfully there was a handy poolside bar in my Hostel perfect for a sneaky nana nap whilst sunbaking.

My time in Geece has sadly come to a close & yet i dont feel completley satisfied with just 2 islands, I want to see more! The other worldly contrast between the luxurious seaside, rugged earthy terrain & picturesque white buildings is so mysterious Im finding it hard to leave it behind,
Until next time Greece.

Mykonos Photo Diary -

// 1 # Mykonos streets // 2 # traditional souvineers // 3 # Shopfront advertising // 4 # Cafe floral display // 5 # Mykonos Old Port // 6 # Kittens of Mykonos! // 7 # Heavenly Fruit Salad in a huge watermelon! // 8 # Hostel View of Paradise Beach //9 # Old Port // 10 # Poolside View //

Santorini, Greece

31st Jul - 5th Aug

Santorini has made one of the biggest impacts on me so far. The locals & travelers I met there have inspired me to continue dreaming of bigger, better things proving that with hard work & detication you can achieve anything.
The best thing i found about Santorini island is that there is so many little towns & cities to explore! Here are just a few examples of what I got up to during my stay;
To my embarrassing surprise I discovered the history behind Santorini & the fact that it was actually also a Volcano! I was lucky enough to score a great tour for just 20€ to climb the Akrotiri Volcano, sail to the hot springs for a soak in the mud, visit the town of Thirissa for lunch & then sail up to Oia to witness ts infamous sunset! The day in all was not only super affordable but so much fun thanks to our hilarious tour guide & great friends on the trip.
Viewing the sunset in Oia is an experience that is talked about all over the world, hundreds flock to the edge of the town with wine & picnics to see this heavenly act of nature. There is also the main town of Thira that is the central shopping district of the island & has the best nightlife, although the prices are typically touristic the themed bars & atmosphere of people’s excitement makes it a night out not to miss & the best part - busses run back to neighboring towns (where you might be staying) up until 4am!
& Finally the village of Perrrissa, a small beach town famous for its stunning black sand beach, sun beds & beach bars that line the entire sandy coast a popular local & tourist beach to visit, I stayed here during my 5 day visit & couldn’t have found a better place! Although on my next visit I hope to spend a few days in each town to have the oppourtunity to explore each place properly i found the local community in Perrissa to be considerably more relaxed in comparison to the other main towns. My hostel ( ‘Hostel Anna’ ) was perfectly placed across from the great ‘Resturant Atlas’ where the friendly staff instantly took me in as a ‘regular’ during my stay & by the end of it actually offered me a job! Unfortunately with so much still to see & do I had to decline but it was a huge compliment none the less.
Santorini is the perfect island for any explorer as it offers a wild nightlife for those who refuse to sleep before 4am, great traditional shopping for unique & priceless souvenirs, historical landmarks such as the volcano & hot springs for seekers of adventure & stunning natural beauty from Oias sunset to the relaxing beaches!
Everything you could possibly want, packed into one little island,
Greece, you have knocked my socks off !

Santorini Photo Diary ;