How to: Long layover in Lima

When I bought my plane ticktes, I thought I was being very suave with the return journey- only a couple hours in Lima and we would be on our way home. I booked a hella early flight out of Cusco (6:30 AM) in order to make that 11:30AM international flight.
 
PLOT TWIST: I booked an 11:30 PM international flight. *face palm So while not being super stoked about the early flight when we could’ve taken a later one, we at least had plenty of time then to explore the beautiful capital city of Lima. 


 
At the airport we stored our bigger bags at the locker facility (you can easily fit 2 carryons and maybe a small backpack on top of that) and booked one of the many many taxi cab services located in the terminal (we were running low on cash so the appeal was being able to pay with credit card). It was a reasonable fare to go all the way to Miraflores (about an hour) at $18- especially considering we could split that cab fare 4 ways among our group.
 
 
First thing first, we started with Kennedy Square as that seemed to be the easiest drop off spot. Right by the square was a delicious looking café (that accepted credit cards haha) so we had breakfast there. For $10 I got a latte, fresh squeeze juice, eggs, and a variety of breads. Definitely a worthy brunch if nothing else. The highlight of Kennedy Square is definitely the ART scene. As we ate we watched several artists start setting up there easels. So right after breakfast we headed over to admire the multiple wares and pet the well taken care of stray cats that take residence in the park. (over 100!)
 

Top things to see in Miraflores

1. The COAST (basically just the walkway along the beach or up on the cliffs checking out the many parks as well as the lighthouse are a great to spend a lazy afternoon)
2. Barranco: If you’re into shopping, this is the spot
3. Kennedy Park to check out the many artists work and maybe purchase a really unique souvenir
4. The Huaca Pucllana ruins which are in the heart of Miraflores and are pre-Inca!
5. If you’ve ever wanted to try out surfing, this is a great place to do it! 
 
One of the many cats roaming around Kennedy Park
We explored the immediate area around the Square enjoying what seemed to be a flash mob aerobics class in the street right next to the cathedral where choir music mixed in to create contrast.
 
We wandered our way down to the coast admiring the Park of Love and then followed the beautiful coastal path as it wove through lots of parks and little cafes. At this point I was really feeling worn down after the long previous day and little sleep before traveling so I took a break from my compatriots to find a seat on a park bench and nap/ read for a while.
 Statue at the Parque de Amor
Stunning views of the coastline 
Looking down at the restaurant we’d be eating dinner at later 
After saying hello to a few happy dogs on the walkway, I settled into a café I was hoping would have wifi (it didn’t) but did order a drink and churro to pass the time.
The cafe had really cool views (though you can’t tell as well with the gloom hanging down on the ocean) 
Enjoying my treats and the “view”

 Other top things to do in Lima

1. Take a tour out to the desert and sand surf! 
2. Take a Peruvian Cooking class
3. Visit the historic district- most notably the Basilica and Convent of San Francisco to see the catacombs there
4. Check out the government palace 
 
I proceeded to do none of those things (though I really would’ve done some of them if I had more time to plan my time in Lima… *whoops* but the one masterful idea we had was a recommendation that came from fellow trekkers to Salkantay:
 

Eat at La Rosa Nautica

I met up with my friends out front and we had some amazing seafood with a 5 star eating experience. 
The try all seafood platter I shared with a friend that included fish, clams, mussels, shrimp, squid, octopus, and probably some other things thrown in there I missed. It was awesome getting at least 2 of everything so we were able to try everything and divy up (based on preferred pallets) any extras. 
It was a moody gloomy day, but inside was cozy and romantic. (Tip: Make a reservation to get a better spot by a window) This is probably one of the fanciest restaurants I’ve ever dined at considering they had a specialist in wine selection just waiting to make appropriate recommendations, white napkin services, and of course, charged you for the bread! (even if you don’t eat the bread…) 
 
All in all it was a relaxing day in Lima exploring the hip neighborhood of Miraflores, trying divine seafood, petting lots of dogs, and taking it easy on a long layover. I hope you get to experience some of Lima on a layover or longer stay! Enjoy. 
 

Total Cost for day in Lima

Airport storage locker $16.70 split 2 ways  $8.35 pp
Taxi to Miraflores Kennedy Square (split 4 ways) $18  – $4.5 pp
Breakfast $10
Latte and Churro at Buenavista Cafe $3.60
Dinner at La Rosa Nautica $40
Taxi back to airport $15- $3.75 pp
Total: $70.20

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What to do on a trip to Orlando (that doesn’t involve theme parks!)

