The island of Santorini – one of the more famous of the islands in the Cyclades – had a lot to live up to. The typical Greek image of blue water and white-washed houses perched up high on the cliffs are all based on what you see in Santorini. I suppose this is why I was so very looking forward to coming here. That, and because of the somewhat unsatisfying start to the Greek islands I had experienced to that point.

The ferry ride from Crete (port in Iraklion) to Santorini is a mere three hours. Just about 10 minutes prior to disembarking I took a walk around the ferry to stretch my legs. That’s when I found Barbara sleeping in one of the seats. I wasn’t quite sure what she was doing there on the same ferry ride as she told me she was going to come the day after. Regardless, it was a pleasant surprise. As we disembarked the ferry we were confronted by a crowd full of rooms-to-let and hotel representatives hoping to hook, line and sink those tourists that had no place to stay. This game, if you will, of finding a room and negotiating prices with them, was overwhelming at first, but eventually I got used to it as on each island I would always be able to play.

We ended up staying at Anna’s Youth Hostel near Perissa Beach (or the black beach), which is located away from the main towns of Thira and Oia (pronounced ee-a). This was actually a wise choice on our part since it gave us an opportunity to rent a scooter and drive all around the island to Thira and Oia. The hostel was situated on a main road, which was the home to a grocery store, a 24 hour bakery, a few travel agents, and several restaurants and bars. A little ways down the road were the clubs/discos, and more bars and restaurants in addition to those that lined the sandy shores of the black beach. In other words, this was a great place to stay!

While I don’t normally go on tour-guide led tours, I decided to go on the Volcano Tour that was heavily advertised no matter where you went near the Perissa beach area. It was a full day tour that highlights the best of Santorini, including the volcano island, hot springs, and other places that I normally wouldn’t have been able to go to. It ends off in Oia where you watch the famous Santorini sunset. For 23 euros (I think) it was a bargain and Barbara, myself, and 3 others from our hostel spent the day together.

It was the next day that I realized that we had made a good choice of coming here instead of staying in town in Oia. Barbara and I rented a scooter for 10 euros per 24 hours. Scooter rental is something they take fairly seriously since many people get into accidents as they are not used to driving it in an unfamiliar territory. They typically only rent out to those that have prior experience. While I had no prior experience what-so-ever (of course they didn't know that), I managed to get one most likely because Barbara, whom had experience driving a standard scooter, was with me.

My first ride on a scooter was pretty comical. I turned the throttle a little too hard forcing the scooter to jerk-start. As I tried to hold on for dear life, I swerved left and right trying to gain control of the scooter. Nearly missing the wall of the hostel, I finally tamed the scooter and drove off down the road as I'm sure the people watching me were laughing.

While the concept of scootering is great – wind in your hair and face, legs free, scenery great with no obstruction – scootering in Santorini is even greater. The roads leading to the main towns of Thira and Oia take you on long stretches winding through flat lands. As you near the towns, you drive along winding paths that hug the edges of cliffs that overlook the entire island. You can't help but stop on the side and take pictures. I have to admit though, the fact that I was with someone actually made this experience more enjoyable. And Barbara being a shutter-bug herself made this even better.

We made our way to Oia where we hiked, took pictures, and hiked some more trying to take any pictures of Santorini that we thought were even remotely interesting. The picture of the freshly squeezed melon juice was taken after hiking in and around Oia on a hot, hot day. We were tired, sweating, and just wanted to sit down in the shade. Although it cost me four euros for the drink, it was well worth it.

Although my adventures in Greece didn't end in Santorini, it was by far one of the most memorable events in my trip. It is an immensely picturesque island (as are others) that it can be a photographer's dream. I could have stayed there for weeks and taken pictures of every little detail. As I have said to several other people, if you go to Greece , a stop in Santorini is a must.