Homesick

[Yvonne K]

This will sound a bit silly I am sure, I only joined the forum 4 days ago and have spent a lot of time looking at posts and photos and especially the videos.  Is it possible I wonder to be homesick for somewhere you have never been?  I have been to the same Greek Island for 13 years and next year is my 1st year to Corfu and Arillas - I am missing it already... how can that be?  The first thing I do each morning is look at the webcam to see how Arillas looks.  I am wishing a year of my life away and cant wait to be posting to tell you what I thought and how much I have loved sharing this lovely place with the people who live there.....
Yvonne

[Eggy]

Yvonne K.

Trust me!!! - It's easier to give up smoking than Arillas. - Lovely thoughts and nice post.

Negg

[daisyday]

Would be interested to know which Greek Island you visited for 13 years and how you found Arillas and decided it would be the place for you.  Welcome to the forum.

Caroline

[adairsl]

Welcome to the place we call perfect.
I am sure you will find the actuality even better than the expectation.
If as you wait you have any questions you will find plenty happy to help.
Oliver.

[Yvonne K]

Caroline - We have been going to Rhodes and the resort of Pefkos since 2000.  Our first holiday abroad in our 40's!

The village of Pefkos has grown out of all proportion and has, I think, outgrown itself.  Thomson and Thomas Cook have built very large holiday complexes and the scourge of all holidays (for me anyway) all inclusive is starting to creep in and closer to the once very lovely Pefkos.  Most days you cannot get onto the beach and I am not a pool person apart from the odd day.  We have travelled all over the island several times - had some very good adventures - mainly to do with motoring and going on roads which should not have been driven on!  We have made some very good friends and most of us go back at the same time of year.  This year not so many people went and we found ourselves mainly on our own and enjoyed some quiet times.  We also spent hardly any time in the resort.  This gave us time to think that maybe it was time to explore and find somewhere a bit quieter, laid back and not so overdeveloped.  I wanted to go to Kefalonia or Santorini but it was very expensive and eventually I clicked on Corfu and the Mathraki apartments were what my browser chose to show me.  The more I looked and read the more it sounded like what we were missing and had come to love about Greece.  Pefkos will always be very special to us but we are happy to move on and enjoy some making some new memories, friends and adventures.  Arillas it is in just 335 more sleeps and we are so looking forward to our pastures new.

[Jersey Bean]

We had a holiday in Pefkos 8 years ago and chose Arillas as we thought it would be similar the following year. It says it all that we have visited Arillas every year since then

[MikeVee]

The vibe in Arillas is a bit like Pefkos was 20 years ago, but with excellent accommodation and great food.  Try the fresh fish anywhere, it will have been caught that morning, probably by the taverna owner!

I like to try new places, and have been lucky enough to go far and wide,  but I always try to get to Arillas once a year just to chill out, and I love it.

Have a wonderful time.

Mike.

[justphil]

Ah, Yvonne, I read this earlier and thought "no, don't reply yet, I will just say it all again." So I waited for others to start the ball rolling. Well, it is really rolling now!

I love Eggy's comment because for hardened smokers like us, it is true that giving up Arillas would be much, much harder than giving up smoking.

We too have spent time on Rhodes, but 30 years ago when Faliraki was a beach hut with coffees, and an expanse of golden (man made) beach. And then again, about 10 years ago when development had left only the far North end intact.

Arillas will never be overtaken by all-inclusive, high-rise debauchery. The businesses are owned, not mortgaged, and run by families, not committees. It has a growing core of holidaymakers who arrive every year, sometimes two or three times. And in the last 11 years, the years I can describe from experience, it has largely been made nicer, not bigger.

You have made a wise choice as far as I can see, from what you wanted from Pefkos.

Phil

[Yvonne K]

Stop it please - I may have to go sick from work and go tomorrow!!
Yvonne x

[claire43]

Phil, that is so interesting what you say about Arillas not changing because of the way the locals own their hotels, tavernas etc. I have a pessamistic side and have kept worrying that it would change(for the worst) in the next few years but  this is great news! Thank you !

[Martin_G]

Its quite interesting how protective I get when someone mentiones change in Arillas.

I've been going long enough to see how slowely its developing, how visitors are being provided with things to make their stays better, yet retain the same atmosphere, the mix of things that brings me back, makes it different and what we love.

Martin

[Northerndave]

In answer to the original question....it isn't possible to be homesick for somewhere you've never been purely by the definition of what homesickness is.....

Dr Dave would diagnose you as having a 'wanting' or a 'longing'. It's an almost irrational feeling of wanting something (or someone) to be everything you've ever wanted, before actually experiencing it.

Of course the downside to this is that the thoughts sometimes do not match the reality leading to disappointment. Arillas isn't for everyone, it took me a few days to 'get' Arillas and now I hope I can get back some day....but I'm sure some people visit and fall in love instantly and some will never want to return.

Now take one beer, three times a day and come back and see me if the rash hasn't healed - lol

[Yvonne K]

Thank you Dr Dave - hubby wants to know if he can double the dose?
for him of course
Yvonne