Off the coast of Santorini - 36° 26' 24" N 25° 22' 43" E

Observations regarding the Greek islands we visited.

Rhodes:

• get there by ferry if you can.  Entering the Port of Rhodes made me feel like an ancient mariner.
• once you have settled in your accomodation, rent a scooter.  You can visit different beaches and you can shop for pool/beach food at supermarkets for half the price.
• have dinner at a restaurant on the harbour of the old port.  It won't be as expensive as you think.
• when you have your scooter, go south to find the nicer beaches.
• Anthony Quinn Bay is sheltered by headlands; it isn't as tourist-y as it could be and it provides some great fish-viewing, even with just swim goggles.
• take swim goggles.
• restaurants outside of Rhodes town are 1/2 the price of restaurants in town.  Ones away from the beach can be really good.
• buy or bring some tupperware sandwich boxes and pack a lunch and snacks for the beach.  We bought some when we got here, and it was 3 Euros well-spent.
• beaches without surf are much nicer for swimming.  Stick to the east side of the island for these.

Paros:

• I remember next-to-nothing about my first trip here.
• even during Tourist Season, it is a quiet place.  Aliki has a population of 600 - 800 people and provides a marvellous balance of solitude and tourist services.  It is located at the least-busy end of the island, too.
• the wind almost always comes from the north.
• a scooter is a cheap, easy way to get around the island.
• I should learn to cook octopus and squid.  It's delicious, and now that I've seen my talented brother-in-law do it, I know it can easily be done.
• beaches with some type of shade are better than wide, open beaches.
• Ka Vos is a local (Paros) white wine that is tasty, inexpensive and is
  
  sold in convenient, don't-have-to-go-back-to-the-store-because-we're-out-of-wine-again, 1.5 litre bottles.

Santorini:

• pay for accomodation that has a balcony with a view of the caldera, or have friends that do.
• expect hordes of tourists between May and September.  Not that it will be unbearable, but expect them.
• find a way to get to a south-facing beach, even if it means walking down a donkey track carved into a cliff face.
• travel with at least a partner.  Visiting Santorini by yourself would be very lonely.
• be prepared to take many pictures and to say "wow" more than you thought you would.
• locating yourself in Oia is the least-busy of the cliff towns.
• the sun is hotter than you think, even when you take heed of this statement.

Goodbye, Greek Islands.  We will be back.