Hi Anne...here is my trip to Rhodes e-mail i sent out to friends..
Hi,
just to let you know how my day in Rhodes went.
The boat left at 9 am .on time.
We were at sea for an hour, the journey takes 1.5 hours, there was a loud bang, the boat slowed down and then came to a standstill.
We were bobbing around for about 5 minutes, not knowing what was happening...the crew were running around like headless chickens.
The captain then announced that the boat had received some damage to the "front of the boat."!!!!!!!...we will continue on our way to Rhodes but we will arrive late, he continued.
We did 2 hours later.!!!!!!...so instead of arriving at 10.30 am we arrived at 11.50 am....just in time for lunch.
Linda/Tony had advised me to go see two of there friends who have a cafe/bar in the "old town"...i did, nice guys, lovely place ...i can highly recommend the Pork Gyro....a couple of beers......what more could you ask for, after the passage id just had.!!
Rhodes itself was quite quiet..i understand that the visitors figures are around 60% down on last year...the euro has a lot to answer here i think.!!!
After lunch it was time for a walk around, a leisurely walk round, it is hot BUT there is a howling gale blowing, keeping it "quite pleasant".
Ok its now time to go back to the boat...4.30 is the sailing time....so off i trot.
I arrive at the departure gate...book myself in...and im told to proceed to the boat...so off i toddle.
I arrive at the boat....to be told...........................................................................................................................................................
The boat is not sailing.......i said to the guy " your joking", well i think that's what i said!!!
His reply was....don't worry....your sailing on this craft...pointing to a very nice looking sea cat boat.....phew...a nice looking boat, not a bit like the the original boat....my heart skipped a beat!!!!
THEN came the bit i didnt want to hear....your sailing to Mamaris......oh no i said, or words to that effect!!!!
Ten minutes to set sail he replied...don't worry we have a coach that will pick you up and drop you off, he continued.
I boarded the boat...luxury, for the 1 hour trip to Marmaris.
Arriving in Marmaris the coach was there to pick us up..after i got through customs and being questioned about bringing in 2 ltrs of whiskey when the limit is 1.......i protested that i thought i had not done anything wrong..i bought it in the duty free shop as a "twin pack"..2 bottles in one outer cardboard cover.....he looked at me very suspiciously but declared "go...but don't do it again"..i thanked him politely...yes i was very polite....and made my way to the awaiting coach.
I was then questioned again, by the coach member of staff, why he couldn't find the name of the hotel i was staying at on his passenger list...i replied i wasn't in a hotel....he replied i MUST be or i couldn't have been picked up and taken to Fethiye port...i still insisted i wasn't in a hotel....and he insisted i was...this continued for a moment or two....by then i was getting "well cheased off"..i informed him on no less than 4 occasions that i had made my own way to the port...he then decided that i might well be right...
so asked me to get on the coach to his right...i did and whished i hadn't...the coach driver was so slow in driving it might have been quicker to have walked home...3.5 hours...and that was just to Fethiye......i got off at the port....he was still insisting as i got off the coach that he would "take me to my hotel"....at this point i said " no your all right!...or words to that effect!!!!!!
So there you have it...." My trip to Rhodes.....will make a nice change"
Hope you are all laughing.....i can laugh at it now!!!!!!!!!!!!.......BUT IT IS SO TRUE!!!!!!!!
Brian.