We were late. Andreas was concerned. I suppose four hours was pushing ‘Greek time’. Our host was very personable and was keen to help us get the best impression of the SW corner of Crete, known as Elafonissi and famed for its pretty pink beach.

5000 people a day! Bus loads! Massive car parks!! And it all starts about 10 in the morning. The hoards descend, car parks fill, beach paraphernalia is gathered, and the kilometre trek to the water begins. Initially, we thought we would give it a miss, but then decided we needed to see what the deal was. This part of Crete is not easy to get to; it’s a dead end, and it’s basically uninhabited. What was the attraction?

We went early. It is a long walk to the water, and then it is shallow for a long way out. It also requires a bit of imagination to see the pink sand. We came. We saw. We got wet. We left still uncertain as to why the fuss.

Then there were the other swimming areas Andreas told us the locals use. Ahh, much better. We went exploring along the coast when we came across a half a dozen septuagenarians bobbing in a rock pool. We decided to join them. It was delightful! A natural pool supplemented with a ladder, adjacent to a stand of she oaks, complete with plastic chairs, and to top it off, an amazing shower. To add to the island experience, a ramshackle hut served as a taverna run by a young mother and her two little girls.

It’s interesting when you realise that sometimes there is no direct route from A to B. John looked at the map and decided it looked like it would be about an hour from Elafonissi to Hora Skifino, but no, there was a huge National Park and some significant mountains which he had missed. We had to return to Chania before heading south over this famous mountain route, which plunges through steep, winding roads, a dizzying number of hairpins, and alongside the deep Imbros Gorge before reaching the blue waters of the Libyan Sea.

It was Sunday, and by lunchtime, we had arrived at Vryses, where we stumbled into a local restaurant and were treated to a portion of Antikristo lamb, served with tzatziki and fresh bread. Portions of lamb hang in large open ovens and are slow-cooked for six or seven hours. The setting also added to the experience beside the Almyros Chanion River.

It was blowing a gale. The Meltemi had returned, and only the absolutely crazy ventured onto the beaches. We had a car. We would explore. We headed to Frangokastello where there is a 14th-century Venetian fortress built to protect the nobles from pirates and local Sfakian rebels. It was Tuesday. It was closed.

We continued, following a narrow dirt track that clung to the cliff top. Potholes scarred its surface, and large rocks lay scattered across the path, ready to challenge the unwary. Then, right in the middle of the road was an enormous bird, which, at first, I thought was a turkey!. The Griffon Vulture (Gyps Fulvus) comes down from the mountains in summer and is considered a pest by farmers because it can take new lambs and goats. Usually, they feed on carrion.

Well that was it. Our holiday had come to a close. It was time to pack and go home. We headed back to Chania flew into Athens and stayed the night. Our host suggested a restaurant on the waterfront where the transfer to and from was free. Well we needed to eat..great..suits us fine. The driver had also picked up Austin and Bree, cousins from Texas, who had joined other cousins for a catch up on Crete. We decided to have dinner together and had a wonderful night, sharing stories and entertaining each other. A fabulous way to end our holiday.