Summer Solstice

And so it was the longest day of the year... Sunny to boot.

Where has the Gnome been...? As you'll recall the BIOS was acting out on my Mac when last we spoke. I'm sorry to report that a slew of new technical glitches have kept me off the air, although not entirely away from my camera. I made a special trip to Florida last month... not once, but twice, to see STS-134 (Endeavor) launch on 16 May 2011. What a fantastic birthday experience!

Over the coming weeks, I'll be headed back to the Sunshine State to witness history... The last launch of the space shuttle program, STS-135 Atlantis.

With all the airports and delays, I've had a bit of time to reflect on why the space program is important to me and why I'd still be an astronaut if I could. If all goes well, Atlantis will be 'in the mail' on 8 July 2011... Watch this space a couple weeks later for some great images of the two shuttles and a story or two... =)

Bios, bios, bios...

Howdy... Where have all the stories and piccies gone? Well, my dearest Mac seems to have worked its little Pentium heart into a coronary. In English, the Bios chip continues to reset itself and Apple has requested a tune-up to investigate. (At least she didn't go to pieces like my Nikkor 18-135mm len!)

So my Apple has been under-the-weather and is currently undergoing the last of the digital shuffles before going in for servicing. No image manipulation until she gets back (although a few stories are drafted, just waiting for final edits and images).

Until then, wishing everyone out in the digital void a happy holiday season.

Best wishes for 2011, wherever your travels may take you!

Extra!!! Extra!!!

Just the briefest of notes...

- The housekeeping is done - the car is cleaned and most of the junk tucked away;
- The obligatory flu and general cold have come and gone; and
- The nuts and bolts of getting the most out of 'Nome are sorted with a few new features waiting in the wings.

I can now turn my attention to the pictures and stories. Yippee! Me thinks we shall start in Canada next week. =)

Stay tuned. I'm hoping to post Thursdays late so everyone has something lovely for the weekend.

In the meantime, the sometimes witty Tweets from the road can be found on Twitter.

Journey's end...

13,324 miles in ~154 days.
Stories and photos will start around 1 November 2010. Stay tuned, there are some great adventures.

Wagon-train & housekeeping...

Howdy howdy!

The wagon train officially left Syracuse, New York headed south/southwest on 12 July 2010 after a wee run to Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada and a couple other central New York outings. More on those and eastern Pennsylvania this evening (fingers crossed!).

'Nome is also undergoing a bit of a modernization with the addition of tabs at the top for: Flickr (dailies from the road); Tweets (an update of where the wagon wheels have landed that evening); and GPS via GoogleMaps (for those curious where exactly that off the beat track local is). As always, there is the subscription service if you are keen to know when I've got news for ya, quick 'vote on the story' boxes now appear at the bottom of every post, and a link to e-mail me if you have a personal question/comment/observation/nutty advice!

With that, I'll leave you with the first official picture for the 2010 adventure:

CNY Waterfalls.

Update! Update! - 'Nome has been undergoing some long overdue housekeeping! I've got a new look but the content is the same. Still ironing out the kinks and working on new bells and whistles. If you have any suggestions, both positive and negative, drop me a note. Cheers!

On with the story...

A little over a year ago, I boarded yet another mode of transportation, this time an aeroplane, for what was rapidly becoming a new routine – tailor job applications to highlight transferable skills, visit a new city and university, come home, repeat. This time I negotiated 8 days on the ground to explore once the interviews, both formal and otherwise, were concluded.

This gnome knows very little about the East Coast of the US – its home to NYC and Washington DC and Ivy League halls, right? With the spring snowdrops just pushing through I headed south and west to discover “The Finger Lakes.”

Central/Upstate New York was underwater nearly 400 million years ago. As local mountains eroded and silt accumulated, the foundations of the Finger Lakes were laid. Ice age glaciers came and went leaving the lakes and waterfalls to be carved by melt-water creeks cascading into the basins left behind. Today, although slightly less violent, these creeks (and copious winter snows/melts) actively shape the region. I toddled around to see a few and walk still frozen trails one overcast Saturday last March.

Buttermilk Falls borrows it name from a local creek as it flows into Cayuga Lake (the longest of the Finger Lakes). I often have a giggle, as nature is conveniently fenced-in due to the litigation prone citizenry.


