Although the thought of wanderlust may sound glamorous and carefree to some, it’s actually a lot of work. Addressing the daily logistical needs consumes a great deal of one’s time, especially when there is no semblance of an itinerary that you’re following. And all too often, just when you think you have everything all buttoned up, the buttons pop off and you find yourself standing there with your pants around your ankles.
Today’s destination was Palaiochora, Crete, with the main goal enjoying the beach 
and having a few days of some much needed absolute nothing. This small coastal town of about 2,000 residents is located 30 miles south of Chania, on the southwest coast of Crete. A small peninsula jutting out into the Libyan Sea, Palaiochora is basically a thin mass of land sandwiched by coastline. Definitely geared towards tourism and sun worshipers, the largest population of visitors year-in-and-year-out being local Cretans and fellow Greeks. This is the place the Cretans go to vacation.
Wanderlust Truism #1: Nothing ever goes as planned.
After a good bit of searching various Internet travel sites for the perfect place to call my home away from home, I discovered a cool little eclectic hotel – The Aris. The write-up said it was snuggled up against the ocean which is exactly where I wanted to be. Every room had its own unique floor plan and custom design, a library of +100 platters (records) used as a community builder to entice guests to come down to the common area and mingle over their favorite classics, as well as offering several bikes at no charge for hotel patrons to explore this quaint little town at their leisure. Always in search of places that have an eclectic and eccentric vibe, the owners were clearly part of my tribe. Excited at the possibilities, the room was a meager €50/ $59 USD per day so I booked and paid for my entire 3-day stay.
Packed and enroute to check-out of the hotel in Chania to catch my ride to the surf and solace,
I noticed an urgent email in my in-box. It was from hotels.com informing me that the awesome lodgings for my stay in Palaiochora I had secured the day before was anything but that – turns out they were actually sold for the dates requested. My arrangements for lodging which I was confident had been addressed now left me scrambling, once again in need of an place to call home.
Wanderlust Truism #2: Without WiFi a cell phone is good for virtually nothing.
The email suggested to contact an agent immediately. But cell phones can be very costly when overseas, especially placing calls and using data. Although I have unlimited texts, my international call plan keeps me tethered to the nearest available WiFi at all possible times for anything outside of SMS messaging. The plan limits one’s ability to do simple things we all have become so accustomed to do from anywhere at anytime. Things like using your phone’s GPS features for navigation or on the fly revues and recommendations for restaurants while walking around a new city or getting an Uber or in this particular case, to call a hotels.com representative to fix a booking issue. Not having the full use of one’s cell phone makes the gypsy’s life exponentially more challenging. And with the clock ticking for check-out and my bus departure less than 30 minutes out, anxiety reared its pesky little head.
Feeling the pressure, I reached out to hotels.com to rectify a situation I felt strongly 
they should take responsibility to resolve. They did, and were actually champs about the whole thing. After several emails and some 1:1 with an agent over the phone, to my surprise they had an alternative room booked in no time flat. They even upgraded my accommodations to the only five star hotel in Palaiochora. Living the dream baby!
Wanderlust Truism #3: Find inclusive breakfast buffets at the hotels where you stay so the first meal of the day costs you nothing.
A buffet breakfast was also included in the price, helping eliminate the expense of breakfast. The buffet included eggs and bacon and home fries, as well as yogurt, fruits, cereal, the makings for salads and sandwiches, all manner of garnish, fresh pastries, sweet treats, and every type of beverage one could desire to start your day. Besides travel and lodging expenses, the daily need for sustenance is the biggest draw on a travel budget. Any way to lighten the blow is always welcomed.
Starting this adventure in Ireland mid-September, most of my stays at the 
various locations including and since have been fleeting. The focus of this travel experience has been to explore as much as I can in as many different countries as possible. To wander around and drink up the vibe and culture of each locale as much as I’m able to in the short time I’m there. But with my stays so compacted, the available windows to explore each passes quickly. By the time I begin to get settled in, unpacked, and somewhat acquainted with my surroundings, it’s time to hit the road again. One of the main objectives for my stay in Palaiochora was to visit the “best beach in Crete” and be able to completely unplug. What I learned was that one’s interpretation of what’s the best beach experience is subjective.
Wanderlust Truism #4: Opinions are subjective, like assholes (everyone’s got one), and in the end, mean absolutely nothing.
Crete’s shoreline – its “pizza crust” as one Cretan affectionately called it – is comprised of all manners of terrain. Palaiochora offered two distinct options for its sun worshipers: The Stone Beach or the Sand Beach. Closest to the hotel and anxious to park myself by the water for the day, I headed to the stones, the sun lounge chairs, and umbrellas. (each available for rent for €2.50/ $3 USD per day)
The stones that comprised the beach were large and smooth, similar to the ones used for hot rock massages. They also made a delightful unexpected sound of shaking dice on top of the typical crashing of the surf as the waves brushed on and brushed off the leading edge of the shoreline. With the warm sun and gentle breeze working their magic, it was easy surrendering to the moment and letting the world drift away.
