CRETE - the biggest greek island

CRETE- the largest Greek island and the fifth largest Mediterranean island (1st-Sicily, 2nd-Sardinia, 3rd-Cyprus, 4th-Corse, 5th-Crete). The largest city is Heraklion (Iraklion). The island's surface is 8336 km², and there live about 622 911 inhabitants (2014). The island has many amazing beaches, as well as the paradise lagoon. Crete surprises with the diversity of landscapes and a mix of Venetian, Ottoman and Turkish cultures. That is one of the most popular island for tourists in Europe! 

Finding tickets during the holiday season isn't a simple matter. Usually, airlines increase prices, as several days off increase the demand for tickets. I 've checked  many options to get places  I've never been before but without success .... too many hours on the bus, too expensive by plane etc. Finally (2weeks before flight) I found tickets in great price! CRACOW-CRETE (15euro) and back ticket CRETE-WROCLAW(12,99euro). It's incredible low price like on this direction, especially at Easter time for 3 all days! Flights weren't from my city but it wasn't a problem in that way.

The flight from Cracow was about 6:00am so we (Me and Marta. She is my friend from the same city) had got a looong way by train (about 7hours with change in Warsaw😄). Finally we landed on Chania airport about 10:00am. (there is +1h compare to polish time). In the distance I saw mountains with a snow on the top! To be honest I didn't expect snow there. 

Kracow airport

Than about 20min way by bus transfer (2,5euro) to centre and we arrived to hostel. It wasn't season so prices weren't so high. We chose hostel with 8beds in room although rooms for 2people in another hotels were little cheaper.

In my opinion hostel is a better place to meet new people. I've stayed in hostels many times in many countries but I have to say this one was the best! very modern, good price and localization totally in centre of Chania, 2min from bus station.It's called COCOON CITY HOSTEL CHANIA.We've paid about 14euro per night/per person.

 After unpacking, quickly acquiring important information about area and we left the hotel. We had got only 3 days so we couldn't waste time. First day wasn't much sunny but quite warm. We decided to explore area of Chania. Fast shopping (beers 😅) and let's go! We were walking around streets in centre of city and than walking along the coast. We also tried fresh fruits straight from the fruit tree!

part of our group

At this short city break we didn't use couchsurfing. I mean we didn't stay at someone's home but I didn't forgot about option "hang out"😃. Thanks to that we caught contact Jeremy from Belgium and later we met together in our hostel. Saturday evening has come so everyone was thinking about go out. We all met in our "room 4"! I mean "all" beacause a lot of people has come to our room! Firstly we've invited all that people to join us. It was like international exchange. A lot of people from many countries. Some time later we went out to centre where more people from other hostel joined us. The night has finished about 4:00am.

with Agnes (Swedish girl)

with group before Balos and Elafonisi trip

 Sunday was a day out of Chania. We rented two cars and went for a car trip. First point was famous Balos beach with blue lagoon. According to the google map there is about 50km frim Chania. The road isn't so good so you need more time to arrive there (part of the road is a gravel road next to cliffs). We were out of season so rent car was the best option and also quite cheap. We paid 10euro for each person for all day trip included the car and fuel as well. According to informations buses start working for May and cost about 10euro one way. During the way we could admire area. It was a great fun!

   

On sunday the weather was great! So hot and sunny. We chose the best day for visiting!
Finally we arrived at the end of the road and we had to walk the rest of the way. What was the funny?! 😆There were a lot of goats around! Goats live in this areas. 

Parking at the end of the road to Balos beach

The road we needed to go by walk from parking to the Balos beach

 On the bottom of the beach we met with the rest of the group. The water was a little cold but we decided to swimming. . Being in that beautiful place and not to swim at the beach?! Impossible! 😆 

We didn't forgot about Easter tradition. I mean sharing the egg! 😆 Of course we didn't have got normal egg but we took "KINDER Surprise" from Poland!  The temperature was high so it wasn't easy to bring the whole egg to the beach. The egg in the picture is a little bit distorted but it still looked like kinder 😂.

We were chilling on the beach some hours with the music. What's the funny Marta had got only German music! even Despacito she had got in german languages! impossible! HAHA 😂😂  We were listening mostly German music to not use the internet transfer.  That day we've planned to visit also another places like Elafonisi beach. It's second of the most popular beach in west side of Crete.

 On the way to car we've met again a lot of goats!

 From Balos beach to Elafonisi beach is about 50km but roads are so winding and it's impossible to go fast!

Finally after long way we arrived in Elafonisi beach for a sunset! 

 Quick teeth brushing and nap for 2 hours. Unfortunatelly we had to check out before 11:00.