Watkins Glen is one of the most famous state parks in the area located on Seneca Lake (the deepest of the Finger Lakes). Owned by industrialist George Watkins, the falls were originally dammed to power millstones and a sawmill. Upon Watkins death, the glen was opened as a resort in 1863 prior to becoming the regions first state park in 1906.



Winding my way back up the western shores of Cayuga Lake, I stopped at Taughannock (Algonquin for “in the trees”) Falls – the tallest free-falling waterfall, at 215 feet, in the northeast. Not as voluminous as Niagara, but pretty in an industrial shale mining sort of way.

On a personal note: In my experience, there is no shortage of gray days in Upstate New York, or snow in the winter, for that matter. It makes photography challenging on its best days and wastes hours on colour correction manipulations post shoot. I hope you enjoy these taster images. There are about half a dozen more languishing on my desktop. I just can’t bring myself to correct at the moment but will get them into a Flickr album soon. =)

Roaming the Wilds Of...

… domestication?

It recently occurred to me that my little, sanity-saving, project got a wee bit lost with all the ‘life changes’ of the past year. Well, as a means of a very very very brief update of the past 12 months:

- Interviewed and got (Hooray!) a job in upstate New York;
- Traveled: upstate New York, Outer Hebrides & Edinburgh surrounds (Scotland), and a doosey of a trip to Egypt (more on that in May);
- Interned as a production manager for a non-profit magazine;
- Had 7 photographs published in a BOOK!;
- Oh, and moved across a BIG BLUE OCEAN and bought a car.

Alas it wasn’t meant to be. Boxes, tape, and removals men are at the ready once again. More on that another day.

I’ll leave you with a couple quickie snappies…

Icicles in upstate New York on the day my possessions arrived after 4 months in transit. Yes, we unloaded in the snow! 2.5 hours later, I couldn't feel my fingers or feet. Seriously!

My wee Honda. She's a manual and handles great - peppy with tight turns. (Gotta keep those shifting skills in practice until I get my porsche!)

Stay tuned… a few pictures from around the state then adventures in Egypt coming soon.

Welcome Alyssa Leona!

On 28 August 2009, at 0804 PST our family welcomed into the world baby Alyssa Leona (meaning: of noble kind; lion)! Yes, I'm an auntie x2 now!

Vitals: 18", 6lb9oz, potential ginger with green-blue eyes. Watch out!

Here are a few of the overnight pics with now 'big brother' Donovan and baby sister Alyssa.

A Visitor.

Howdy howdy.

Been working hard on several projects at home these past few weeks but yesterday I had company:



Poor little guy took advantage of the cool breeze landing in my lounge to admire the view. Trouble was, he got stuck between the panes and nearly exhausted himself fluttering. A half-hour later he relinquished and was rescued. Sometimes, we do "get by with a little help from our friends."

Winds of Change

Wow! Where does the time go? Does it speed-up as we get older? Or, do we simply find more ways to fill the space?

I was recently reminded that it appears I have been ‘off-the-radar’ since late-February due to the vast numbers of e-mails from friends and family wondering if I was still alive. Just to clarify, yes, I am indeed alive! But, it seems the winds of change are upon the horizon.

As means of a brief recap – when last I left you, I had just applied for the Queensland job in addition to traditional research positions. Shortly thereafter my teaching load reappeared and our student magazine, EuSci, entered production mode. This time around, I volunteered to be photographic editor. For those of you curious, this requires having an overall vision of the final magazine we will produce and commissioning artwork to illustrate the articles.(Lets face it – most of us are drawn to stories by interesting images.) I was surprised by the effort required to coordinate this mammoth job and can only toast our outgoing Editor-In-Chief for her commitment to starting this project while finishing her PhD. I had the opportunity to work with some absolutely fantastic student-artists who generated cracking images. When we came up short, I got to dust off my camera and fill the gap. The end product looks fantastic! After all of the production team holding our breath about fundraising, we recently went to press. You can check out our latest efforts at:
www.eusci.org

In the midst of all that ‘chaos’, the wheels of change have started rolling for The Roaming ‘Nome. I was in New York in March for a job interview the outcome of which is still pending. I took a couple of weeks off to explore the Outer Hebrides and Isle of Mull, both in Scotland, and have some great pictures and stories on the horizon. On the photography front, I’ve been commissioned to produce 10 photographs for a new publication about Darwin’s time in Edinburgh. (This should been on the shelves in mid-August so watch this space for publication details.)

