Tuesday 14^th August, 2018 2100

The car arrived slightly early this morning. We had been disappointed to get up at six in order to go and get a breakfast for Alice only to find that the cafes were open yet their kitchens weren't until too late, so all you could get was coffee.

We arrived in plenty of time at T1 CDG and to my surprise and relief, although there was a huge check-in queue I learnt it was for a Thai flight. Aegean took a mere five minutes to queue and dump our cases. Usual problems at security, ended up sans belt and so forth and a first, explosives swabs of the hands. Yet they never took my lighter from me even though without thinking I slung it in the tray with my other belongings. And you could buy lighters in the airport shops. No smoking booth to be found though. Didn't have the bottle to try sneaking a few crafty puffs in the loo though!

This was my first time with Aegean, the aircraft being an A321. Very happy with the seat width and legroom, food nothing special but perfectly ok and very good stewardesses. Definitely a decent outfit to fly with.

Another fortune on a taxi to tonight's hotel but the view from our upgraded deluxe room balcony is to die for. Alice decided that, far from being lachrymose over leaving Paris, this was even better!

We've been down to the sea for a beer on the beach, stayed for a little while watching the antics of two groups of French package holidaymakers being organised by their tour reps for activities and are now in the room relaxing. I just hope the planned beach discotheque is not audible way up here seeing as it starts at eleven.

Sadly just the one night here, tomorrow we move to Piraeus in preparation for an early morning ferry to Syros on Thursday. As these things so often do, this tour is whizzing by far too swiftly – almost as fast as my money!