Beep Beep Who got the keys to my jeep?

Whilst in Naxos we were lucky enough to be accompanied by someone who knew the island well. As a result we all hired jeeps and went on a little adventure over the winding mountain "roads" to the opposite side of the island. Now, this is not for the fainthearted, if you have any fear of heights you probably wont enjoy the sheer drops of the mountain roads. 

 I use the word road loosely as they were more dirt tracks and were extremely bumpy, however this added to the fun and thrill of the jeep ride. We all had open top jeeps with a convoy of 5 vehicles. 

Often stopping to take photos it is definitely a great way to take in the beauty of the island. There are perfect views down to the ocean and rustic hillsides with the odd church or farm dotted here and there. What was astonishing about this journey was that these mountain roads were used regularly by the local farmers and there was often a hair raising moment where we met oncoming traffic with nothing but a sheer drop beside us. Still adding to the fun we tried to convince ourselves.

    

   

As we came closer to our final destination we stopped in a little village hidden away in the mountains and had a well earned refreshing iced chocolate beverage, exploring the little shops selling Greek pottery and local produce such as olives and oil. We also had the opportunity to visit the local church where some of our group lit candles for their loved ones.

         

We continued our journey down the mountain to the other side of the island and came across our final destination a lovely beach front restaurant & hotel offering use of its pool. We enjoyed a mass feast of local dishes including moussaka, seafood and feta cheese. Once our bellies were full of food and good wine we relaxed around the poolside allowing ourselves to warm up in the sunshine before jumping into the pool to cool down. 

As the evening was starting to draw in we climbed aboard our jeeps once again and made the journey home, this time using the main route with less bumpy roads.

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Island Cocktail Time

Agia Anna may be small but it still had quite a lively night life. My two favorite places to visit after dark were the Island Bar and Kahlua Bar. The one we frequented the most was the Island Bar with its trendy beach interior with white sofas, wooden dance floor and candles adorning the place added to its cool atmosphere. There are also amazing views looking out over the lit up ocean.

It may be slightly on the expensive side for Agia Anna as the cocktails cost around €8, but it is certainly made up for in the measures, with one of the strongest Mojitos I've ever tried. It certainly doesn't take long to get in the mood to dance like you've never danced before, which we often did.

The DJ usually starts off the evening with pop and hip hop tunes but as you cross over midnight the vibe becomes more 'dancey'. You could easily forget you were in this small village in Naxos and instead feel like you were in Ibiza.

The other bar was Kahlua, a small walk from Agia Anna this cocktail bar was situated in Agios Prokopios. Again it opted for a similar decor to Island Bar, with white sofas, candles and wooden floors. It too was on the beach front but with a less pretty view of the beach compared to Island Bar.

The cocktail list is perfect with lost of variations of the common favorites. I'm a sucker for a Pina Colada but when I saw they had a Banana Colada I had to try it and I wasn't disappointed, the cocktails are about €8 also.

Kahlua also has its own DJ and played well known club classics and songs all night. Like most European countries the nightlife doesn't get going to well after midnight, so if you are looking for a packed dance floor this happens in the later hours. But they are bothperfect places to sit and chill during the early evenings and watch the sunset. 

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Poolside in Plaka

When I was first told that there would be no pool at the little apartments that I would be spending the next 15 days at my heart sunk a little. I was never usually one for swimming in the ocean as I was always a little scared of what might be swimming below my feet, but as you will see from my previous post those fears soon disappeared. However, when I was told that there were pool bars further along the beach I secretly jumped for joy. A short walk from Agia Anna beach will bring you to another little village called Plaka, it consists mainly of beachfront cafes, the odd supermarket, hotels and of course our favorite the pool bars.

After walking in the Greek heat the Peppermint Pool Bar & Restaurant beamed out at us like an oasis. The decent sized pool looked inviting and the rest of the bar could have been mistaken for a trendy cocktail bar in Ibiza. It was sleek and comfortable with white cushioned sun loungers under palm leafed parasols. 

Of course the first thing we did was order ourselves a cocktail and set up on one of the sun loungers. The place wasn't packed at this time probably due to it nearing the end of the season but this was perfect for us. As the waitress brought over our cocktails and complimentary nibbles to our sun loungers we felt very VIP.

Similarly to the sun beds on the beach as long as you purchase a drink or food you can stay uninterrupted basking in the sun and dipping in the pool all day. It was also the perfect location to shoot outfit and location shots and I became photographer for the day for Jess (www.coppergarden.co.uk).

       

Even though my Pina Colada wasn't as creamy as I would have liked it was still nice and the food was definitely worth the visit. I ordered my self the Club Sandwich which was huge and also came with chips and it only cost €6. I will definitely be going back to Peppermint on my next visit to Naxos.

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Welcome to my world

As the clock struck midnight on 31st December 2014 I felt a sense of both relief and dread as I was treading into the new year jobless after just getting my full time job with a major banking corporation. I'd had enough of the London rat race and decided at the grand old age of 30 to start my life long dream of being a writer and subsequently a hippie traveling the world. I intend to share my travels with you through both photographs and reviews in the hope to inspire you all to explore this beautiful world. 

Not only will I be sharing with you my love of travel and all the amazing destinations I aim to visit over the next year, I will also share with you my other passions of food, beauty and fashion all with a travel twist. I am so greatful that I have finally been able to realise this dream and I hope you enjoy the journey with me.

First stop the Greek Island of Naxos...

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Naxos Beach Bum

The small village of Agia Anna, meaning Saint Anna, is nestled away in a small bay on the Greek island of Naxos. The beach of Agia Anna is instantly breathtaking with clear blue sea and stunning sunsets. I was generally always a pool lover and although I have not abandoned my chlorine filled friend I have however had a change of heart about being in the ocean. Those first tentative steps into the perfect aqua coloured water I will not lie are a little chilly, but also a refreshing relief to the heat of the sun. After building up the courage to plunge myself under I come to the surface feeling refreshed and acclimatized to the oceans cool waters. As I float in the water feeling the beautiful sun rays on my skin I look back to the sandy beach and watch the tourists and restaurant owners go about their day.

The length of Agia Anna beach is adorned with many bars, restaurants and cafes, but it never feels over crowded or too busy. Each bar has its own sunbeds and tables outside which you can use free of charge after purchasing a drink or a snack and then stay all day. My favorite bar/restaurant on the beach front was Ostria, but I will cover this lovely place in a separate post.

As I turn from the beach to look out across the ocean I can see the nearby island of Paros. Not close enough to swim to, although many have tried, it is close enough to enjoy the silhouette of its mountain range. The ocean is mostly calm and makes its the perfect place to snorkel with various fish and even the odd sea turtle to keep you company.

After a relaxing swim its time to dart across the warm sands and order that first glass of chilled wine where I sit and watch the world go by. The sun starts to set and as the sun sets the first few lights start to twinkle across the sea from Paros.

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