Another Bird Blog: 2026

Tuesday, June 16, 2026

Καλές μέρες. Part One.

Yes. It has been a while.

May 4th 2026 at 0200 hours. Tiny taxi skidded across the IPhone screen, over the bridge, through the village, heading our way. Five minutes later headlight beams turned the corner to illuminate our luggage waiting patiently on the darkened driveway. Howard loaded our gear, spun the car around and headed off the way he came and then towards the M55. Destination Manchester Airport and flight Jet2 LS1729 to Greece.

Taxi drivers meet many varied people and it's no secret that they like to chat, sharing news and views on life. Most have a good handle on the pulse of Joe Public and are not shy to share their own opinions. When I mentioned my dislike of football, my fear of the coming World Cup but my love of cricket Howard changed tack and moved to the state of Britain, a subject close to the heart of 99% of his passengers of recent months all of whom have apparently suffered from symptoms of cold rage. By Terminal 2 Howard and I had solved all the world's problems and agreed the right way forward would be to not pay a TV licence and to never, ever buy a newspaper. The lively discussion allowed Sue to grab a a little snooze.

Howard disembarked us at the Jet2 end of Terminal 2 where a phalanx of friendly red-tailored youngsters greeted and sorted us in double quick time. It’s no wonder we dumped TUI years ago to now find that Jet2 overall service is superior in most respects; Germanic efficiency is not as it was whereby whole Facebook Groups are devoted to the subject of customer complaints and TUI’s misfortunes.

Jet2

Reading flight boards is an exercise and education in the geography of deciphering three letter codes of sometimes distant, often nearby destinations. We noted that EGPD is not an airport in Egypt but Aberdeen Airport Scotland and that KACT, Waco in Texas USA was not for us. Lower down the unending display we found it – the mystery that JSI = Skiathos with the message “Wait in Lounge”. So we did just that while taking our respective morning pills with a cup of very expensive lukewarm coffee.

Manchester Airport May 2026

As we flew east to the warmth and sun of Greece The Alps below were blanketed in snow, a seemingly icy wilderness where people spend holidays falling over and breaking limbs. It’s all good harmless fun but not for me.

The plane manoeuvred lower as it passed over Northern Thessaloniki towards the tiny island of Skiathos marooned in the Aegean Sea some 250 north of Athens. Arriving from an easterly direction with the sound of landing gear slowly unwinding we passed close to the island of Skopelos on our right and Skiathos Town almost directly below. Plane spotters would be waiting for us. Very similar to Birding 2026

Plane Spotters Skiathos

Skiathos, Greece

Lumps in the throat formed as we thumped onto unyielding tarmac and the air brakes kicked in with a vengeance. We were back to beloved Skiathos for 19 days and 19 nights.

Without the nonsense of EES we passed quickly through airport necessities. A smile, a “kalispera”,a stamp in a passport, grab the waiting cases and off we trotted into the waiting sunshine. In their infinite wisdom Skiathos had weeks ago decided that during busy arrivals and departure times they would dispense with rules from the Brussels commissariat and instead use a common sense approach in allowing innocent travellers and waiting businesses to enjoy their times and Euros together.

Maria was waiting with the Jimny, a newish vehicle in a khaki colour that Magda had earmarked for us when she discovered my own purchase of a JB74 in late 2025. While no colour match for my metallic blue Jimny, the khaki shade fitted the bill to blend into the rugged Skiathos landscape. During our stay we would meet more JB74s, a cool car, blue or khaki.

Jimny x 2

Jimny UK

Jimny loaded up we hit the road with a dash and then a splash of water, orange juice, fresh strawberries, butter, Greek yoghurt, a bottle of ouzo and other essentials from Slaventis supermarket along the Ring Road. Slaventis has real live people serving at real food counters. Fish, cheeses, fresh meat, fruit & veg that can be picked and chosen from display by a customer to their own requirements, handed to a staff member to weigh and ticket followed by a cheery “efcharistó” from both. Not your average Tesco experience.

Slaventis Skiathos

Just twenty minutes later and after negotiating Skiathos’ single roundabout we took in coast road views to eventually drive into The Almira car park where Anna waited for us at the hotel entrance with hugs and kisses but asking why we were late.

Aghia Paraskevi. Next stop Troulos

When Anna clocked the bulging supermarket bags she knew the score. Within minutes we had the best room ever in the hotel. A private bungalow room aptly numbered 101 with grassy space for two sunbeds, table and chairs and probably anything we asked for. There was a view of the hotel grounds, bar and swimming pools, and over the back an unkempt field with Barn Swallows, Red-rumped Swallows, Swifts, a resident Little Egret, Night Heron, Grey Heron. One morning a couple of late Bee Eaters plus a gang of rather lazy sheep.

Night Heron

Red-rumped Swallow

Little Egret

Almira Hotel

Bee Eaters

Our long-standing friends Anna Mathinou and husband George (Giorgios) Diolettas run the most amazing hotel and attached Restaurant Oregano. The grounds and rooms are immaculately maintained by a superb team of friendly people who appear to love Anna and George as much as we do. We remembered when George and Anna adopted the Almira in 2017. The old place, then known as The Beltsios was run-down, neglected, the subject of serious family squabbles and not in demand by discerning tourists. It became something of a dump, in danger of falling apart at the seams. At the time Anna worked at Skiathos Town Hall, George was Bank Manager of the Alpha Bank in Skiathos Town when they quit their jobs at similar times to adopt what they saw as a business opportunity and chance to achieve something extraordinary.

Anna Mathinou

George Diolettas

Entrepreneurship. It’s a word and a characteristic no longer admired or encouraged in Britain but now ignored in favour of even punishing those who look to better their own and the lives of their family, to provide work, employ others and to make a creative, happy society for the good of all.

No, our useless UK government and politicians can only investigate and introduce ways for us to pay more taxes, destroy initiative, success and enterprise and to then waste the money on ill thought schemes that no one wants or ever voted for.

George showed me his PC record, photos of the work that he, his brother and Anna did to bring the hotel back to life. They became painters, plumbers, joiners, builders, electricians and anything they could turn a hand to learn. As the pages of the screen turned, so the transformation followed, proof on record for all to see. The Hotel Almira with The Oregano is now a leading light of the Skiathos holiday and Tourist Trail, admired by locals and holiday makers alike as Anna and George go from strength to strength.

Here’s a few pictures of the brilliant team at Hotel Almira and the lovely, welcoming hotel created by George and Anna.