Four wheelin' it around the island

Wednesday- March 21

This morning I woke up a bit earlier than yesterday to the girls getting ready for the day. A few of them went to go get coffee from Poppy (the owner of the place) and to ask her about how to rent vespas and quads. While they were gone I got ready for the day and had my corn flakes in a cup again. 

Poppy told the girls she would call the place who rents out quads and vespas and have them come pick us up. We all waited outside by the pool for someone to come. A small car pulled up and we all said there was no way all six of us would fit in it. The driver asked who the drivers were going to be and who all had licenses. Amy and I were going to share a vespa and the other four girls were going to get two quads to share. It was a bit confusing because he said he didn't care if we were going to switch off and on with the driving, but he needed three licenses and he would take those three people first. 

So Kate, Lydia and Bethany hopped in the back seat and he drove off with them. Amy, Jess and I waited by the pool a bit confused with what was going on. We weren't sure if he was coming back to pick us up or if they were just going to drive the two quads and vespas back, but about 10 minutes later the tiny car once again pulled up and he told us to get in. On the way to the rental store he asked if we could wait a minute while he ran into a store. After he left I laughed because I thought to myself, wow, Greeks really do do things on their own time. They are very relaxed about everything and get to things when they want to get to them.

After a five or so minute drive we pulled into the store. The three girls were in the shop trying on helmets when we walked in. The driver of the small car led us into his office. We had to wait for a couple to return their quads and then we got down to business. I was bummed to learn that I wasn't going to be able to drive a vespa because I needed a scooter license, which I guess is the same as having a motorcycle license in the states. So we rented three quads to share between the six of us, which was only €30 for two days and split two ways.

After we paid we went back out into the garage and another man took a quick look at Amy, Jess and I and automatically knew which size helmet we needed. It made me laugh because he could tell the size of my head in one, quick glance. 

The man then led us outside to where three quads were lined up. He put Bethany on a blue quad, Lydia on a yellow one and Kate on the red one. The three of them had practiced driving the quads for a little bit while Jess, Amy and I were waiting to be picked up earlier, so they knew more about the quads than we did. 

I hopped on Lydia's, Amy on Bethany's and Jess on Kate's. They all started the quads and before I knew it we were off onto the main road. I kept squealing with excitement because I had never been on one before and I couldn't believe we were doing this. 

The worker at the rental shop had told us we were going to have to fill up our quads with gas as soon as we hit the road, so we stopped at a gas station. We all pulled up to a tank and people came out to fill it up for us. It was like the olden days when they did that in the states. It only came to €13 to fill our tank up to full, so splitting that by two made that cheap.

We drove along the island to the black sand beach where we were yesterday. Kate led us with Lydia and I behind her and Bethany behind us. We all said we felt like a gang riding along the main roads on these quads. Since the quads could only go so fast, a lot of the time cars and trucks would go in the opposing lanes to pass us. Cars were pretty understanding and when they could they would just pass us. 

When we finally found the beach, we parked and walked around for a little bit. 

We stopped in a grocery store for Lydia to ask the cashier if a store we were looking for was open. She didn't have much luck inside, so we pulled out the map to try and figure out where we were at in relation to the entire island and how to get to a restaurant in another city we had heard was really good. 

While we were walking back to our quads, Lydia asked if I wanted to drive. I said I would wait a little bit because quite honestly I was tid bit nervous to drive on the main roads with cars, especially because I had never worked a quad before. 

Kate led the pack out of the tiny town we were in and we went in search for this one road that would lead us to the town we wanted to go to next. We had to turn around in a parking lot because Kate had missed the turn, but once we found the road we started climbing up this windy, massive hill. Lydia and my quad seemed to be going slow while going uphill and was making noises like it was really trying. Lydia said, "We need to name it!" I said, "How about squirt?" It just came to me really fast and it fit our quad, so we started yelling, "Come on squirt, you can do it! Come on squirt, you got this!"

I really enjoyed sitting on the back of the quad while Lydia drove because the view on the windy road was breathtakingly beautiful. Everything was so green and I could see Greek-looking buildings scattered everywhere or clustered together. The best bar was you could see the calm, teal/blue water that looked like it went on for eternity. 

When we finally reached the city at the top of the hill we parked out quads. Since it wasn't tourist season, the town seem absolutely dead. It seemed like nothing was opened and I only saw a few people here and there. Kate had to go to the bathroom, so along our walk she found a "water closet" —that's what restrooms are called here — and as soon as she walked in she came out and said she would wait to find something else. We started laughing because the WC was shady on the outside, so one could only assume it was the same on the inside. 

We found a mini convenient store that I dropping into to ask if this restaurant we were looking for was open. The older woman at the cashier couldn't speak a lot of English, but luckily a man in there did and between him and the woman, they were able to tell us it wasn't opened today, but it would be tomorrow. We were bummed, but figured it might have been a possibility it would be closed because a lot of things were.