 Ok so this is the everything  BUT amusement parks post for Orlando, Florida. First up was our least successful Family Reunion day. We all got up to leave our house in Kissimme (just south of Orlando) in order to get to the natrual springs water park Weeki Wachee. We had 5 cars headed out there spaced out anywhere from 5 minutes to 30 minutes. Only the first TWO cars got in and they closed the parking lot and entrance so no other visitors would be allowed entry…. At this point we’d driven about 2 hours and were in unfamiliar territory. WHAT DO WE DO?

Our 3 cars that didn’t make it head to nearby Homosassa Wildlife park and springs due to the internet telling us there is a “free” boat ride. And there is…. to the wildlife park that is $13 pp. We took the boat to the park but the idea of walking around a HOT HOT HOT zoo essentially when we all wanted to be swimming…. was a turn off so we turned right around and left. 
 But we couldn’t quite leave without posing for a photo in front of the Manatee in front of the Visitor Center/ Parking lot. 
 My sister Jenna, Dad, and I on the “not shaded at all” boat ride. 
While admittedly a bit boring since no gators and really very little wildlife was spotted, the slow infernal boat ride did have some pleasant views. 
So next up we tried for a swimming spot and closest to Homossa was Crystal River beach. (A beach on the gulf side of Florida) The water was as warm as a bath tub but still felt great! The beach had lots of parking (which was important after our sad attempt to get into Weeki Wachee) and while not a huge swimming area it wasn’t too crowded. Unfortunately not 5 minutes after unloading and everyone getting in the water, the lightening alarm sounded forcing us all to get out!!! At this point we gave in… and headed back to the house. 

 Day 2: Again not quite as planned but still better luck. We had planned on visiting Rock Springs which is an EXCELLENT park to swim at, float a bit down the small portion of river, and even walk the nature paths. However not a day after we called to verify it was open, we arrived to discover it was closed due to bacteria. Luckily not too far down the road was Wekiwa Springs which was even cheaper with lots of parking so we moved our caravan on down there. It doesn’t have as large of a swimming area as Rock Springs but gets quite a bit deeper in parts. The water is VERY COLD but on a hot Florida day, it’s doable. We also rented a kayak and all took turns going down the river. On our turn we spotted tons of fish, turtles, and 2 gators one of which swimming very close to our kayak. (It was little, not more than 2.5 feet long)

 A photo of me swimming at Wekiwa and behind me, Braden launching a kid in the air.

 A close up of Braden launching another kid in the air. 
Braden and my niece Chandler protecting themselves from the sun in the sitting area at Wekiwa Springs. 

 So on day 3 of family reunion we called it quits and settled for an easy day *with no driving anywhere* at the house since there was a large pond just behind it for the boys to fish and a relaxing pool to hang out and read by.

One of the stunning sunsets we had from our backyard. 
A photo of my niece and I hanging out in the pool. 
 And no longer part of the family reunion, but on our last day our flight didn’t leave until 7:30 at night so we headed out to Cocoa Beach for a couple hours. That way Braden could experience a beach both on the gulf side of Florida and on the Atlantic. (plus we just had unfinished business with a beach in general) If you take toll rode 528 out of Orlando, you will get to Cocoa Beach in less than an hour and only pay around $2.00 in tolls. Once at the beach there is plenty of metered parking that is only $2 per hour. We parked and had roughly 2 hours to enjoy the beach (plus get plenty of sunburn in the process) The water isn’t nearly as warm as the gulf but if you haven’t experienced a southern Atlantic beach then you haven’t lived! It’s the most refreshing without being cold water and the little waves are the perfect height to jump or boogie board for hours! 
I always pay a visit to the massive Ron John shop that’s there at the beach as well although this time I didn’t really have enough time to shop. 
So here’s some info and tips that you may not have discerned from my jabbering post.
Weeki Wachee Springs: 
Things to do: Large swimming area with floating dock and water slides, a Mermaid show, a wildlife show, and a river boat ride 
Cost: $13 for adults, children 6-12 $8, children under 5 are free
Hours of operation: 9-5:30
Tip: GET THERE BY 9:30 or right at opening. We tried on a Wednesday in Summer so I expect just about any Summer day is busy. 
Homosassa Springs/ Wildlife Park:
Things to do: Free boat ride, lots of Florida animals in their natural habitat but basically presented like a zoo. 
Cost: Boatride and visitor center is free. Animal park is $13 for adults, children 6-12 $5, children under 6 are free
Hours of operation: 9-5:30
Tip: The boatride is slow moving about $15 minutes and not shaded. Wear sunscreen as it was very hot and while the walking path in the wildlife park may be shaded somewhat, it will still be hot. 
Crystal River/Fort Island Gulf Beach:
Things to do: Swim, be a beachbum. Some covered pavilions and picnic tables but I’d come prepared with beach chairs and blankets in case all of them are occupied when you get there. 
Cost: Free, parking is free
Info: Bathroom and outdoor showers, covered and uncovered picnic tables available. 
Wekiwa Springs:
Things to do: Swim, Kayak, hike, horseback ride, bike, camping
Cost: $6 per carload. Recommend bringing cash. The kayak cost was around $25 for the first 2 hours and and additional $5 for every hour you want it past that. 
Tips: There are concessions and a small convenient store available. On weekends, this park may also fill up and close but when we went there was still plenty of parking on Wednesday despite nearby Rock Springs being closed. 

