Wake Up! Hey, wake up! I heard a voice, not sure who's it was but it was seemingly directed towards me. Only one problem, I wasn't asleep! Therefore, why on earth would someone be saying that to me?
As I looked around, I couldn't see anyone around me. Certainly not close enough to me that I'd be able to hear their voice so clearly, so distinctly. That's why I picked this beach, seems like it's always empty. Just the way I like it. No, make that just the way I love it!
Which I could never quite figure out. I mean, how can a place like this EVER be so deserted? I'd have to think that this place would be crowded, even at midnight. Yet, here I was, all alone, seemingly surrounded by what appeared to me to be literally mile after mile of endless white sand.
The crystal clear turquoise water, lapping at the shore, the sun glistening off of everything it touched. Beautiful cliffs shooting straight up from the pure white sand, like skyscrapers on their way to heaven. I couldn't help but think to myself that this is truly as close as one can get to heaven on earth.
Everywhere I look, I see something even more beautiful than what I was just looking at the minute before. The surroundings are just more astonishing than anything I could have ever imagined. And believe you me, I've imagined visiting Greece from as far back as I can remember.
I believe what really struck me were the views. It was as if you were looking out across an endless azure sea, dotted with so many islands that you couldn't begin to count them all. I dreamt of sailing to each and every one of the islands, searching and exploring every nook and cranny, discovering all of the hidden jewels that each had to offer.
I could feel my mind wandering, drifting off and imagining what it must have been like to sail the Mediterranian Sea 150 years ago, each of the Isles just awaiting the arrival of some unknown explorer.
As I look back, I'd have to think that this fantasy was born from my numerous trips to Disneyland as a kid. Being born in Anaheim, D~Land was a mandatory part of growing up. Just as the Pirates of the Caribbean and the Swiss Family Robinson Tree House were guaranteed stops during each visit to the Magic Kingdom.
I absolutely loved both of those rides, along with another adventure unto itself, the triple masted sailing vessel Columbia was another huge memory maker for me. Cruisin' around Frontierland in that giant ship, so high up off the water, I couldn't help but think about sailing around the world in search of buried treasure.
Yes, I have no doubt that my affinity for Greece was born around this very time. And as I got older, I began to appreciate the architecture of all of the stark white buildings seemingly stacked, one on top of each other so perfectly yet precariously balanced on the sheer cliffs that are the Greek Isles.
The beautiful variety of contrasting colors of the roofs being the only telling sign that all of the houses weren't just figments of ones imagination. No, they were most definitely real and to think that people actually lived in such an incredible place has amazed me my entire life.
And while we've all experienced seeing pictures of a dream destination, only to find upon arrival (think Chevy Chase in the movie 'Vacation', arriving at that Campground in Colorado) that it never lived up to everything we had imagined, I have yet to hear of anyone whos life wasn't completely changed and changed for the better by visiting Greece.
I can already tell, even though I've only just now gotten here that my outlook on life will never be the same. Everything I've seen so far has been unbelievable and to think it's only day one. I can hardly wait to see more.
The only thing that continues to cross my mind is that neverending question of why. Why did it take me so long to finally fulfill a dream that I've had almost my entire life?
Then I caught myself getting so wrapped up in the past rather than concentrating on enjoying the splendor of the present and so I immediately began to reimmurse myself in my spectacular surrroundings. As they say, so much to do, so little time and so I allowed my mind to wander off again, to all of the surprises that the next two weeks held in store for me.
"HEY, WAKE UP!!! It's after 5:00 and we wanna lock up the office." Huh? This time the voice was so close, I just knew this person was talking to me. But I thought to myself, Office? What office? As far as I know they don't have any offices on the beach in Greece.
As I recall I awoke to a colleague, having grabbed me by the shoulder and jostling me from side to side, telling me that I had a piece of paper stuck to the side of my face.
A piece of paper stuck to the side of my face? My intital response was "Yeah, right!" but then as I spoke, I felt something weird on the side of my face and as I reached for it, sure enough, it was a piece of paper. How the heck did that get there?
You guessed it. Apparently I WAS asleep (and obviously to my shagrin, I had been drooling as well, hence the paper stuck to my cheek. Beautiful...) and all of this was just a dream.
My visit to the land of the Acropolis, relaxing poolside in Santorini, eating at an exquisite outdoor cafe while enjoying everything that Greece has to offer, every fabulous minute of it was just exactly that, a dream. What a shame. I'm sure the disappointment was written all over my face, along with some ink from the piece of paper that was stuck to my face as well.
I couldn't keep my mind off of it all throughout the drive home and as I pulled in my driveway, I said to myself, "That's it! Enough is enough. Life is too short, I'm not messin' around any more." It was at that very moment that I vowed to myself that I was finally going to do it. I was going to fulfill a life long dream. I'm going to Greece!
And so just as soon as I walked in the door, I headed straight for my computer. I instantly Googled 'Vacation in Greece' and after quite a bit of research I struck gold. I was able to connect with a Guide that has been traveling to Greece since she was a child and with her Greek ancestory, she knows all the ins 'n outs of this beautiful destination.
Which means no time wasted on finding this, searching for that, the itinerary is just as fast or as slow paced as you want it to be. Not everyone is on the same schedule or has the same idea of just exactly what a Holiday means to them.
Some people prefer a faster pace, wanting to squeeze in anything and everything they can, every minute of the day, while others want to take a more leisurely and relaxed approach, choosing to enjoy a simpler daily plan.
Which ever pace you prefer, the choice is yours. There's no end to what you can do....or you can just do nothing if that's what you enjoy. If all you're after is two weeks of rest and relaxation in one of the most beautiful places on earth, then this trip to Greece is for you.
Don't make the same mistake I made, continuing to put it off until who knows when. Until the time is just right? There's never been a better time to go than right now! If you've EVER had the dream of visiting Greece, why not check out www.livelaughlovegreece.blogspot.com to see the many fabulous pictures of previous excursions to this wonderful destination and to get a better idea of the Trip's Itinerary and all of the amazing adventures that await you. One thing's for sure, I'm glad I did and I know you'll be glad you did as well. OPA!!!!
If you've ever dreamed of taking the vacation of a lifetime, yet have continually put it off until the time was just right like I have, why not take a look at www.livelaughlovetours.com to see all they have to offer as they visit many other wonderful destinations around the globe and if you enjoyed this Post, I'd appreciate it if you'd share it with your friends or anyone else you can think of that just needs a bit of a nudge to help them on their way to the vacation of their dreams! I know they'll thank you for it.
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