We walked across the street to Johnee's cafe, hoping to get some lunch inside, but while I waited outside, a worker on the inside told the girls they were only serving coffee. I needed a something to eat so I went back to the convenient store again and got a very big ho-ho. I thought it would be cut up into pieces, but it was like a giant cake and everyone started laughing when I was eating it because it looked like I was just eating this big cake. 

When we were in the grocery store we asked if any restaurants were opened that we could get a good lunch at. They directed us down the street to a place called Mythos. When we got to the restaurant, no one was there eating, but a guy came to the door and led us inside to sit down and eat. 

I ordered a chicken gyro, which is actually pronounced like "euro," which was hard to get used to because I always use the g to say it. I find it really interesting when I learn how words are really supposed to be pronounced. Like in Italy, bruschetta is actually pronounced like bru-sketta. I'm tempted to go home and be that schmuck who orders food and pronounces it like the actual culture and have the waitresses be like you mean this? And be like yes, but you say it like this. My friends and I laugh about that.

Bethany was told by someone she met on the plane ride here that she should try tomato doughnuts, so we ordered that for an appetizer. They were basically deep fried tomatoes. It was...different. I love tomatoes, but it wasn't the best thing I've ever had. 

-view from where we had lunch-

-chicken gyro-

-tomato doughnuts-

The waiters that were taking care of us were so helpful and the older Greek man was so cute. After finishing our food, the waiter brought out a dessert for us to have. I looked at it, looked up at Kate and started laughing. It was the same dessert Kate and I were given for free in Athens our first day there. It was the one Kate hated and the birds were attacking us for. 

Kate's faced looked disturbed and she said she wasn't going to eat it. I didn't mind it, so I tried it and it wasn't horrible. Lydia and Amy didn't mind it when they tried it either. It's really the texture that is the weirdest thing about it. 

After lunch I had to go to the bathroom, so I went where my friends directed me. I walked in one door and went to the bathroom to the left. The light wouldn't turn on and I couldn't figure it out for the life of me. I looked out into the dining room and a guy who worked there must have seen my dilemma and he came over to help. I asked him how to get the lights on and he walked over to the other bathroom and turned it on for me. I was in the men's bathroom and he probably watched me try to figure this out for the past two minutes. Just lovely, I thought. 

After lunch I decided I was ready to take on the quad. Jess and Amy also decided they were ready to drive theirs as well. Lydia showed me how to start it, where the brakes were, where the turn signals were and where the accelerator was. We were in this tiny parking lot and it was probably funny to watch because Lydia was teaching me, Bethany to Amy and Kate to Jess and we were just driving around. 

Amy and Bethany's bike was different than ours because they had to kick start it. Amy was hilarious because she kept trying to kick it and nothing was working. Then when she finally got it to start, it began moving and she sat down so fast and looked terrified. I couldn't stop laughing. 

We began descending down the hill opposite of the side we climbed up before lunch. We were now heading to the opposite side of the island. 

I was flying down the hill with the wind flying past me and hitting my face. It was absolutely thrilling and I felt on top of the world driving this quad that I couldn't stop smiling because it was so much fun. I felt pretty badass, not gonna lie. 

We were on the hunt for the red sand beach and the white sand beach. I was beyond excited to see the white beach and was intrigued that I was going to see a red beach. A sign directed us to the red beach down a dirt path. Jess turned down it, so I followed and then Amy. At this point I really felt like I was driving a quad because the gravel made the ride so bumpy and dirt was flying up everywhere. 

Along the way we passed a couple cars and I only got nervous a few times. I was following Jess and I soon realized Bethany and Amy weren't behind us anymore. I figured they stopped to pet the donkey we had passed a bit earlier. 

The road was not wide at all and I had to be very careful where I was driving because if I made one mistake, it was off the cliff for Lydia and me. That only made it more thrilling for me. I thought we were going to keep descending down the dirt path toward the water, but Jess and Kate stopped. They were worried we weren't going to be able to make it back up the hill because it was so windy and steep. We agreed it was probably a good idea to turn around and find another way on a paved road. We heard Amy and Bethany coming so Kate ran to the bottom of the hill and yelled to the top for the to stop and not come down the hill.

I started my quad and hoped for the best that I would make it up the hill. Lydia and I turned it around to face this steep, dirt path and I just pushed in my accelerator has far as it would go in and gunned it. I knew if I slowed down even a little, it would make it more difficult. Thankfully, I made it up with no problem. Next was Kate and Jess and they made it up without a problem either. 