After a full day of basking in the sun and soaking in the salt water, 
with my soul nourished I set out to explore the options for nourishing my body. There were many places to choose from as I wandered around getting to know the layout of the town, immediately noticing how empty the streets around me were. At the height of the season the place must be bustling with activity, but in October, things here clearly slow down quite a bit which is perfectly fine with me. The thinning out of the tourist crowd provided much better odds for the nothingness I was in search of.
Wanderlust Truism #5: Regardless if the items sound like they are the same listed on a menu, nothing is prepared like their counterparts in the states.
All of the businesses in this quaint, remote, tiny town by the sea are run by families. There are no chain stores or franchises here, the small privately owned restaurant options typically having the mother in the kitchen and the father managing the children who run 
the front of the house. Reading the various menus, one quickly notices they all offer the same exact dishes. Even when you see the occasional chicken salad or tacos or BBQ bacon cheese burger offered, you quickly discover their ingredients, preparation, and the final dish that arrives to your table is open to creative license. I learned early on to stick with the local fare and traditional dishes. One’s expectations when ordering our staple American dishes in terms of what you actually are served is guaranteed to be completely different than what you thought it would be. Such is what I also discovered with my trusted advisors opinion of what “the best beach” is.
In Greece and probably for many in Europe, the best beaches for the locals seem 
to be the ones which are expansive stretches of fine grain sand, with an endless sea of available sun chairs and umbrellas to relax on. For them, it’s all about sand quality and convenience. Amenities like showers and toilets are highly desirable too, as well as being a stone’s throw from bars, food, stores that sell suntan lotion and cheeky t-shirts, and offer plentiful beachside parking. Although that definition is actually the polar opposite of mine, it’s exactly what greeted me the next day at the Sand Beach in Palaiochora.
Wanderlust Truism #6: Nothing can keep bare genitalia from burning in the sun.
Once again I was reminded it was off season as the lounge chairs that were spread across the length of the entire beach area as thick as the jam on my morning toast were only filled to a quarter of their capacity. I was amazed, being in Europe, that almost none of the women on the main stretch of the public beach were topless. On my walk to explore the west side of the island I did come across 
several rows of sun loungers, both men and women, of all shapes and sizes, wearing absolutely nothing – why go topleess when you can go nude! I found myself contemplating joining them but left with one burning question – even with 50 sun block… can you imagine… that ultra sensitive skin?
Wanderlust Truism #7: No matter what amenities are provided, nothing makes staying in 5-star hotels worth the expenditure.
Being my final day in Palaiochora, I decided to do something I hadn’t yet – enjoy my luxurious 5 star accommodations and relax a bit by the pool. It was there that I began to think about the real weight of the star ratings of different properties. This one had lush and well appointed rooms. There was fabulous art hanging everywhere and they also included amenities like a private hot tub for two, as well as a variety of spa offerings. My quarters had a balcony with a small table and chairs, the shower in the room cavernous with multiple heads and fixtures 
to give you a full body experience. They also provided a robe, slippers, and offered fine dining with menu items that were triple the cost of the local establishments, a quarter the serving size, and half as good. Everything had a surcharge and additional fee tacked on where they think they can get them. No collection of records to play and spin tales of ones travels with your fellow wanderlusters. No free bikes to explore the town with. No eclectic hand painted murals on the walls to add color and charm. The more stars it seems, the more stale and antiseptic the feel to the property. And most unfortunate in my opinion, the more upscale the venue the more people seem to keep to themselves – they are just too self-important or simply can’t be bothered with socializing and fraternizing with complete strangers (the best kind of people to fraternize with!).
Other than sleeping, using the bathroom and changing, time spent in any hotel is minimal. My preference is to be out mixing with the locals and exploring rather than holed-up in a posh hotel room wearing monogrammed slippers and a fluffy bathrobe watching cable tv. And to top it off, the number of stars doesn’t translate to a better sleep – the mattress at the Libyan Princess was as stiff as any I had slept on at lodgings costing a fraction of the price. The upgrade was a gift from hotels.com, but for me, proof once again those kind of upscale places just don’t justify the added expenditures. There are plenty of awesome available options at a fraction of the price with a bit of researching, the dollars saved better leveraged for excursions and to keep the wanderlust in full swing.
Wanderlust Truism #8: Nothing tops the sunsets in Greece. Nothing.
Well rested and ready for my next adventure, I boarded the plane
and marvelled at yet another gorgeous sunset. As the curtain fell on my time in Greece, one last magnificent bow from the sun was it’s encore and it brought everyone around me to their feet. My excitement grew as I pondered what lay ahead, continuing to seek out the warm weather and surf. Next stop, a visit to Cyprus, yet another country I had never been to. A new culture and Old Town to explore, as well as new friends to make and experiences to be had.
After all, what’s more important in life?
Absolutely nothing.
