In 1998 we bought a house in Crete with the thought of moving out there to live, eventually. As the years went on we changed our minds,the water was cut off so often that life became miserable.
We tried to sell the house, but asked too much for it and while we waited and waited- we fell in love with the place; again (and the water situation improved).
So here we are, sitting in Crete and trying to sell our house in England. 2008 was not a good choice!"
Why
Crete?
Our House
Weather
Water
Electricity
Telephone
Heating
Warts and All
Useful Links
So what is the story in Gavalahori?
Broadband- We had OTE wireless broadband connected, quite painless (well, mostly), it took ten days to get it and three days to make it work, it's sold as 2Mb and when I checked on a speed test site the up and the down added to 2Mb, not bad. Just go to the OTE shop at Vamos.
Water- We are outside the village (just) and lost water for a few hours a week in September, main problem was when they cut our pipes to lay the new main. Friends in the village said that they lost water for three or four days at a time.
Electricity lines and poles- there is an electricity pole in front of our house serving the end house in our road. The project manager of the new-build behind us said that they were going to connect the new house to the existing pole, across my garden, front to back and there was nothing I could do about it. We saw a layer and were told that the power company can legally enter your property, run cables across your property and put poles in on your property. However they should not come within five meters of your house and if you extend to within five meters they will move the cable. You can appeal- to the electricity company, we did and are awaiting results.
Mail- letters and parcels are left in the little supermarket in the village platia. There were three parcels sent to us, two did not arrive. We asked around and found that parcels regularly disappear, our neighbour found a parcel addressed to him opened and abandoned on wasteland near the shop. Post restante or a PO box at Kalives seems to be the answer.
Eating Out The tavererna on the Almerida Road is still little used, we found it pricey and the food indifferent. Asperitis seems to stay open longer every year but the main change is that Yurgo's (next to the war memorial) is planning to do meals this winter, while the Sweet Cafe is up for sale.