Sunsets in Santorini
Santorini was an absolute dream. I'll admit, ever since I watched Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants back in early high school, I was set on visiting the island. Although no falling-into-the-water-but-being-saved-by-a-Greek-guy-named-Kostas events occurred, it was one of my favourite stops in Greece.
The island itself is small, making travel between towns and beaches easy if you have an ATV (I highly recommend to rent one!), and we were able to cover the entire island during our four-day stay. My most memorable day was the one spent in Oia. Taking the longer and more off-beat road, we drove the outside length of the island from Kamari area to reach the tip of the island. Although there was no caldera view, this route allowed you to see more of Santorini, including small churches dotting the hills and an unobstructed view of the sea. We arrived early to Oia; a tiny town of blue and white, to explore and watch the famous Santorini sunset. We met and chatted with an older couple while awaiting the sunset and what I remember most was their story. A Canadian and a Swede who met long ago while traveling through Istanbul. They went their separate ways but by chance, crossed paths again that summer in the same hostel. As years passed, they moved back and forth between Canada and Sweden and to this day continue to travel the world. It was a unique (but probably not the only) story of how travel connects people.
After the last bit of sun had set, our original plan of getting gelato was interrupted by the realization that the weather had become very windy and chilly. With a substantial drive home on the ATV left to go and traffic brewing, we got out fast. The next 30-40 minutes was one of the scariest but most exhilarating experiences of the trip, and can be easily added to my list of most epic travel moments. By ignoring the GPS and following traffic, we quickly sped out of Oia to get back to our hotel. After about five minutes of driving, we realized that we had chosen the path we wanted to avoid, but it was too late. The road was no longer the pleasant drive we experienced before. It became very narrow, and wrapped around winding cliffs with steep drops to the sea. The wind was incredibly strong, blowing sand and bits of rock into our faces and hair and slowing the ATV. Without a sweater, I held on tight, blinking back tears from the wind and dust. Looking back, the sky was dark pink, providing the last moments of skylight and behind me were cliffs, winding roads and water. The scenery was something I had yet to experience and although quite terrifying, it was something to be appreciated. Moments like these remind you that you are alive, the world is an unpredictable but absolutely beautiful place and there are so many tiny corners yet to be discovered.
Santorini, although filled with tourists and photographed thousands of times over, still manages to enchant and fill you with life. It's a beautiful island and from Oia to Fira, or Kamari to Perissa, photos do not do it justice. But don't take my word for it- go see for yourself.