Dear Diary.....21st October 2018
Agggggghhhhhh, Diary why can't i sleep! Excitement, yep excited that today is the day i head off back to rainy, grey and cold Wales. Don't you just love it.
When i tell people that i now look forward to going back when before i didn't they look at me like I'm mad.
For one, my partner is there and love spending time with her even though i see her allot over the season there's nothing better than being in same country as her and secondly having to much sun and heat is just as bad as lots of rain and cold. It's true. I wake up sometimes in Oct and think "Bloody hell, not sun and blue sky again".
This season when we've had bad weather its been really bad on that day but we've had less bad weather days than other seasons.
My last night in the bar was the 16th Oct. Very early i know. From 14th till 16th i had not one customer in to the bar.
I think the season died so quickly because many places closed so early. Just look at Jet2.
They have 550 rooms over 11 hotels in Kalamaki and almost all closed first week of Oct. So at the least by 7th Oct the resort was without 1100 tourists due to Jet2, that's a hell of allot.
So at 11pm on 16th i decided to close.
.
I had my tool kit ready to go and cracked on
The last customer to visit me was Bobby the Dog. He made himself comfortable, watched for a bit then fell asleep.
Unfortunately for Bobby as the bar was getting packed away i needed his chair but he was determined to stay with me till the very end so he moved to the Sofa.
I left Bobby there till the last and his sofa was the last to go in at the very end, he stayed with me for over 6 hours as i started to pack away at 11pm and finished 5.30am.
Couple of hours and few Jack Daniels later the bar was bare apart from a sign i left for any rumour mongers just to put them straight.
Now i know what your saying "But Kevin you've left the Oceanic letters up" Yes i have, that's because they have seen better days so need new for next year. There you go, there's a clue about what it says on the sign.
Even with me still being on the island, last night i was told that some tourists are going round telling people I'm not back next year, SERIOUSLY! UTTER, UTTER, RUBBISH!
So once and for all until i myself say out of my mouth "I'm not coming back" tell whoever says I'm not coming back these words, and please be specific with these words, tell them they're "Talking S**T and stop lying".
This season has been a first for many things. First time closed bar for Birthday, first time I've flown in to a airport other than Gatwick, first time i've not stayed over in London on return and first time I've had a few days holiday after closing as i usually close and fly home the next day.
Wednesday off to the beach i go. Within half an hour on my towel i had had multiple ants, flies, earwigs and a Caterpillar. That's it, I'm off, doing my head in. Not paying for a sunbed just for me.
On packing up i saw a very very rare sight, a woman, in active wear, actually being active, she was jogging. What a strange sight. Usually they are just having a coffee or doing shopping. Never ever thought active wear would be worn for a active purpose.
Perfect example, i was having my last frappe of the season yesterday and a woman came in for a coffee wearing full active wear gear and wedged shoes. So she ain't training is she.
Well done that woman.
Time to be a tourist and off to my old stomping ground, Bochali. Just a coffee here.
Over to Porto taverna for a cheeky beer, just the one mind.
My last date night and my favourite place to chill out and watch the world go by.
Then on my last visit to town at night back to the bar where it all started off back on 8th April this year with my partner, San Marco. (San Marco is the bar not my partner LOL)
Cheers folks a Mythos with a Jim Beam chaser.
Didn't eat out over the last few days here as had loads of food to get through in the house.
Who needs a gyros shop when you can make them yourself with proper pork gyros meat.
Kiss my ass Blumenthal, on your knees Ramsay, stick it Oliver you school cook.
This is real cooking, this is high end food. Scampi and pork gyros with beetroot salad, I've called this dish "The Great Beetroot Reef", get it. On one side the scampi and on other side the pork and a reef in between. Its a Greek surf & turf.
As for the winter, many people have asked about what I'm going to do now Toys R Us is closed. Simple answer, enjoy more time with my partner and do more things with the time i have.
After all, the winter seems to fly by and before i know it the summer season is upon me again. A few trips away maybe, lots of ice hockey, some gigs if possible and meet up with friends and family.
I have also relocated back to Cardiff when i get back so there is so much more to do there than Swansea but i will miss Swansea as my house there was only 5 Min's walk from a 4 mile beach which is lovely to walk along when the sun is out.
So as i bring season 2018's blog to a close what can i say. Its been a amazing season but glad for the rest. The bars getting busier with customers every year and more new customers then ever before with more newbies than regulars. The sad fact with life is we're all getting older and as I've got older the bars got busier but luckily for me i keep myself fit, if i hadn't i think i may have quit a few years ago but still healthy and can still cope, got a few years left in me yet so don't you worry about that.
Its now 8.30am as i finish this entry, been up since 6.30am and my flight isn't until this evening so time for a ride out to say my last goodbyes, have a few hours in sun if possible, have my last meal of egg & chips at my good friend Georges place "Kanalos", have a beer with Tassos & Demi and finish packing up the house before mike my house landlord drops me to airport.
Its been a fun, exciting, manic, crazy season but wouldn't have changed any of it.......well,,,,,,,apart from my bike breaking down at the very north LOL.
And finally, for all you doubters and gossips.................
See you 1st of May 2019
Serve All, Love All, Peace All, Kevlar Out!