Cocoa Beach:
Things to do: Rent bikes, swim at the beach, be a beach bum, the pier, ogle at the giant cruise ships at Cape Canaveral, and of course shop at Ron Johns.
Cost: $2 for metered parking, free beach access, and everything else varies depending on what you do
Tips: There were not any showers or bathrooms at this beach (at least not the portion we visited) so bear that in mind especially if you have no hotel to return to but instead a plane to catch. I changed in the Ron John’s restroom but it was a bit of a sandy journey home for us. 
Our home base was located in Kissimme, just South of Orlando and the longest we traveled was to the gulf side around 2 hours West. Rock Springs or Wekiwa Springs was about an hour North, and Cocoa Beach about an hour East. There are many MANY other things to do in Orlando and sadly missed out on my favorite trip to Dixie Crossroads in Titusville for the best Rock shrimp and the National Seashore for driving around looking for gators (bigger ones at least!) Stay tuned for an all encompassing posts for both Walt Disney World as well as Universal Studios. 

A love post about Block Island

As my previous pointed out we had a 7 PM ferry to block Island to catch so in that 1 day we went from NYC subways, taxi cabs, and trains, to ferrying on over to Block Island from Rhode Island. It was a chilly ride with light sprinkling and some serious heaving and surging forward and back. Like if you stood on the bow, you may have been doused a time of 2. Luckily it’s just an hour ride over.

Cutest little New England sight to welcome us in. 
The STUNNING house I got to stay in compliments of incredible friends with family connections. 
The house has 4 “rooms” and another open loft room. The 2 rooms downstairs were occupied by the couples on the trip while my lonesome self had the upstairs loft and rooms to myself. The room I used only had 1 single bed but… by the time I wanted to take a picture I had made quite a mess of the bed so decided to take a pic of this room instead. haha basically the same though. 
 Outside the 2 small rooms there is the open loft. 
With window looking right out to the ocean! What a view to wake up to each morning! 
So Day 1 on Block Island was explore by car day and 1st stop was at the Mohegan Bluffs which were named after the native tribe the Niantic indians chased the Mohegans over the bluffs in a battle for territory. The bluffs stand at about 150 feet high and are eroding constantly with at least 250 feet of known erosion. There are about 100 steps that get you close to the bottom, and from there a short trail to the beach. (The trail was fairly muddy so we descended as far as we wanted before heading back up.) 
The bluffs offer a great view of the Block Island Wind Farm which is the United State’s first commercial offshore wind farm and just began operations at the end of last year! (A fun fact that Katie loves to tell me is in the construction of the wind turbines, they actually had to stop for a day as there were loads of hammer head sharks swimming around the bases) 
At the base of the stairs looking out at the beach 