I asked Amy and Bethany what had happened to them and they said their quad got stuck and they had to push it for bit. Then they said when they were driving they got stuck in a crack in the road and as they were driving it was leading them to the edge. Bethany said they stopped right before the edge of the cliff. I said I would have peed my pants if that was me and she said she was about it. Thankfully, no one was 

hurt. 

We headed back to the main road and kept going the way we originally were going. On our way we stopped at a look-view and parked to take picture. 

The view was gorgeous. You could see almost the entire island and the beautiful blue water surrounding it.

Kate found a path that led closer down the the edge of the cliff, so we followed and my stomach dropped a little when I looked over the edge. I've never had a fear for heights, but I'm finding the more I see steep drops, my stomach goes. Despite the drop, it was a gorgeous view on a gorgeous day. 

When we made it to the very end of the island, we parked our quads and were getting ready to do some hiking. While we were waiting for all of us to get ready I saw a couple walking towards us. I turned to Lydia and said wouldn't that be funny if that was Melanie and Simone, the Canadian couple we had met in Athens. The closer they got to us, the more it looked like them. Then I realized it was them! They came up to us and we all started laughing and saying we couldn't believe we actually ran into each other again. Melanie said when they were walking towards us she said to Simone, "Those look like the American girls we met in Athens" and Simone said, "What American girls?" He said then he saw us and said, "Oh them!"

They said their stay in Santorini so far was good, but they were already leaving tomorrow for Romania. We talked for about 10 or so minutes and then we said our goodbyes. They hopped into their tiny smart car they rented and we started venturing up the hill. There was a car full of mid-aged people and a few older people who asked us where we were from because we were speaking English. We told them and then they said they were from Vancouver. They were extremely nice and I still find it really fascinating to meet people from all over. They told us a good place where we were to climb for a great view. We decided to do that after we first climbed the way we were already going. 

When we got to the top we climbed some rocks and followed a dirt path, which led us to the top of a cliff. I could see everything and beyond. The water looked like it went on forever and I could see a house that was situated on a big, black rock. 

We took some pictures while standing up there and before I knew it Kate sounded like she was miles away yelling our names. I quickly learned she is quite the adventurer and likes to climb a lot of things. She had found her way out to this cliff that stood out farther into the water than where we currently were. She looked so minute standing on the edge of the cliff that it looked like I could fit her in the palm of my hand.

Amy and I stayed behind while the rest joined Kate. While they started walking down I heard them all calling out Kate's name because she wasn't on the rock anymore or anywhere to be seen. I didn't panic because I knew if she had really fallen I would have heard a scream or something. Regardless, it was kind of nerve racking not knowing where she went because it was a huge drop. She finally responded to her name and we learned she had found another path that led closer to the water. 

Amy and I sat up top and relaxed while they all venture. I was getting more and more tired the more we kept going, so I was fine with sitting. While sitting, Amy got extremely excited when we found a lizard crawling along the rocks. She started following it, but then had to stop because if she kept going she'd be off the cliff. It was entertaining to watch to say the least. 

Bethany climbed back up to where Amy and I were and we waited for the others to join. We started getting impatient because they were taking a while. We called their names and Lydia responded, but they didn't come up. We kept waiting and then after another 10 minutes we called their names and no one responded. We had no idea how far down they had walked and figured they couldn't hear us. Thankfully they appeared about five minutes later and they hiked back up to us. 

We started back the path we had walked on and passed the lighthouse, which was situated at the top of the hill. We went up the hill the people from Vancouver had recommended to go and boy was it a good recommendation. The view was spectacular. From this point I could truly see the entire island. I could see the volcano as well that was situated off the island. I knew what the outline of the island looked like because of seeing a map, but to see it all in person was something really cool. 

I climbed as far as I wanted to, but Kate and the others kept going. Bethany sat with me for a bit until the others came back. I just wanted to take in everything that I was seeing. It's great having pictures, but it's something completely different having mental images. There's things I remember to this day of what things looked like when I was a kid. I don't know how my brain does it, but I find it amusing. This view was something I wanted to remember for the rest of my life. I am in love with oceans and beaches and all I've ever wanted to see was blue, blue water and I was seeing it now from a crazy view. 

While I was sitting there with Bethany we saw a cruise-like ship moving toward the island. It ended up docking at a port toward the middle of the island, and I said wouldn't that be funny if that was Yelena, Erika and Kelsey's ferry?  They decided to do Greece for spring break too, but did it through Bus2Alps. We were going to do that, but Lydia found a cheaper way to do it on our own. Yelena, Erika and Kelsey stared out in Corfu then went to Athens and then were coming to Santorini today. We were planning on meeting up with them at some point and hanging out. 

After the girls were done climbing we went back to our quads. Lydia drove this time and we all decided to try to find the red sand beach again. We said if we passed a turn that we thought it was, we were to honk so the others would know to turn. We passed the same dirt road we were on earlier, but Lydia was convinced it was a different road that led to the red sand beach. We were honking at them for about five minutes but all four of them didn't hear us. Unfortunately, Squirt was a little slow to catch up with them, which made it more difficult. 