But as new opportunities appear, old ones slip away. I recently turned 30 and marked the transition into ‘adulthood’ (I’ve been a grown-up since I was 5) with a new dress and a meal at the Michelin-star restaurant The Kitchin. And, my contract(s) with the University of Edinburgh have ended. Despite the lovely summery weather this weekend, I’m cleaning my office. Its time to be moving onwards and upwards, I suppose.

With that, I’ll leave you with the lyrics to a particularly relevant song that continues to run through my head as I adjust to life without a working week and officially becoming a 30-something:

I think Ill take a moment, celebrate my age;
The ending of an era and the turning of a page;
Now its time to focus in on where I go from here;
Lord have mercy on my next thirty years…

My next thirty years I’m gonna settle all the scores;
Cry a little less, laugh a little more;
Find a world of happiness without the hate and fear;
Figure out just what I’m doing here;
In my next thirty years.

The Genesis of Ideas.

Edinburgh is a beautiful city, even on the dampest and mistiest of days. I fully understand why it is called The Athens of the North and fostered the Scottish Enlightenment (and a vast number of inventions which shaped our modern world). But, these days it is packed with politicians, students, financiers, and a steady stream of tourists. For those of us who are creative souls, the place comes alive in the quiet of midnight - the congestion of the day melts away into solitude and thoughts with a backdrop of historic buildings lit up for show. Those of you who know this 'nome well, know I get a little cranky without my walks. It is when I clear my head, let my subconscious work on problems, and create ideas. I tend to walk home, down the Royal Mile, with the company of a fox most evenings...

So, a few months ago when Queensland Tourism advertised what they billed as the "Best Job in the World: Island Caretaker for the Great Barrier Reef" it seemed like a great idea to apply. Only catch, unlike the traditional job applications I can complete in my sleep, this one required a 60-second video spot with a six week application window.

Daunted by the challenge at first, I thought, why not give it a go... Worst that could happen, I don't get it. And so, a personal gauntlet was thrown down. Over the course of the past 4 weeks, I have had an amazing journey of growth and creativity. I started with a simple goal, create something that is ME and was determined not to talk to the computer like the majority of the applicants I sampled.

Along the way I've learned technical skills - how to run a video camera, performed tape to digital transfers, and played with sophisticated editing software (a la iMovie '09 and Adobe Premier Pro). On the creative front, the idea has matured - first it was something like Jerry Maguire, then Forrest Gump, then old Travelocity ads and a memorable piece of music, arriving ultimately at the brand I have been developing for myself since 2006 "The Roaming 'Nome" and a little help from my friend's answers to the following question, "If you had to describe me in 10 words, what would you say?" I learned about the Great Barrier Reef, explored my vast library of photographs (both print and digital), listened to hours of random music on the Internet until I found a track I loved, and developed a renewed awe at the wacky world I choose to inhabit.

In the end, Queensland Tourism either received 22 copies of my application, or zero, depending on how the server was feeling; it was jammed from the over 34,684 entries they received. To be honest, I'm actually not that bothered if they didn't get it, or rejected it because their content monitor decided it was 61 seconds long. (Although, if they did, and I got the job, that would be fantastic and you are all invited to share the pool!) I had the most amazing experience putting the piece together that I wouldn't trade it for all the tea in China.

Below find my endeavor in its entirety (the application is slightly shorter on the 'credits'). To those who provided support and inspiration over this past month, I am sincerely in your debt. To the wider world, I challenge you to put yourself out there every day - it doesn't have to be something grand and earth shattering, but it should stretch your limits and broaden your horizons.

Living the adventure, The Roaming 'Nome

A Groundhog, Lincoln, and Darwin.

After a busy year of gnome-ing, I took a much needed holiday from my adventures and journeyed west to visit friends and family. Sadly, the rather routine 15 hours from Edinburgh to Seattle turned into an epic 33 hours filled with missed flights, interesting passengers, and weather! At one point Delta wanted me to get through security in Atlanta without issuing me a boarding pass. Luckily I wasn’t apprehended for such shenanigans.

As the plane rolled into the gate in Seattle, the snowflakes began… We had almost 2.5feet in a little over 24 hours effectively snowing me in.

