Dale's VE Birthday in Chania, Crete

Those of us who chose to sleep in the airline seats on the ferry put in a hard night trying to sleep on the floor without pillows or sleeping bags etc. Those who took cabins said that they were so hot and stuffy sleeping was difficult. Lang had told us that we could upgrade to cabins on the boat, but when Mike O'Sullivan tried he got a typically icy reception; turned his video camera, and when told to turn it off, explained that he was doing a travel documentary on how friendly the hospitality was on the boat. She asked for a moment and returned to him with a totally changed attitude!

After disembarking, our orders where to convoy to a vantage point some 15 kms above Heraklion (wife of Zeuss) for a military briefing by Lang. I have to mention this, because it was our worst attempt at convoying yet. Four vehicles made it up with Lang, the rest turning up nearly two hours later!

On the move again travelling from Heraklion to Chania on Crete. This time it was the Navman which gave us a bum steer. We'd all bought the Chinese Cheapie off Ebay and you were lucky if you were supplied with the maps you needed. It seems to have a different way of working. It suggests letters for you to choose from when entering your place names, (you don't get the whole alphabet). We can't hear it over the engine noise. It finds the destination and waits for you to move before starting up.

Many of us went to dinner at the famous Old Harbour in Chamia for a slap up seafood platter and a Happy Birthday song from an accordian player (which we had to pay for.)

SUNDAY 10TH MAY 2009

On the road again first to visit the WW2 German Cemetry above the original Meleme airfield. Lang has a passion for the history of the WW2 German invasion of Crete and under an olive tree he explained to us the strategies, counter strategies, command blunders, capabilities of the soldiers etc. in great detail. He had reproduction German aerial invasion maps pointing out the positions of the troops, attacking and retreating paths.

It's an attention seeking way of travelling. A motorcyclist came up alongside shouting "ossie, ossie, ossie, oi! oi!oi!". Another delighted admirer asked if we were the Australian Occupying Forces!