When we finally got their attention they stopped and Lydia told them she found the road. I told her it was the same dirt road we were on earlier, but she said it wasn't. I looked at Bethany and Amy and said "it is," but we turned around anyway. When we got there she realized it was the dirt road we were already on and I couldn't help but giggle. 

We turned down a paved road that led to a church where we parked. The Canadian couple had told us of a way to find the beach, and we thought this was it, but we couldn't figure out how to get on the path. We stopped and asked an elderly Greek man at his house, but he didn't speak much English. He tried pointing in the direction we needed to go because he at least understood what we were looking for. When we started driving off again we passed the man and his puppy sitting on stairs near a cliff. It was so precious and I wish I had a picture of it. He smiled and waved at us as we drove by. No matter what language you speak, everyone is human and a smile is a smile. 

We drove through a small town and down a hill. When we hit water we realized there was no beach, but the road just ended at the water. We decided to cut our losses and head home. I drove back from there up the hill and back down again. My favorite part about driving on the quad on the main road was when I could see water on both sides of me. The island got skinnier at the end, so it was like the road was the only thing there and water on both sides. 

During the drive I kept racing Kate and Jess. Their red quad was the fastest out of all of ours, so it was always hard to catch up to them. At one point I gunned it on the straight road and passed them. Kate was so shocked I was going faster than them. As I passed I was laughing at them as I stuck my tongue out and yelled "Suckers!"

On our way home we stopped at the supermarket to get a few snacks. I ended up buying a bottle of Oyzo, a Greek liquor. The bottle was small and cute and I figured I could use it as a souvenir too. I also figured I had to try this Greek liquor while I was in Greece. Just like I had to try Italian wine while in Italy. 

When I got home I made myself a turkey sandwich for dinner and hung out for a while. Lydia was Facebook messaging Yelena and planning on when we could hang out. They said they were going to go out for dinner and then would be free around 8:00. We decided we would go shopping for a little bit while we waited for them to eat dinner and then we would pick them up on our quads. Luckily, too, they were staying only 10 minutes from where we were staying.

Bethany, Lydia, Amy and I drove up to Fira, the capital of the island — which is quite small — parked our quads and walked up to where we were shopping a few days earlier. I had seen floppy, beach hats earlier this morning when I was in the tiny car being driven to the rental shop, so we went there. Bethany and I wanted one really bad for our Greece spring break trip.

I found my perfect hat. White and floppy with a brown bow wrapped around it with polka dots. Bethany had luck too with her floppy hat. When I walked into the store I found sunglasses and had to try them on. They were the pair I was looking for everywhere that resembled my favorite pair I had broken a year ago. I had to get them, and I did.

After we did some shopping, we went home to drop Bethany off, and then Amy, Lydia and I went to go pick up the girls. We went to their hostel and waited for about 10 minutes. We were already late before so Lydia walked around the place to see if they were waiting somewhere else. When she came back empty handed, the girls emerged from inside the main dining room. They came running out and Erika jumped Lydia. We all hugged, and it was like we hadn't seen each other for years. They said it was like we were whisking them away by the night on our quads because they couldn't stand the people on this trip.

They said there were 140 college students on the trip with Bus2Alps and all they liked to do was get drunk every night. It was the typical American spring break. They said they were annoyed with the people most of the time. After hearing them complain about the people, I was really happy we decided against going with Bus2Alps. I would have been annoyed the entire time.

When we got back to our place we all sat around and hung out. Bethany, Amy and I tried a shot of the Oyzo. Bethany tried it before I did because I chickened out. I had been told by many people that it was the most disgusting drink they had ever had. After seeing Bethany bolt for the bathroom, I got more nervous. I had to work myself up to do it and Yelena kept saying, "oh, just do it," after she had just said when she tried it, it was the most disgusting thing she had tried.

When I smelled it, it smelled like black liquorish, which is disgusting. Amy said she would do it with me, so when we counted to three I finally did it. It wasn't horrible per say... but it wasn't the best thing I had ever had. I think because I had it worked up in my head that it was going to be this horrible, disgusting drink, it ended up not being as bad. The aftertaste, however, was horrid and I bolted to the bathroom for water like Bethany had done 10 minutes earlier. For some odd reason, Amy actually liked it even though she said she hates black liquorish. Interesting.

After two hours had quickly passed by Lydia, Bethany and I took the girls back to their hostel. Erika, Yelena, Kelsey and I made plans to go to the beach in the morning while the other girls went to ride donkeys, so I said I'd see them in the morning.

When I got home, I was pooped and hung out in my bed and relaxed for the remaining of the night.