I had the opportunity to spend some quality time with my main squeeze – my fiery haired nephew Donovan; teaching him the cool things in life including cooking, dancing, and taking pictures. I bought him a cute little toy camera a few years ago and he caught on pretty quick. When I left he was saying, “Smile.”; “Take a picture?”; “Say cheese.” I’m certain that although endearing to me, its probably lost its charm with his parents. But, that’s what cool aunts do!

2008 was a big year for this wee gnome! I published a book. I was awarded a PhD. I adventured. And, in the end, three of my photos were published in the local science magazine – EUSci. (Check out pages 19 and 28 of Issue 2.) Ultimately, 2008 left without much fuss at all, although this crimson sky left me a bit apprehensive about the year ahead… It will be a year of changes for this gnome. Big ones!


After a few delays, I returned to Edinburgh just in time for the Groundhog to see his shadow. Shortly there after, the UK began experiencing its coldest and snowiest weather in almost 20 years. While crippling London, Edinburgh got just a dusting of snow, and that is more than enough for this gnome (originally from the land of sun). I admit, a couple days in a row I did take the longer route into the office to capture these images. Who knows when we’ll see the white stuff again?

My backyard complete with snowmen.

One of the classical views of this most classical city.

On to a mildly educational, but certainly entertaining thought. While in the US, major hay was made of the 200th anniversary of Lincoln’s birth, 12 February. Interestingly, Darwin was also born 200 years ago on the same day. It got me to thinking about chance. What are the chances that two men, who would have such a profound effect on the human condition, would be born on the same day? I wonder what they would have said to each other if they could have met during the 1830s? And, how different would the world be if neither had been born? I reckon the Flying Spaghetti Monster might be fact had Darwin not written On The Origins of Species. Although, there may be some scientific basis to global warming and the loss of pirates!

To celebrate Darwin’s 200th, Edinburgh has chosen to use the annual ‘One City, One Book’ initiative to continue the debate about evolution. As a means of a very short recap – Edinburgh is a world heritage City of Literature. Each February we promote literacy and our rich heritage by handing out hundreds of free copies of the book of choice. I invite you to join me in reading the book of the month – Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Lost World. For more information, please visit One Book One City 2009.

I'll leave you with undoubtedly my favorite view of Edinburgh:

Get Out the Vote

Howdy all you roaming gnomes!

Its been a busy year for this Roaming Gnome...

But, first and foremost I wanted to encourage everyone to GET OUT THE VOTE on election day. As we prepare to bid farewell to a marathon 21 months of campaigning, SNL parodies, and rock star rallies its time to make your voice heard! Even while roaming, this wee gnome took the time to both register to vote in her home state of Washington and mail in her absentee ballot. If I can do it, you can do it. What better way to exercise your freedom and democracy than to fill in a ballot? 'Nough said.

Anywho, as I was saying its been a busy year at Gnome Central... I thought I'd create a snapshot map of some of the places I've been while sorting through the photographs and stories as well as warping young minds here in Edinburgh. With any luck, a few more stories will appear (although with 60 papers to grade this week it is doubtfully in the next few days) before the years out. I've made it my mission to get up to date with my travels over the holiday break so December should be a real treat for all of you with itchy feet. Until then, I leave you with this map highlighting some of my travels over the past 12 months. Best wishes, and keep warm as the weather draws in.


View Larger Map

Crieff

After spending all weekend indoors at Crieff Hydro learning to think 'creatively,' I opted to ramble and spied...


And...

Company arrives tomorrow to help me celebrate a long awaited achievement and roam around bonnie wee Scotland.

In the g-know...

So, way way way back in April, my dear Macbook started to get grumpy. She made the most atrocious noise at start-up - I wouldn't say 'death curl' but not far from it. After panic backing up the hard drive to an external I turned her off and lovingly whispered, "I hope you start-up when I get back from Greece."

A month later she did wake up, but she was suffering. Several expensive phone calls to Apple later and she was away for repair. First the CD/DVD drive was replaced. Then a second CD/DVD drive was installed only to throw up a faulty logic board. Basically the entire computer has been rebuilt. And who says buying an extended warranty is for wimps! At the moment I am awaiting a new battery and installation disks (because they were scratched by the faulty CD drive). Hopefully, the photography will be back up and running in about a week to ten days. In desperation, a new-old Powerbook has been enlisted; but I'm just getting up to speed on this one. =)

This has all been rubbish news for the world of 'gnome-travelogue' because sans computer means no photo editing. But, there have been a few new projects on the go to keep me occupied in the absence of suitable binary. Sadly, one of those included not being short-listed for the travel writing contest I had entered with my story of Indiana Joness adventures on Crete. Ah well, next time!


