To Lesbos and Back: An Epic Journey of Waffles, Castles, and Toilet Paper Lessons. 

Ah, vacation time! The epic part of adulting. We had been counting down the days since we booked in January, working hard on our physical health and preparing for what promised to be a memorable escape. After many years of staycations and daydreams, I was finally off on a real vacation! Destination: Lesbos! Yes, the Greek island. Excuse me, not the plot twist you were expecting.

~ September 13th:

Airport Shenanigans.

The day began as all great adventures do—by making sure our house looked like a model home for when burglars break in. With everything unplugged and neat, we locked the door behind us and hopped into the 9:45 am taxi. Our flight wasn’t until 2:15 pm, so naturally, we were early enough to leisurely panic about potential airport disasters.

Customs came through with the drama when Jessy’s backpack was held back like a rebellious teenager. The culprit? A pile of loose change that could have passed for medieval treasure. Thanks, Mom! Love you. After walking what felt like the entire length of the airport to find our gate, we snacked on a croissant and banana—fuel for the 35-minute delay we were about to face because the plane decided it wasn’t ready. Diva move!

Finally, we took off. It was a pleasant flight, which in airline terms means nobody screamed about reclining seats or armrest hogging. Bonus points: the passengers were super kind about my disabilities. Take note, world.

~ September 14th: 

Castles and Ice Cream.

I didn’t sleep much, but breakfast at 8:30 AM was calling. Afterward, we ventured up to the high part of Molyvos, which gave me serious fairytale vibes. We started with drinks and ice cream at a picturesque café and then visited the *Brucht*—that’s “castle” for those who don’t speak, well, Dutch-Greek-tourist-lingo. The Molyvos Castle is a historical gem. It dates back to 1373, which makes it older than my unresolved life problems.

Souvenir shopping at the traditional market was our next stop, and it didn’t disappoint. Back at the hotel, we took a dip in the pool before chilling in our room like we were born to vacation.

~ September 15th: 

Waffles and Waves. 

Sleep finally decided to show up, so I woke up feeling like a new person. We took the shuttle to Molyvos and made our way in a leisurely fashion to the harbor where we enjoyed waffles for lunch. They were so good they might as well have been delivered by Zeus himself. We also got treated to some sea drama: the waves at the harbor were showing off, crashing over the barriers like they were auditioning for *Poseidon’s Got Talent*. 

At the hotel we had more pool time, more sun, and a spontaneous photo to brag to friends who were on another Greek island (Karpathos, for the curious). Hey, if you’re in Greece and don’t photograph it, did it even happen?

~ September 16th: 

Step by Step—Literally. 

We started early to beat the crowds, heading to Petra to climb the famous rock to the Holy Church of Virgin Mary. Fun fact: I was so determined to get to the top that crawling on all fours was 100% on the table. Jessy helped me every step of the way, and by the time we reached the top, the view was as spectacular as the satisfaction of not face-planting on the way up.

The ‘blind traveller’ and ‘sighted guide’ baseball caps along with the nordic walking stick we had dressed up in costume to look like a white cane for the blind, had tourists being respectful while sharing fine words of encouragement. 

Our reward? Drinks with David and Allison, a lovely couple from Liverpool, who proved that even strangers in foreign lands can feel like instant friends—especially over a good beverage.

~September 17th: 

All Aboard the Train. 

We took a charming open-air village train to Anaxos. It was small, cute, and bright blue—the kind of train that demands a photo op, which I obviously obliged. We even stopped at a bird-watching point where I pretended to know things about birds. (I mostly just admired the view and pretended I had a clue.) It provided us with a stunning view of Molyvos, which I snapped pics of. Gotta put that on Instagram later. 

After sinking into the sand during a beach walk, we opted for the safer pavement route and enjoyed lunch. I had pizza (because when in Greece, right?), and Jessy devoured gyros. That evening, ice cream took center stage again as we relaxed on a terrace before heading back to the hotel. The hotel meal that evening wasn’t fit for adventurous holiday-makers. Thankfully we were satisfied with the snacks in our room while enjoying a movie. 

~ September 18th:

T-Shirts and Olive Trees. 

We kept it relaxing, starting the day with tea on the balcony. Our main event? A stroll through the forest near Molyvos, where I took a mental note that olive trees are the true queens of shade. 

Snacks and drinks were at Gatos. A restaurant with a spectacular view of Molyvos and the harbour. We then hit the market again, snagging some T-shirts and rings, because nothing says “I went to Greece” like an armful of souvenirs.

Dinner that night was by the water at the harbour. I indulged in a giant cheese and ham salad wrap while Jessy went full burger mode. Greece, you feed us well.

~ September 19th:

Turtles and Trees. 

The day of the road trip! Our taxi driver became our unofficial tour guide as he took us to Sigri, stopping first at the turtle pool. Picture this: cats fishing for their dinner while turtles mind their business. It’s like *National Geographic* with a twist.

We visited the petrified forest museum, where we learned all about ancient trees turned to stone, and I took some mental notes for my “cool things to tell people I’ve done” list.

Dinner that night was in Petra, and yes, I had another wrap. This time tuna salad. No, it’s not an addiction. Jessy, on the other hand, went for pancakes with chocolate sauce, which is clearly the Greek way of saying “dessert for dinner.”

~ September 20th:

Back to Reality (Kind Of). 

Our final day in Lesbos. We had one last epic breakfast, packed our bags, and said goodbye to David and Allison. We spent some time sipping tea and playing Skip-Bo. I’m sure the waitstaff thought we were pro card sharks by the end of it. Our 3:45pm taxi came early. That’s handy! As the roads were busier than expected. 

Airport security once again had its moment when I set off the scanner. Was it the metal in my adapted shoes? Or the fact that my blood sugar was high from all the delicious food? We may never know. But hey, at least I managed to grab some last-minute duty-free chocolate. That will fix the blood sugar!

The flight home was smooth, albeit with some turbulence, and we arrived at Schiphol Airport feeling like we’d just been on the vacation of a lifetime.

~ Lessons Learned in Greece:

– Don’t put toilet paper in the toilet, unless you enjoy a DIY plumbing disaster.

– Elderly Greek ladies will climb hills that would give a mountain goat a panic attack.

– 30-degree Greek heat is *way* more tolerable than 30-degree Dutch humidity.

– Peeing on a plane? It’s an extreme sport!

– Putting eye drops in at 30,000 feet should be an Olympic event.

And with that, we were back home, greeted by special weighted plushy animals placed carefully on our beds by Mom (and probably a bit of vacation magic). A brown and white Beagle for me. A light brown long-eared rabbit for Jessy. 

Jessy and I looked at each other and knew—this trip was unforgettable.  I wouldn’t trade the memories for anything. Lesbos, you were amazing. Can’t wait to come back.

Now, excuse me while I hug my plushy dog and drift into a well-earned post-vacation slumber.

Read more about the Castle Of Molyvos: Here.

Read more about the Holy Church of Virgin Mary: Here.

For more photos:

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Blog written by CJ. Edited with ChatGPT and revised by CJ.