We returned to the hostel quite late. According to plans we had made ealier we should go out to the centre but after sleepless night before and busy Sunday we were so tired. Friends went out ealier and we should join them later. One side we were so tired but in the another it was the last night on Crete.  We decided to go out but finally met new friend in hostel. Brent came on sunday morning to our hostel and probably he also didn't have got plans for that evening.We've started to talk and finally stayed in hostel. We went out only to the supermarket to buy a champagne to celebrate last night on Crete! Finally we've done party outside of hostel. We've started to dance bachata on the street. It was like streetdance. Some hostel guests hated us because we used speaker and it was too loud 😂😈. Of course we said "Sorry" for being naughty. The time was going so fast ! When we looked on watch was about 7:00am! 😮 The next day has already come but we  still needed even short nap before Monday. It was last time in that hostel. Before 11:00 we had to check out.

What is more Brent couldn't find his phone in the morning. There was a commotion and many people helped him finding it. Hostel's staff didn't have boring days with us! Finally, it turned out that he put phone on a bunk bed. 😂😂😂. When handing over the keys, the receptionist mentioned that we were a bit too loud at night and a lot of people complained. But it was obvious on her face that she wasn't angry. She simply gave us information and smiled. Nice girl! Monday moring we went out for a nearby beaches of Chania to enjoy last time on Crete! At the beginning we had got funny situation!

Marta stepped into the wet concrete!  Honestly to this day I can't understand how she could do it HAHA. The employee who prepared this concrete at the beginning was slightly surprised and didn't know what to say, and later began to laugh! 😄😄. We were enjoying time on the beach. City beach wasn't crowded. It's understandable. It wasn't a season of holidays for locals. A lot of people wore warm jackets while we dressed shorts and . It was only 25C(in the shadow).

We've met also two nice kids who were playing and singing Despacito on the street. We started singing with them. I usually don't get money if someone just asks for money on the street, because I met with various forms of exploitation for alcohol or other stimulants. If someone shows talent and wants to earn money thanks to this is a good thing! That kids were so nice! At the end they asked if we came from Russia. Polish language is quite similar to russian language according opinion foreingers. Anyway finally they told "Dziękuje bardzo" (polish: thank you so much). Probably they've learnt "thank you" in every languages of the world haha. Nice guys!

Mosque of the janissaries - is the oldest Ottoman building in Crete

 We also didn't forget about "BACHATA"! Brent is a dance instructor so he gave us some tips! What's the funniest! Marta(my friend) had got only German music on her phone so we were dancing with "Despacito" in german language 🙈😄.

 The evening has come and we needed to come to hostel. Our transfer bus to the airport started at 8:00pm from main bus station (bus Chania centre to airport 2,5euro). It was last moment to say "goodbye" to everyone. Honesty I hate that moments! We've met there a lot of amazing people and spend great time together. It wasn't like BYE BYE! It was "SEE YOU SOON GUYS!". I'm gonna miss you so much! I hope we will be still in contact! 💓

Our flight was at 21:50 so we landed in Wroclaw about midnight local polish time. (In Poland is one hour less comparing to Greece). The airport in Wroclaw is quite close to centre of city. It's so comfortable for tourists. We had got a lot of time to train to Gniezno (our city). 

The train started about 5:20. We didn't fly alone but with Mateusz.We hadn't known before Crete. He chose the same flights like we and finally the same hostel. We've met in hostel😊. He also paid that horribly high price for these tickets - 30euro 😂. We didn't want to wait that long time on railway station so we went for that some hours to the old market squere. In some Wroclaw's pub we've met Krzysiek! We've started to talk. Finally we spend all time until train together. Krzysiek was so kind and escorted us to the railway station. 

Wrocław is known for its dwarf. They are located in various places in the city. There are over 200 of them.

with Krzysiek in Wroclaw

 According to the train timetable, we should be in Gniezno (at home) at 8:45am. Unfortunately 😂😂😂 there were technical problems of electric traction on the way! I wasn't shocked! It could be too easy be on time! 😂 We were crazy tried! It wasn't lazy holidays! We didn't have got time for sleeping there. The train wasn't fully booked. We were lucky and we could lying on beds. Finally we arrived at home about 1:00am!

It was wonderful and intense 3 days! Of course someone can say "such a tiring road for only three days on Crete? Was it worth it? YEEEEES! definitely YEEEES! Crete is so much beautiful! I totally recommend for everyone! Love travel I'm gonna love always!💗

People in a hostel were so nice! To be honest It was fisrt time when we caught such good contact with hostel staff like there! We wanted to make some surprise for them and after back home I sent them special small gift (postcard from Poland and traditional polish candies-COWS)! I hope they will get it soon! 😁

 It arrived to hostel in 2 weeks!