Last weekend I was in Crieff (Perthshire) for a conference/training with the ever so snappy title "Biotech Entrepreneurship Summer School." First and foremost, I can not recommend Crieff more highly. Perthshire is my patch of Scotland - it reminds me of home. And, at a close second, the summer school, although exhausting was very inspiring. For anyone who has recently entered the dreary world of unemployment and the merry-go-round of job hunting this was a welcomed window into a world of exciting ideas which is thriving while big pharma and industry falters.

On a personal note, being an ex-pat is an interesting experience - often exciting and lively; but news from home is often slow to trickle down, as was the case this past weekend. As many will know, I am a long time supporter and watcher of "Meet the Press" with Tim Russert. (To be honest, if he and Tom Brokaw hadn't made the 2000 presidental election so exciting, I may have passed biochemistry the first time around.) However, unlike the majority of the United States, I missed the announcement of his untimely death on Friday last. Late Sunday evening I downloaded the latest podcast only to learn the sad news. Since then I have been following the story online and been struck by the outpouring of sympathy of my fellow countrymen for a man we knew simply because of Sunday mornings. I suggest, if you never had the opportunity to watch his broadcasts, checkout the "Meet the Press" homepage. I think you'll find Mr Russert was one of those rare and genuine souls who worked hard to make this world a little bit better without forgetting where he came from (Buffalo!) and lived every day to its fullest. Something to strive for.

Right, the family arrives in a weeks time for a rather large celebration.

Roaming Sans Computers

Actually, sounds like it should be an international aid organization, but, the Gnome went roaming in Greece without one and returned to civilization only to send her's for surgery and start a new job. Sadly for the readership, this means you've not been treated to fun stories. Happily for me, I got some rest.

Never fear - I've sorted out an interim solution and the navigational portion of my travelog will conclude later this week with the journey from Rethymnon into the Selinos before returning to Athens. Thereafter, you can expect a weekly adventure from Crete (as there were some good ones) and more photos.

Until then, stay tuned and start thinking about where the Gnome should head next.

A Day In...

...Rethymnon.

The churchbells chime a melody calling the faithful to prayer in the sultry wee hours of the morning. (Greek Orthodox Easter is on 27 April 2008. We are well and truly into Lent.) In what seems like only minutes the bells chime 8 and this Gnome slowly wakes in hopes of a warm shower...

Days in Rethynmom are leisurely. After a meandering morning routine including coffee with Ivan (the assistant manager of Rethymnon Youth Hostel) and a breakfast of yoghurt with honey while chatting with my fellow travelers about their plans, the Gnome is off (around 10.30). Based in Rethymnon, my daily explorations ranged from chatting with archeologists and conservationists, to driving in the hills of the Amari Valley, to visiting a monestary, or hiking to a freshwater lake. Covered in dust, I'd return to Rethymnon in the early evening to dance around the kitchen making pasta and vegetables to the sounds of 80s/90s/today pop tunes. During dinner, the intrepid band of travelers shared their stories of the good and the great before plotting the next days exploits.

Fortress Rethymnon looking towards the Lefka Ori

After a week or so of doddling around the prefect, I pushed South-Southwest over the Lefka Ori (White Mountains) into the scenic interior of Crete - the Selinos region... a land without internet.

(NB: Each adventure is a fantastic story waiting for photo-editing so stay tuned in May for the updates.)

Hippie?

Greetings from the Selinos region of Crete!

Sorry for the delay (and equally information-less post). When I struck out from Rethymnon, I headed south-southwest where the internet is slow to reach. I'm actually using the managers computer at a bar called the Lotus to post to you - hence the brevity!

Apparently, I'm on the edge of being a hippie based on my holiday destinations... but more on that another evening. I'm catching a ferry shortly and should have a post or two for you tomorrow while I'm doing some rather boring chores.

Winds from the SouthWest

Kali mera! (Or, "Good day" to those speaking Latin based languages.)

As much fun as paying €23 a night to stay in the port city of Iraklion, while freezing under 5 blankets, was I've pushed west into the prefect of Rethymnon. Departing at 2100, the last bus of the day wound its way around the cliff-top curves of the northern shore towards western Crete. Thankfully, a skilled driver was at the helm and it was dark - at one point I could see the sea at the bottom of the cliff and nothing else. Scary!

