Keys
-
Keys will be given to you before departure unless other arrangements are made.
Keys are also held by the cleaners and our neighbour at the back of us to
the left Brenda. Please bring the original set of keys back to England In
case of any problems our home phone number dialing from Greece is 0044 1564
200624.
Taxi - Taxi ranks can be found by the beach in Almerida and the square in Kalives. You can phone for a taxi and arrange a pick-up. There are also plenty of taxis waiting at the airports.
Buses - There is an early morning bus service from Kokino Horio which will take you to the beach, but we recommend carhire.
Car rental - This can be booked from the U.K or local car rentals tend to be cheaper. Two companies that we have used and are happy with the condition of the vehicles are Flisvos and Autoclub.
Telephone - The villa is not connected to a telephone line, but in the village square, approx. 50 metres away, there is a public telephone which uses a telecard. These can be bought from any kiosk selling newspapers etc.
Tavernas - 50 metres from our house in the square is the taverna run by Yanni. Here you will find all the local English as well as Greek residents. The food is second to none, all home cooked by his mother. There is no menu, but Yanni will tell you what he has cooked that day. If you fancy something in particular, order it the day before, and he will make sure it's on the menu! Also great locally produced wine all within easy staggering distance of home.
Shops - Two minutes walk away is George's mini-market, fresh bread daily and caters for all your basic needs. Newspapers can be found at the beach in Almerida.
Insects - Mosquitoes can be an annoyance, it's advised to always wear insect repellent in the evenings. Plug-in mosquito deterrents can also be found at the house , to be used in a ventilated room. Ants also have a highly developed sense of smell or psychic ability! They will arrive in their thousands if food is left out. So to avoid being plagued we strongly advise food to be kept in the fridge and surfaces kept clear of crumbs. Ant killer can be found in one of the drawers/cupboards.
Rubbish disposal - Rubbish bins can be found in the village square they are large and green in colour, the council provides these for the use of the whole village. Again, for insect reasons we suggest that bin bags are disposed of at the end of the day.
Plumbing - What more can I say! If you've been to Greece before, you'll know that waste paper unfortunately has to be placed in a bin. The last thing you want on holiday is a blocked loo!
Water - We would advise anyone not to drink the water from the tap, boiled would be fine, but for quenching a thirst we advise buying bottled, which is very cheap. Crete being a hot place, water is scarce during the summer months. Our villa has a water storage container which will hold enough water for a family of four for three days. Please do check the water levels in the container as supplies can be temporarily cut off, if you see the container is not full then please economize on your water usage.
Beach - Superb award winning beaches can be found at Almerida and Kalives 5 and 15 minutes from the villa. Golden sands ,horse-shoe bays, and shallow waters ideal for kids of any age. Water sports can also be found at both these beaches.
Doctors
- In the unfortunate event that you need a doctor, there is an excellent medical
center in Vamos approx. 8kms away. From the villa, head for Kalives just before
you reach Kalives there will be a turn on the left with a sign for the Vamos
medical center. Follow this road all the way to Vamos . You will see a pretty
taverna on your right, on the left will be a turning, take this left turn,
then left again and the center will be sign-posted from there. The doctors
are English speaking and very thorough.
Hospitals can be found in Chania. Pharmacies can be found in Vamos and Kalives.
We hope you enjoy your holiday and experience the true Greek ambience. During your stay if you have any queries, problems, or needs Yanni at the taverna is very helpful or Brenda and Ron who live directly behind us, to the left, are permanent residents and can help you.
We hope you have a great
holiday
Sue and Richard