So it would appear these Greek chaps have been at this “odyssey” business themselves. Met some local know-it-all as I was sipping a beer a mere 10 minutes after decamping in the port of Piraeus. He was insinuating that they have laid claim to this odyssey idea for some considerable time now. Oh for a classical education!

Which, as an aside (I am told I tend to, somewhat annoyingly, do this “aside” thing – as, I suppose, is further evidenced by this little bracketted snippet), I actually did receive at the hands of a certain Fr. Lehane, Latin and Greek, (rumour would have it that other boys received more at the hands of the same Father – the joys of attending boarding school. Fortunately I was a second-class day-dog and, not having to stay overnight, missed out on these benefits).  I do still retain a full recall of many of the things he hammered into us (educationally speaking). Gallia in tres partes divisa est (Latin) - Gaul is divided in three parts, the ancient Greek alphabet - alpha, beta, gamma, delta, epsilon (Greek, obviously) etc. (Latin – I think), ad infinitum (also Latin). All the useful stuff, but I certainly have no recall of an Odyssey …. or an Iliad …. and the local joker then attempted to say that this was all the work of some Homer guy! That’s when I knew he was pulling my mickey (back to good old Fr. Lehane – pronounced Lehaan – important further down). At home due to my occasional grumpiness, consistent intransigence and ability to constantly get myself into somewhat embarrassing situations, they would refer to me with the name of the actual famous Homer - of Simpson’s fame. How this greasy Greek got hold of this wee titbit of information is beyond me, but there’s no doubt he played one card too many with this “Homer” business. 

However, before I realised he was merely having a laugh, it had got me to thinking, for fear of plagiarism, I would have to rename the blog – NeilsWeeTrip or “The diary of Neil McQuillan 42½”. Fortunately I believe we can leave it as is.

Writing this on the ferry out to Naxos on my first day here (don’t know when I’ll get it posted as a tad concerned re what levels of internet connectivity are going to be available). I realise that my musings here have little to do with the actual holiday per se (there’s that education thing again). I suspect somehow that this is going to be the way of things – who wants to hear about the great views, the snorkeling, the food, the people. Much better, I’m sure you’ll all agree, the rambling flights of fancy of a currently unemployed (Kevin* - you could get to work on that aspect of things), slightly lost, middle aged fool pretending he is 25 again. 

On that note I’ll sign off as we appear to be approaching port with a ditty I just made up on the central character of today’s wanderings (and recall the pronunciation tip from above):-

There was a filthy old priest called Lehane

Said he’d do what he did when he can

If, in the desk, you’ld move over

And his “language” discover

He’d alpha-beta you into a man

---

* Kevin, for those of you who don’t know him, is my pimp