Rethymnon is the third largest town in Crete, and home to Crete's only university. Overrun with cars, scooters, and motorcycles around the edges, it feels surprisingly provincial with its jumble of Venetian, Turkish, and dilapidated facades painted in cream and pastel hues. This is a place for wandering alleys, browsing specialty shops (each store sells one item - fruit, veg, sweets, breads, herbs, etc.) which close for a siesta and cease to trade on Sundays, or trying to avoid the touristy cafes and tavernas where waiters follow you down the sidewalk with a menu... With only an archeology museum adjacent to its Venetian fort, this is a place for chilling.

Rethymnon harbour, Crete

The wind has arrived from the southwest bringing heat, humidity, and sand from Libya and the Sahara creating a swealtering heat and low canary haze. I reckon this is what the deep South feels like in high summer. Weather for surfing the net in an air conditioned cafe, listening to Greek pop tunes, and reading magazines rather than rambling...

Anyway, after a busy travel week in Athens and Iraklion, I decided to use Rethynmom as a base for exploring the prefect - and so four wheels were hired...

Indiana Jones(-ess)...

... And the Mythical KTEL Buses.

NB: You get two for the price of one today... Don't miss the previous post on Knossos.

Let down by Knossos, I decided to take an adventure south towards Festos Palace the second most important Minoan site. Easy peasy, right?

Dressed in my khakies, boots and expedition hat I walked to the Iraklion bus station and purchased a ticket for the 0900 to Festos. Shortly after 0915, a bus arrived with an announcement in Greek followed up by "Festos, second bus." That announcement must have been specifically for me. After checking my ticket with the driver, he waved me on board leading me to believe the bus went directly to Festos. Greek bus travel is an experience, in luxury. This teal beast, complete with high backed seats and air conditioning, speed south over narrow mountains roads, through olive orchards, towards the coast stopping at Mires for the Matala bus change. I'd certainly be freaked if I saw this monster headed towards me on a cliff-top one way road. After 2 hours, for a journey which should take 90 minutes at most, I asked the driver when we would get to Festos. He said, "That was back about 20 minutes. Get off here, cross the road, and another bus will be along in about 20 minutes."

A bit worried, I got off the bus (because it was clear he wasn't going to take me any further) and waited by the side of the road in literally the middle of nowhere in the mid-day sun. An hour and a half later, the return bus approached only to deliver me back at Mires where I learned I had missed all buses to Festos. I could have used that bull-whip... Forty-five minutes later, a southbound bus arrived, the attendent ran out, said something to the driver, then came and got me. Apparently, she convinced this driver to drop me off at Festos despite it not being on the route. Lucky me! The driver was careful to make sure I understood that the bus back to Iraklion was at 1730 and there was no other means to get back if I missed it... Should I have taken that as a hint?

Festos Palace was discovered and excavated by Federico Halberr (Italian) around the same time as Knossos. Unlike Evans, Halberr opted to excavate and conserve which made a world of difference. Although created on a smaller scale than Knossos, Festos made use of alabaster and gympsum which remains in-situ.

Festos Palace over Messara Plain, Crete

A Canadian and Australian couple tagged along as I wandered around a practically deserted ruin overlooking the Messara Plain. I was the only one with an expedition notebook - a.k.a a well dog-eared copy of the Rough Guide to Crete, 2004. After their impromtu 'guide,' they offered to drive me 3km up the hill to the 'Summer Palace' of Ayia Triadha overlooking the Gulf of Messara. Again, completely deserted this was truly a hidden gem.
Ayia Triadha over the Gulf of Messara, Crete

A 45-minute stroll back down the hill, dropped me at Festos around 1645. The bus ambled up at 1745 and arrived back in Iraklion, happily, 90 minutes later.

Despite taking over 4.5 hours to reach, it was worth the adventure - I felt, and looked, a bit like Indiana Jones(-ess) discovering these beautifully sited ruins for the first time. Given that some of the most significant Minoan artifacts were discovered on these sites it was amazing to see than without the clutter of tour groups and guides.

Having seen what I came to see, I caught the last bus from Iraklion west to Rethymnon... I pick up the hire car in the morning for some off-the-beaten-track adventures. More to come...