Thanks to Schengen (visa for 90 days in every 180) we have abandoned our Greek Island cruising in favour of getting as close to Turkey as possible where there is a checking out office from Greece. That turned out to be the Island of Kos. We are in a fairly new marina just a quick bike ride or walk from the old harbour and town. It was Halloween on the way across - we had some silly hats and masks. It was interesting coming in - Greek patrol vessels on one side and Turkish on the other. Not keeping an eye on us, but each other!

Kos is a nice little town, mainly famous for the Hippocrates Tree supposedly the same one he taught under back in the day. I think it may actually be son of tree but it does look old enough to be the real thing. But 460 BC - I'm not so sure. Even if it not the exact same tree it is the exact spot. Famous of course for his Hippocratic Oath and medical teachings. He lived to 90. There is a tap there to wash a body part for a cure. I'm not sure who came up with that idea - certainly not Hippocrates!

There is also a very intact Roman villa and Odeon which we visited. None of these ancient things were in very good modern condition - lots of weeds, falling down fences etc. It must be a lack of funding or just the casual attitude Europeans have to so much history lying around everywhere. There are columns at the side of garden beds and lintels lying about.

Peter and I rode around a bit on great bikeways to and from old ruins and lunches. Michael and Melissa turned their noses up at electric bikes and hired a couple of "real ones" and have just come back exhausted from hills. We did offer……….

A couple of days ago we hired a driver to take us around the island. An interesting 4 hours with a stop at a winery and a small cooperative olive oil shop and press and a quick bite of fresh calamari at a harbour side café. Everything is about to close for winter so we were lucky a few things were still just open. It helps to have a local with you!

We have murdered Blinky Bill we think. That is the name we gave to our anchor buoy as he flashes at night. At Pylos we were anchored too deep for his line and he spent the whole time there under water - still faithfully blinking away. Upon retrieving him his line broke due to hard mud rubbing on it. Peter and Michael are trying to resurrect him.

Off to Didum, Turkey tomorrow for the winter. I hope it is a s mild as people say, it's still warm enough for T shirt and shorts here. Didim is a 4 to 5 hour passage. We have booked for 3 months as we are too scared to come back to Fortress Australia in case we can't get out again! We should be able to go some great day and overnight trips around Turkey from Didim.