The memorial stone for the Mohegan Bluffs which is actually found at the lighthouse parking and not the bluffs parking. 
The SE lighthouse, located on the Mohegan bluffs of Block Island. This lighthouse was built in 1784 and is renowned as being the most architecturally sophisticated lighthouses from the 19th century. So way to go Block Island. It really is a gorgeous lighthouse! 
Fun fact? Remember how I mentioned the Mohegan Bluffs eroding 250 feet? Well they actually had to MOVE this 2,000 ton structure back 300 feet in 1990 or it may have been lost. As it is still a functioning lighthouse, they couldn’t move it back further than that so we’ll see if it will have to be moved yet again!
Next up on the Block Island tour: North Light Fibers Mill to essentially see the animals. There’s a lovely range of animals to check out but my favorite (in fact most everyone’s favorite) is the Zedonk. Also plenty of Llamas roaming about. If you’re in need of some wool socks, highly recommend checking out the store cause they had so fantastic ones made exclusively with Merino wool for $25. Still regretting not getting a pair.  
Up next: lunch and a stroll on the Town beach. Both the sand and water were so inviting but man it was too cold for that! Still lovely and you can see one of the ferries. 
And as the sun set on our first day we headed down to Ballard’s for some BANANA mudslide action. Even though it was freezing and basically drinking a shake may NOT have been the best way to warm up, I couldn’t leave Block Island without trying one. 
And heading back from there we were treated to the most AMAZING sunset right from the front porch. From the house you get a great view of North Light! (photos coming up) 
None of my photos are edited so you can believe that sky really was that incredible! 
And the light reflected back on the house made for a great show of its own! 
Next activity? In all seriousness I was assured you can’t go to Block Island and NOT do a puzzle. So rather ambitiously, we started a 1,000 piece puzzle that night that wouldn’t even fit on our table completely. (the corners hung off. haha) 
Day 2 started with a lovely walk straight from the house to the North lighthouse. 
The North light is situated right on Block Island Point. The current structure is actually the 4th lighthouse to have been built in that spot and was completed in 1867, only 38 years after the first structure was onsite. It’s quite a bit smaller that the SE light but just as charming and much more beach accessible. 🙂 
So from there we went to the point which due to very interesting tide currents, creates a V-point. 

Looking back at the lighthouse from the point
So we did the car tour, so now onto the most natural way to get around the island: the bike tour! We started at the house and rode into town, making a stop (conveniently going up a hill for a break) at the labyrinth. 
It’s called the “Sacred Labyrinth” and is a narrow circular walkway lined with stones where you can “unplug from the distractions of the modern world and enjoy the peace and quiet of a walking meditation” by following the path. It was interesting, although I didn’t even make a full circuit before breaking the path. I guess walking meditation just isn’t for me. haha 
Biking along the road our first stop just as we were getting into town as at the Poor People’s Pub. It was a nice stop along our bike route although their Root Beer Floats I must say were quite overpriced. 
Then onto the iconic “OAR” restaurant for drinks with a view. They had such a fun outdoor environment with lawn chairs and lots of dogs! We finished our bike tour back at the Ferry terminal to drop 2 of them off making our One way excursion somewhere in the 5-5.5 mile range. 

Then we headed back for dinner and to laboriously finish the puzzle. (which we did… hours later haha) 

The last day we were up bright and early to close up the house and catch the 11 ferry (with everyone else) off the island. UNFORTUNATELY, it was only 1 enclosed single deck and pouring rain so everyone wanted to be INSIDE. Meaning our sorry butts getting there 10 minutes before leaving were left with the floor seats. haha The wet crowded floor that is also not helped by the ocean and the serious swaying that was going on. Needless to say I was glad I had some food in my stomach.. but not too much. It was a rough start to Memorial Day. haha

Block Island Costs:
The ferry from Pt. Judith, RI to Block Island: $12.50 each way
Various beverages from Ballard’s, Poor People’s Pub, and The Oar: around $10 average
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner we were blessed to have a kitchen so we cooked/ prepared stuff for those meals and thankfully brought most of the groceries with us on the ferry. (The food is crazy expensive at the stores ya’ll. Plan ahead!
And also thanks to my wonderful, amazing friends the lodging, car, and bikes were all covered. thanks again guys!

So not a bad memorial day weekend at around $55 plus grocery costs. Definitely recommend checking this little island off the New England coast a try! (But maybe wait till steadier weather cause those beaches really do look amazing!)

A few days relaxing in Stonington Borough

After the craziness of flying multiple times within less than a week and seeing SO many sites, a couple days of R&R at my gal pal Katie’s house was definitely due. She lives in the cutest little New England town called Stonington Borough. Monday,Tuesday, and Wednesday I spent the majority of my days sitting on the couch like a bum  blogging and trip planning but I did make it out on the town when it wasn’t raining.

As Katie lives right on the edge of the borough, no car needed to explore the town which is itty bitty and very walkable. Points of interest: Museum Lighthouse and Stonington Point (for history buffs) the shops and little streets for those looking for shopping or charm, and of course the cute little beach! (which I was dying inside that it turned so cold for the time I was there. I really wanted to swim!)

