SANTORINI, GREECE

OIA

15 November 2014, I board on Aegean Airline from Athens towards Santorini. My flight ticket including overseas credit card charges and taxes, is around 56 Euro one way (exclude check in bag as I don't need it).

Santorini is my final destination in my 1 month trip. I spent 5 days 4 nights in Santorini, an amazing relaxing island. 

The travel period time i picked to travel Santorini is the most quiet period as it is entering Winter Season soon. Temperature is exceeding maximum 21 degrees and minimum 12 degrees (it will be cold when there is wind). Most tourist do not pick this period of time to Santorini as it is very quiet, the popular period time to visit Santorini is during Summer (Jul - Sept). But I will personally avoid this period of time as this island will be pack of tourist and everything is going to be expensive. I rather to have the island to be low season and all belong to me. HA HA.

Fira Backpacker Hostel

The common room of Fira Backpacker Hostel

Before going on this trip, I have booked myself with Fira Backpacker Hostel in Santorini in a 4 bed female private bathroom dorm. Cost around 18-25 Euros per night. Due to the time i went to Santorini is low season, so I have the room all to myself on the last night as the first few nights, i'm sharing with my friend - Alexandra, whom I met in Athens earlier.

Destination of this hostel is in Fira. Which is the main city in Santorini and is quite convenience to go everywhere, about 3 minutes walk to the main bus station (where you get bus to go most of everywhere of Santorini) and about 3-5 minutes walk to the supermarket, 4 minutes walk to all food area. 

On the first night, I met my friend - Alexandra, a USA female backpacker that I met earlier in Athens. I'm shock as she never confirmed to me that she will be coming over to Santorini. We have a little chat, a pizza and a glass of red wine together at the common room while waiting for Ikuo (Our other friend that I met in Athens as well whom is from Japan) as he will be arriving to Santorini by flight at night.

Ikuo & Alexandra at Ancient Agora top

We have a little short discussion about what we are going to do during our stay in Santorini. (To be honest, the trip I went on this time, I did NO survey on places to go, all is last minute decision of places to visit when I am there as my main point is to get lost and also just to relax as much as I could).

Map of Santorini Island

Ikuo is the one who mainly do all the research and plan things all up and list it all out which is really impressive. (Big applause and mad respect to him). First of all, we were thinking of getting everywhere by bus and on foot. But due to is low season, all buses for the time slot are quite limited, and there is a total of 3 of us, and 2 of us (me and Alexandra) could drive, we end up decided to just rent a car for 2 days to go around Santorini. In my personal opinion, if there is at least 3 of you traveling in Santorini, it will be the best to rent a car as you can share the cost and also it is easier to let you explore this island and more freedom. But if you come in during Summer, it will be best you just go for buses, foot or rent an ATV. 

We rent an automatic car and try to negotiated the price, since is low season, we got the car for 30 EURO per day and additional of 5 Euro of insurance per day. It is a good deal for us tho. So we took it.

Alexandra (Our lovely driver) & Ikuo (the navigator)

But one thing to keep in mind: If you are going to rent a car in Santorini, it is popular to get cheaper price for MANUAL CAR, but you have to make sure that you are very expert in manual car as roads in Santorini are all HILLS and there is a lot of Winery road, so driving slow and safety is very important in Santorini. One mistakes, will cause you death. I'm very serious about this. =)

So we managed to chill out most of our time in Santorini by relaxing at some nice place.

We drive all the way up-hill to Ancient Agora, and have a walk there. But there is nothing much interesting to me tho. Probably i've seen enough of ancient stuffs since in Italy. So I just want to focus on viewing blue sea, good sunset and just relax to the maximum before heading back to busy Singapore.

I've come across some of my favourites: Perrissa Black Beach, Santo Winery Wine & OIA sunset.  Can you imagine, if you come during summer, there won't be any good spot for you to really sit down lay back and relax all the surroundings. So to be honest, I simply love the period of time i'm in Santorini to the fullest.

Perissa Black Beach

We have the Perissa Black Beach all to ourselves. Having great time, with 21 degrees and WIFI

Waiting the Sunset at OIA 

Having great time of wine tasting at Santo Winery Wine with great view

OIA

Perissa Black Beach

OIA

Wine tasting at Santo Winery Wine

OIA for sunset

Chilling Perissa Black Beach with all surrounding belong only to us

Santorini is describe as the best place for couples and also best place to catch the Sunset. From forum and any trip advisor, OIA is the best place for sunset, but for me it is pretty but I prefer the sunset in Santo Winery Wine. Probably because you are able to hold on to a glass of wine and view the surroundings in a really chilling feeling.

In Santo Winery Wine, if you are there for more than 2 people, and you are a wine lover, why not go for a 12 glass of wine tasting and it also include some small snacks (bread and cheese). Price is quote at 17.50 EURO.

12 glass of white wine to red wine, snacks and a card that explain the wine you are having

 I am not a super wine lover, but I do love this moment. With the help of the card, I get to know better about the wine that I'm tasting and because of all this tasting, I actually found the red wine that I personally love - Vinsanto. Which is also known as a dessert wine. It is a really really good wine or I could say the best wine I have tasted in my whole life. (Personally opinion tho).

