The opportunity to revisit Ancient Karimos and the monastery on Mount Filerimos was something I'd had a few reservations about (not wanting to sully previous memories), but was glad to be listed as tour escort on that very trip.

I only had 16 people on the trip, and a guide, called Elena, who was bossy, to say the very least. How can I say this without being rude? 'Dominatrix' rather sums it up. She ordered the poor old passengers about (thankfully all able-bodied for a change, which was a good thing considering the amount of walking and uneven ground involved), and had a very brusque manner about her. She took all the tickets off passengers as they boarded the coach (a job I'm supposed to do), and stood impatiently as I insisted on doing a final head-count before we left for our first destination. "Who's the boss?" She asked when I'd finished, "You are," I confirmed, and returned to my seat to let her get on with it.

When we got to Mount Filerimos, she fell out with the official photographer who had come on board with us. She told him that professional photography is not allowed in either of the sites we were visiting. Apparently, I learned later, Gill, the Shore excursions manager, had warned him that taking a tripod on the trip would draw attention to him and he'd meet with resistance. Saga pay large amounts of money to the tour companies who run these things, and it seemed odd that it should be the guide who should effectively stop him from doing what he'd come along for. The thing is; the blokes on the gate didn't say anything, and we reckon if he'd have just gone in with his gear in his backpack, he would have been okay. Madam Bossy-boots strikes again!

At Kamiros, several passengers wanted to go to the toilet. This didn't go down well with Madam Elena at all. You could fair hear her tapping her boots, waiting for them all to do their business. Turned out the toilets were just one cubicle and therefore it took a little time. 10 minutes to be precise - which she announced would be taken off our 'free time' at the end of her lecture.

Despite feeling pleased that I hadn't incurred the wrath of the demon guide, due to not being bursting for the toilet, I still managed to upset her by being late by a couple of minutes when returning to the coach. It wasn't my fault (mlud). A second party (one of ours) had arrived at the site, and while keeping an eye on the slowest member of our group, had managed to lose him amongst the others. This is difficult to explain, but I lost him - turns out he was headed for the coach anyway, and when I finally turned up, there they were, all waiting for me (the passengers, of course, thought it was highly amusing).

My final run-in with Mistress Elena came after we'd had our refreshments stop, at which everyone was treated to kalimari (squid - another first for me) and ouso (not my cup of tea, I'm afraid - don't like the taste of aniseed). We were now on the way back to the ship, and I couldn't find the tickets (which I should have collected and placed in the official folder). So, I made my way to the front of the coach and asked her if she had the tickets. Well - you'd think I'd asked her if she shaved her armpits! She glared at me and said "I gave them to you". I started to say no, I hadn't got them, but she went into super-glare mode and insisted that she didn't have them. She'd given them to me at the start of the trip! I started to ask her if she'd have a look, just in case, but changed my mind as the demonic stare continued. When I returned to my seat and conducted another search of the saga-bag, guess what - I found them! They just weren't where they should have been. Sheepishly, I returned to the front and apologised - I'd found them.

This afternoon I went into the old town and took photos of the old city walls and harbour.

I still like Rhodes.