After our whirlwind tour of Athens, our next leg of the adventure is Santorini. Our driver advised us to leave for the airport at 6:45 am, due to traffic. We arrived at 7:30 for a 10:00 am flight, and went to check our bags. The lines were surprisingly short. Good thing, because both Caroline and I failed at the baggage check self-serve kiosk and needed to stand in 3 different lines to get it all done. We were still so early for our flight that our gate wasn’t even assigned yet.

Once we did get our gate, we breezed through security pretty quickly and found our way to the gate. We had to climb on a bus that drove us to the plane, where they boarded us from both the front and rear. A small moment of panic when we got to our row and saw people in our seats, but the flight attendant quickly sorted it out.

A quick one hour flight to Santorini airport where we expected a driver to be waiting for us. Sadly, no one was there, but after a tense conversation with the agency, a driver showed up and was able to drive us to our hotel. And that’s where things got interesting.

Our driver did not have great English skills, but we were able to show him the name of our hotel. We are sightseeing along the way, at the whitewashed buildings, the vineyards, the mountains, but also kind of paying attention to Google Maps to ensure he is going in the right direction. About a mile or so from our hotel, he says,”One person, reception.” Caroline and I exchange a look, not sure whether it’s a question or a statement. He keeps driving. He says it again. And then he stops the car on the side of the road and says it one more time. We are definitely not at our hotel. So I ask if he means we are picking up one more person because our hotel looks to be a tenth of a mile away. There’s no sign I can see for it anywhere. But he gets out of the car, opens the back door and pops the trunk. We are highly confused and standing there dumbfounded when our driver introduces us to the “one person, from reception” who is meeting us to take us the rest of the way. On foot. But the porter grabs both of our bags like they weigh nothing (trust me, they weigh a lot more than nothing) and starts walking down this narrow cobbled alley, winding among shops and villas to the entrance to our hotel. It is at that moment I understand Santorini.

We are too early to check in, but the hostess at reception holds our bags in the lobby while we go explore. The roads//paths/alleys are confusing, there don’t seem to be any road names, but we enjoy looking at the tchotchke shops and jewelry stores on our way to find lunch.

After lunch, we walk to the Castle of Oia for some breathtaking views, and gaze in wonder at how the villas are built into the side of the mountain, one on top of the other.

We go back to the hotel to get our stuff into the room and get out of the sun for a bit. We go out walking again, in another direction. More shops, some art galleries, more jewelry stores, more people, maybe a photo opportunity for sunset. People standing in line to get THAT famous backdrop for their instagram. Back to our villa, where have some wine and plan our trip for tomorrow. Then out one more time for an attempt at seeing the sunset. My first choice is not so great, so we go searching and come across our own private hill, not another soul there. Amazing.

We head back to our villa for the night, and as we are winding our way back, we begin to feel a tad underdressed in our a shorts and tshirts. Women are decked out in shimmering dresses and sequins! Neither Caroline nor I brought one, what a shame.

Another full day in Santorini tomorrow.