Stunning super expensive homes on the water
The cute Old Lighthouse museum

The museum is just before you reach Stonington Point and while I’d like to claim I went in, the $10 entry price was a bit steep to me for the size but for here’s a bit of info on it: The lighthouse itself was built in 1840 and was in active service until 1889 when beacons were added to the breakwaters, but even then it housed the light keepers until 1909 when it was abandoned. It was purchased by the historical society and made into a museum in 1927 and houses numerous lighthouse artifacts (from other lighthouses) and

other pieces of maritime history. Most interesting artifacts involve cannonballs and artifacts from when the British attacked Stonington in 1814 (part of the war of 1812, more on that later) It has been open 6 months every year since then (besides most of WWII which I found interesting) and visitors can climb the 29 steps to the top where the view lends itself to 3 states.
Hours of operation: May 5 – October
Open Daily from 10am – 5pm, CLOSED Wednesday

And as I was saying just past the lighthouse you reach the point with a fun little beach and wonderful bench area! I had a lovely relaxing sit watching a few divers come in on the beach.

(still wish it had been warm enough to swim.. or sunny to sit on the beach but alas, I was cursed with no great weather… more on that later. haha)

HISTORY LESSON* The battle of 1814 (part of the 1812 conflict still.. I know I know…. the years don’t match but yall the war of 1812 was actually.. longer than a year. Officially started in 1811, it went until Feb 1815 when a peace treaty was signed) 
ANYWAYS, so as alluded to in the memorial at Stonington point, on August 9th around 3 PM, the Brits arrived from Fisher’s Island Sound and stopped just off Stonington Point. Captian Hardy of the British sent a message via two rowboats offshore that the residents had 1 hour to leave as he did not want to “destroy the unoffending inhabitants residing in the Town of Stonington.” HOWEVER Those brave defenders of Stonington would not abandon their town and decided to fight so they pulled out their two cannons (Kept from previous skirmishes during the Revolutionary war) to return fire on the British. The whole conflict here lasted 3 days with the two sides intermittently firing at each other. Clearly the British were off to a better start as they had much better guns and many more cannons but after all was said and done, the Americans had a fire brigade so efficient, that out of the many buildings the British artillery flew through, not a single one burned down. The British in turn lost a few men and sustained enough damage to their ships, they turned around and left. 

The lovely beach at Stonington Point
If you couldn’t tell from the 1st picture in this post, I’m obsessed with those purple flowers (called Wisteria) It was EVERYWHERE, but undoubtedly this tree was my favorite
The very famous 2 cannons that defended the town in both the Revolutionary War, and war of 1814 1812

One of my favorite things about this town is how so many of the building have the date they were constructed and who the original family is plus their occupation. As this was a seaport you can imagine a large majority of the “big” houses were Captains, rope makers, and merchants. The oldest house I came across was 1767!

A picture of the lovely feline Abby who kept me great company while I blogged and laid about. 

Also I didn’t tack this onto Sunday’s Boston post (cause well it was after we got back from Boston) But I had an AMAZING time riding Katie’s horse, Bradley in Old Lyme. For those of you who know me, you know I LOVE animals and I’ve loved horses forever, Having such a terrific friend like Katie, finally gave me the kick in the pants to finally start taking lessons. Those lessons paid off big time when I got to ride her beautiful horse! (and not fall off him cause he was seriously HUGE)

So cost breakdown: (and I apologize cause this is INCREDIBLY convoluted as I’ve split my Connecticut activities into multiple posts with more to come.) Basically priceless on everything!
Lodging: Wonderfully comfortable bed in a guest room at Katie’s mansion of a cute old house
Meals: I ate groceries all day long and will have more info on the post on Mystic from when we went Happy hour hopping there: But I think we can just round to like $35 for 2 dinners out…. (This is not very exact… I apologize)
And walking around Stonington was obviously a free activity (with more Connecticut free activities to come!)
Total cost for Monday-Wednesday: $35ish

The colorful beaches of Santorini

 Greece Day 6: Bus day. Started off with more yogurt and some bread from previous day’s market shopping then hopped on a bus. Due to some not very clear directions on the part of our hostel, we hopped on the wrong bus as we’d meant to go straight to Red beach and the Akrotiri light house but instead ended up in Kamari.
No matter, wanted to see black beaches as well so easy place to start. In the first 2 photos that huge high point is where the ancient ruins of Thira are found.

