Goodbye to pandemic Britain, hello to hazy days and dreamy nights in Crete

A post-lockdown Aegean holiday in our mid-70s? Why not? Geoff and Rosemary Irvin escape to the sun In the heat, there was only one thing on our minds – to jump in the pool and enjoy the view

It’s June 2020 and lockdown is gradually easing. With relief, excitement and nervousness, this pair of seventysomethings venture, blinking, into the wider world.

While we are blessed in our country home with family close by, and we had understood and tolerated the restrictions imposed upon us by the pandemic, as averagely healthy individuals it was hard to feel restricted “because of your age”. Holidays were opening up – and it felt good to be able extend our horizons.

Because now, surely, our age could easily be considered an advantage! With flights beginning, air bridges with many European countries established and hotels opening, travel further afield became an exciting prospect. With no commitments, the prospect of being asked to quarantine on our return was not so alarming. After all, we had just come through three months in isolation. What would another two weeks be to us?

Inevitably we had some hours of deliberation, debate and simple anxiety. Would our insurance cover us? The answer was yes, our policy was taken out before the pandemic and we had no plans to ignore Government advice about our destination. Would we be safe in the hotel? Research made it clear that the health and safety policies in hotels are meticulous in their attention to detail. Is air travel safe? We quickly came to the conclusion that it is probably the safest way to travel. But could we cope with wearing a face mask for several hours? There was no way of knowing in advance – but, we thought, why not try?

The next question, was where to go? A single destination we thought, with a simple brief: sunshine and water. We wanted to crash out in a way we had not done for some years in surroundings and climate just made for it. And even though we live surrounded by beautiful countryside, the one element we miss is access to water. An island? Why not a Greek island? And even better a Greek island with an emotional connection? Sovereign Travel had the perfect answer in

Sovereign (sovereign.com)

offers a seven-night stay in Crete, staying at the five-star Blue Palace, on a half-board basis, from £1,265 per person. The offer includes return flights from London Luton and is based on a departure date of Sept 23 2020.

Information about the Passenger Locator Form for Greece can be viewed on travel.gov.gr/

The Island by Victoria Hislop is available for £8.99 from Telegraph Books (0844 871 1514; books. telegraph.

co.uk).

Sovereign Luxury Travel

and Citalia, both Travelopia brands, have launched two new initiatives – Travel with Confidence and Book with Confidence – designed to

reassure consumers. These offer low deposits and

greater flexibility, including free cancellation up to 10 weeks

before departure.

Crete. A fabulous resort in the bay overlooking Spinalonga island which is at the centre of Victoria Hislop’s famous book, The Island and a dream destination since I first read it in 2005, and had revisited during lockdown. What could be better?

Decision made and booking complete, our first hiccup came at the bank. We knew that our bank cards would be accepted everywhere and may indeed be preferred in the current climate, but we are of a generation who prefer to have some currency available. We were unable to purchase any euros. Consternation until M&S provided the solution – and the euros – within just 24 hours. The second hiccup was rather more troubling, when the air bridge to Spain collapsed. Were we nervous? Yes, of course – but still determined to go!

Online check-in complete for both journeys, only one hurdle remained. The Passenger Locator Form necessary for entry to Greece. This must be submitted by each passenger 48 hours before departure. It is acknowledged by email initially, and within the 24 hours before departure the form is returned including a unique code. On entry to Greece, the form must be shown in hard copy or on a digital device. We were told that in the event of our PLF numbers not arriving in time for departure it is acceptable to show the email acknowledgement. Luckily, just into the 24-hour period our forms appeared as promised. Returning to the UK is a similar process. The form is completed online and acknowledged but the information is stored digitally and proof is not required on arrival.

The airport was busier than we expected, with some shops and food outlets open. Sadly, this did not include the airport lounge. Otherwise we had a very smooth outward journey. Everything felt very normal with only minor restrictions such as the removal of house magazines on board. We quickly became accustomed to wearing face masks. The air was very fresh, even cool and we didn’t suffer at all.

We were still wearing the masks as we left the airport building at Heraklion. Our taxi transfer was waiting, and the authorities in Greece are stringent about masks being worn in them. Heavy fines are imposed for infringement of the regulations. We witnessed this first hand on our return journey when we passed a minibus pulled over by police – the driver and each passenger were fined €450 (£400)!

Our arrival at The Blue Palace Resort in Plaka heralds a friendly greeting and, very apologetically, a temperature check. We didn’t mind. We’d partly chosen it for its rigorous post-Covid measures – it was reassuring to see these in action.

While being relaxed about guests wearing masks, the hotel staff wear them at all times. We were particularly struck with the visor style adopted by the waiters. The visor was worn in what to our eyes was upside down, with the band worn around the chin so that the visor extended to the neck – a perfect adaptation when looking down at guests sitting at the table. Hand sanitiser stations are everywhere, staff are not allowed to be in the bedrooms at the same time as guests and cleaning is meticulous and constant. Numbers are restricted in lifts and the funicular car. We felt completely safe at all times.

Our spacious accommodation was a Blue Palace bungalow. Arriving in the dark, we could glimpse our terrace and the blue of our illuminated private pool. Nothing more in the enveloping warmth of the Cretan darkness. Even at 2am room service provided a prompt light meal and sleep came quickly in air-conditioned comfort.

We pulled back the curtains next morning to a brilliant sun shining indirectly across the bay and reflected in the blue of the pool and the impossible blue of the sea. And, framed by the window, was The Island! Just a brief boat ride across the bay, it felt near enough to touch, its houses and buildings with their sad-eyed empty windows speaking of lives lived and lost on what was Europe’s last leper colony. So evocative and moving.

But in the 38C (100F) heat, there was only one thing on our minds – to jump in the pool and take in the view.

This mountainous area of Crete has a wild beauty. Once the bay held only the tiny fishing village of Plaka tucked into an inlet. Now the hills sweeping down to the beach are full of the villas and bungalows of the Blue Palace Resort, all sympathetically built from local stone. They are positioned so that each one shares the wonderful view out to sea. In the cool of the pool it was possible to while away hours each day just watching the little boats crossing the bay. And we did!

Breakfast, served on a shady terrace high on the site, offers anything you could wish for and is served as far as possible by means of individual and often wrapped portions. Where this is not possible, food such as fruits, meats or cheeses are served by gloved waiters at a 2m distance. For other meals and snacks a choice of five restaurants around the site includes service on the beach. A hotel app is the source of all information about the hotel, especially useful for restaurant menus. Tricky at first for those of us who have to learn to carry our phones close at all times. Back at home the family couldn’t believe the frequency of photos pinging across WhatsApp to them!

Each restaurant has its own unique character and menu. Which do we remember as our favourite? Eating close to the organic vegetable garden with the chef gathering ingredients for cooking on the barbecue or the quirky taverna with tables nestled on a rocky site close to the water? Impossible to choose. The one thing they have in common is completely delicious food and amazing staff.

The days passed in a dream. Which pool for swimming? Our private pool, the feature pool alongside the reception hall or the large pool down on the beach. Maybe even a dip in the clearest of blue seas? A short walk to the village felt like an adventure, though its collection of shops and bars set in tree-lined streets were well worth the effort. Sadly with very few customers. It’s so moving to see how they are struggling simply for lack of visitors.

Our holiday drifted away in a haze of sun, fantastic food and wonderful wines. We had the most amazing time. Will we go again? Absolutely. We can’t wait. Quarantine or no…