Santo Winery wine is close at around 5.30PM. So we stayed up till they close to catch the sunset.

What comes into as miracle, is the stunning view after sunset. This is my first time seeing the sea color changes after sunset. It is so beautiful.

After sunset

On my last day, I'm completely alone as Both Ikuo and Alexandra has left for their next destination. I spent my time walking around Fira and eventually, I went to catch my last sunset in Fira. And this is how I met 3 new friends whom is from Brazil, Miami and local (Greece). This is the best part in my journey, non stop meeting random people and talk. This is how it makes my trip so meaningful and memorable.

Sunset at Fira

Now, come to and end to my trip. Will be blogging about some other individual stuffs I come across in my travel soon. Before I end my blog for Santorini, let me share you a FEET SELFIE =)

CIAO~~ =)

ATHENS GREECE 2014

12 november 2014, i left rome and continue on my journey to ATHENS, GREECE. I spent 4 days 3 nights in ATHENS. It was great.

1) ACCOMODATION ATHENS

 I booked my 3 nights stay with PELLA INN HOSTEL (you may search it through google) with total amount of 41 EUROS for a 4 bed mix dorm, share bathroom. It was located 2 mins walk from metro MONASTIRAKI, which is the center of athens.

Room and bathroom are both clean, im in a same room with 2 girls from POLAND and a guy from UNITED STATES. We all hang along pretty well and we even hang out for pubs and we had massive fun and jokes.

My room in pella in hostel

My lovely roommates. 

The view from our room balcony: ACROPOLIS

2) SITES

In athens, you can buy the 12 euros tickets which allows you to visit the sites stated below, it is a great deal.

HADRIAN'S LIBRARY

ROMAN AGORA

KERAMIKOS

ACROPOLIS

TEMPLE OF OLYMPIA ZEUS

DIONISOS ANCIENT THEATRE

KERAMIKOS MUSEUM

I did not went to all, so i pick the one i want to see. You will definetly dont wan to miss ACROPOLIS, which is located on the top of the hikk where you get good view of athens.

3) TRANSPORTATION

You can basically go everywhere by foot, and i prefer this way as you get to see more and explore more. But for your information, a train ticket to the airport do cost 8 euro one way.

4) FOOD

The traditional food includes gyros, mousaka, fried cheese, feta cheese, egg plant, etc.

I only managed to eat gyros most of my time in athens as it is really cheap. Yogurt is quite famous in greece as well, but i am not a yogurt person so i skipped it. Other than that, for beer, i personally love the local beer named : SOL. :)

Graffitis are everywhere in athens and i personally love it a lot as i love street art. 

There is not much for me to share about athens, but i do love athens. I prefer to be in a less crowded city and people in greece are very friendly and most of them speak english. 

I left athens and fly to santorinj with AEGEAN AIRLINE on 15 NOVEMBER 2014 and spent my last 5 days there peacefully. Ill blog about it next :)

ROME ITALY

Spanish steps

Today marking the day 22 of my journey has stopped in rome , italy. Was in rome for 4 days 3 nights. I stayed at the 6bed female dorm at alessandro palace, which is located 5 minutes walk from termini station, the main train station of rome. Room was charged at around 26 euro per night, exclude a 2 euro tourist tax fee per night.

I think the price for the hostel is quite reasonable as it is located right in the city. Throuhout my journey in rome, i met this friendly cute sweden girl whom appear to be my roommate - mika. We decided to go check out the colosseum with another guy - ahmed, from eygpt.

The entrance fee is 12 euros. While we were queuing to buy the tickets, we randomly start talking with this two friendly cute ladies from US and we all end up checking out colosseum together, lunch and also dinner.

We are lucky enough to get invited to join the dinner together with their friend whom is working in rome. She brought us to a restaurant where i am sorry that i do not know the location. I love it there as is so cosy. Price is so worthy, you order a glass of tall lager and italian buffet, you pay at only 11 euros. Great deal.

I am a person whom love graffiti so much, so when i saw these train full of graffitis, i am so exicited. Train routes in rome is so simple as it only got 2 line. Metro A & metro B. Single trip cost 1.50 euro, while a 24 hour pass cost 6 euro. I basically only get by single trip as most of the time im on foot, exploring the city.

The another interesting things happen was joining this party at the hostel and i met these bunch of crazy travelers and crazy drunkers, australian, US, korea, etc. We all had fun and accidentaly knew one of them - john, is a bboy too. ha ha.

Meeting new people during travel is quite amazing, even tho is just a day but memories remain.

On my last day at rome, i decided to check out VATICAN CITY by visiting the museum and sistine chapel. Tickets are at 16 euro. The museum is massive and sistine chapel is amazing. Too bad, no photos allowed. Below are some random photos taken:

Before i ended my blog for rome, ive randomly picked some photos to share here as most of the photos i have already uploaded to facebook.

I am blessed to have the chances to visit these places and also meet new friends. Hope we all shall meet again soon.

Next up, ATHENS, GREECE.