The slow path back

Despite the fact that I tested negative over a week ago, the after effects of "Covid" persist. Basically I feel very lethargic and still have an annoying cough which is very erratic, yet quite severe when it occurs. The kitchen cupboards are home to bottles of Benylin cough syrup, Lemsip sachets and other assorted medicinal potions which seem to be assisting my cause, but certainly not speeding up the recovery process. So it is really nice to have my Kefalonia holiday to look forwards to and use as "light at the end of the tunnel", so to speak. I am not going alone, my two great friends Leon & Pauline (from Devon) are accompanying me. Indeed, it was Pauline who did all the admin and, with my blessing, we fly from Bristol airport, which will be a novelty for me.

Argostoli main drag - plenty to see and lots of opportunities for a cold Mythos

I have absolutely no doubts that I will experience some emotionally challenging moments whilst we are enjoying ourselves out on this superb Greek island. This is my first holiday, since Bev's passing, I'm sure that certain people and places will be catalyst for me to recall vivid memories from those, by-gone, happy days! How will I cope? I won't know until I'm there but, at least I will have the support of two wonderful friends to help me through the process.

Argostoli Harbour is "the place" to see Loggerhead Turtles up close and personal.

To be honest, I am really looking forward to this trip because it will be the first time I've been equipped with my EOS 90d plus all the associated lenses, and bits, which will offer me the chance to acquire images which should be far superior to anything I've managed previously. As is always the case, it will be birds which are my main focus but, now having dallied with macro techniques, I am very much looking forward to playing around with whatever invertebrates are prepared to pose for me as well.

Honey Buzzards are nowhere near as regular on Kefalonia as they have been 
on Corfu. Yet it will be peak migration time, so anything is possible.

We are, as is usual, based in Lourdata, but have hired a car to enable us to visit other sites around the island. Not overly confident that I have the technical nouse to be able to upload posts onto the blog, but will be taking Bev's old i-pad with me, so something should be possible?  With little over a fortnight to go before we travel I find myself in the very strange position of having, not only, to do the washing and ironing but, also, making decisions on what is essential to pack and will it be within the strict weight allocation?  Tough life being alone after twenty-five years of supervision!

Sub-alpine Warbler.
It's knowing that I have the opportunity to find, and spend time looking at, birds
of this calibre (within a UK context) that fires my enthusiasm whilst out in
the Greek countryside.

The weather is all over the shop at present. Hopefully I'll get out with the rods again before the holiday gets underway? If not, it will be Pike season when I return and time to dust down the kit in preparation for another RMC campaign, plus the added quest of a "double" from a new venue.