We did it!

by Gergana Borisova (Bulgaria)

A leap into the unknown Greece

I've always wanted to travel. The moment I could afford to go to more places, I wanted to travel even more. It became my greatest passion - pure wanderlust. During a holiday in Lefkada I found out that I was pregnant. I was not sure back then how I would be able to travel with an infant any time soon, but I knew that I would figure it out. So exactly a year later I found myself in Greece again. This time with a four month old baby – it was definitely a leap into the unknown. We'd had some trips in our country in the months after I gave birth, but this was the first vacation abroad for my fresh, bigger family . I used to have more active vacations back in the time when I traveled only with friends. I enjoyed visiting (as many as I could) nature and historical places, I liked boat trips, I loved getting to know places while riding a bike, I adored tasting local food, coffee, beer, wine. We didn’t really know what to expect when traveling with a baby of that cute age. Even full-time relaxing on the beach wasn’t guaranteed at all. Unfortunately the first day was marked by wasps, wind and crowded beaches. The situation seemed a bit baby-unfriendly. Luckily, I tend to do a at least a little research before going somewhere. On the next day we were off to a beach I checked before the travel. When we got there, we were amazed by the fact that there were a lot of trees and shadow. It was even better than my boldest hopes. We could easily find a place under the trees at Lagomandra beach. So there we were hanging our hammocks, relaxing, enjoying a reasonable, healthy amount of sun. At the same time we were able to go for a swim and play beach badminton. The only minus I must mention is that the area was not tidy enough, so we had to do some cleaning as well. I believe that we, people need to appreciate nature more and give a good example to our children by respecting it. We were and still are grateful for the moments and days that we spent there. We had also pretty awesome evenings. The small village offered modern and different places to eat. The name of this super cozy village is Nikiti, Sithonia. It is located 100 kilometers south-east from Thessaloniki on the Chalkidiki peninsula in Macedonia, Greece. The nearest airport is in Thessaloniki. Nikiti gives the basis for a good rest and for traveling on a budget. You could add as much as you like fun, extreme adventures, luxury and spend quality time with family and friends. The restaurant I liked the most in Nikiti was a bit pricey, but it was all worth it: Grada Blue. We had dinner there twice during our stay. In my opinion the food was outstanding. The restaurant was well located and beautifully decorated. If you visit Nikiti, please don’t leave without having a delicious homemade gelato at Gelateria Ksilaki. Unfortunately we couldn’t check the bars because of the nature of our travel, so you’ll have to go and found out yourselves 😊. And there is a bonus: the sunsets are incredibly colorful. The best was that out baby felt well all the way, so we took the most of this trip. We spent a week in Nikiti and we were lucky to be offered an extra night by our Airbnb hosts. How did we win it? It is a funny story which deserves a separate writing. On the last day we decided to make a round trip and it was totally worth it. Sithonia has countless gorgeous beaches and views. I am looking forward to our next international vacation. It is time that we introduce traveling by plane to our daughter . I would also like to write a text after. I really loved putting my memories in this short story which was a leap to the unknown itself. See you soon .