Excluding anyone on the same trip can you beat that??
Yes!
We arrived from B'ham on 03 Oct, took off exactly on time, arrived about 25 mins early. Minibus from Airport, one drop-off in Rethymnon, total transfer 2hrs 15 mins. Dropped off at Alianthos Beach then straight up to the Souvlaki house, bus driver then took us to Kostas Chryssolou on foot. From then he took the last passenger up to Dora.
We were actually in Zorbas so had to walk back but after the free pint of Mythos in the KC bar it didn't seem half so far!
When we left we had to walk along to Monza travel, I wasn't too impressed with that, but got on minibus with another couple who had had to come from Dora, just as it started to absolutely heave down with rain. We picked up an elderly couple from the Alianthos, I was very impressed with the driver who manoevred the minibus as close as he could possibly get to the door and helped the chap (who walked with a stick) down the steps and into the bus, it was quite a big step up for him. He took us nearly as far as the main rd where we transferred to a big coach. We had a couple of pick-ups in Rethymnon again, total journey to the airport again 2hrs 15 mins.
The airport chaos (which I had been absolutely dreading*) was actually very well-organised by the Olympic Reps, we easily found seats in the departure lounge and we took off half an hour early, making up another 20 mins en route and landed at B'ham 50 mins ahead of time.
All in all we had very pleasant journeys in both directions although I do have one small criticism (Monarch not Olympic) - as we are both still awaiting our breakfast from the outbound flight! I was a bit annoyed at the time, as I am diabetic and it could have been absolutely critical (as it happens it wasn't, but they weren't to know that - I never identify myself as such, as the 'diabetic' meals airlines serve are catered towards people on strict diets - which I am not!)
Anyway, indignant lettr to Monarch is being composed at the moment and I don't hold it against Olympic. (Pete says nothing less than a fortnight in the Carribean will be enough to compensate him for the trauma he suffered wondering if I was going to alright lol) (He reckons that is what has turned his hair white lol)
All in all, a very painless experience.
Jenny
* some 20 years ago my non-complaining, totally laid-back first husband led a tourist posse through the airport to find all the Reps where they were, ensconced in their air-conditioned office and informed them that unless they got off their fat arses and came and sorted out the f***ing chaos NOW, there was going to be trouble. Nobody moved so he moved several steps closer and repeated the NOW by which time all the group behind him had all squashed into the office behind him - which seemed to galvanise them into action and they came and sorted it out.