 We could see the switchbacks up there but weren’t feeling ruins today so we spent an hour or so on the black PEBBLES of Kamari beach enjoying the sunshine. Then we found out there are no direct transfers from Kamari to Akrotiri and we’d have to go back to Thira so we booked a taxi/ transfer to the town of Pyrgos in the center of the island for 15 euros.

 Kamari Beach
 Pyrgos blue domes 

Pyrgos was a fabulous little town with lots of blue domes and tons of cute little allies to explore. (more so then Oia and Thira) so we spent some time walking around and enjoying the churches.

 Now from here we were told there’s a bus from Pyrgos to Akrotiri (red beach) but whenever I tried to clarify which bus stop we were supposed to wait at we got pointed in different directions. Finally a bus driver told us to get on and that they’d take us to the proper stop. WHICH TURNED OUT TO BE IN THE MIDDLE OF NO WHERE. so anyways we found ourselves at a cross roads near Santo Wines where there WAS a bus stop but absolutely no schedule to consult. We had an idea of what direction we needed to go but that was about it.
LUCKILY an older couple from Chile stopped to ask for directions to RED BEACH!!! (not sure why they thought the 3 girls on the side of the road would have any idea) But since we did have an idea we pointed them in the direction of Akrotiri and like a lightbulb, we all simultaneously realized that this couple had an empty backseat. SO HITCHHIKE we did. They were so nice and I turned on my gps so we guided them right to red beach. SUCCESS. We’d made it

There is a short walk down a path to get to the beach which is then a combination of small pebbles and actual red and black sand. Very unique and with the crystal clear water, very beautiful! We went for a quick swim and then laid out for an hour or so to dry off. 
Black and Red pebbles 
Tippe and I playing in the water with the catamaran tours behind us 

 After playing at the beach we hit another snag. As it was now after 4 the bus only comes every 1.5 hours to Akrotiri….. so we sat around for an hour waiting for our ride back to Thira.
But then it was TREAT YO SELF time. Since it was my last night in town, we splurged on a fancy roof top restaurant. These views were all taken seriously from our table!

 Again the evolution of a sunset. Love the lone sail oat out sailing by Thirassia

I was wanting seafood and feeling adventurous so I ordered grilled Calamari (squid) It was huge and delicious! (minus the tentacles… those were tough and besides a few bites, left pretty much untouched)

 The sunset was shaping up to be quite beautiful. 

 So many colors! Thanks Santorini for showing off on my last night! 
 Cruise ships sailing away after the sunset in Thira 

After dinner we snagged some more gelato from the 50 shades of grey shop (seriously still dreaming of that gelato) and walked around Thira to enjoy the lights for a while more. We caught them also bringing the donkeys up for the night which was fun to see.

But my night was far from over. At 10:30 I got a transfer from the hotel to the airport for my flight with Ryanair back to Athens. Which unfortunately left super late at almost 1 AM which didn’t put me into Athens until almost 2. Then I had an airbnb booked for the night who picked me up and took me to a bed for the night. (I’d considered just staying in the airport but I’d read they aren’t very friendly to people snoozing in the airport and I wanted to lay down before 20 more hours of traveling) And my airbnb was great as my host was the cutest little Greek lady who had snacks and herbal tea waiting for me.
The next day she also had breakfast for me! And took me back to the airport for my returning flight at noon. It was a fabulous trip!

Cost for day 6:
Bus from Thira to Kamari: 1.80 euros
Private transfer from Kamari to Pyrgos: 15 total (so 5 pp)
Bus from Pyrgos to the cross roads: they didn’t charge us so that was nice
Hitchhiking from middle of nowhere to Red beach: priceless- also didn’t charge us
Bus from Akrotiri ruins (red beach) back to Thira: 2 euros
Breakfast/lunch: still made due with left over sandwich stuff and yogurt from previous days market shopping. ( we had a mini fridge in our hotel room to store stuff)
1.5 liters of water: 1 euro
Fancy smancy dinner: 16 euros
gelato: got 3 scoops this time so 5 euros
transfer from hotel to airport: 15 euros (the other girls stayed another night in Santorini so I was on my own at this point)
Ryanair flight back to Athens with early check in: $23
Airbnb for the night: $60
Cost for host to pick me up from Athens airport and take me back the next day: 20 euros
Total cost for last day/next morning: 150

Total cost for ENTIRE Trip including all night stays, food, and flights (so basically everything except souvenirs): $943