IOS!!! PARTY PARTY PARTY! 4 Days to 4 Weeks...Part 1

Got off the boat with Mick at Port in Ios (another glorious day of about 30 degrees) and we were once again greeted with lots of people claiming they had the best deal for us... We kept walking. I had heard from my travels not to stay at the Far Out Village but party down there during the day, so we opted for a ride back to town and accomadation set up by Mikalis (Legend bloke, who's parents owned a couple of Resorts in Ios. Oh and the massive tattoo on his back of "TYSON", not the boxer but his bloody big german shepard, very scary), at a place called IOS FANTASY. 1 room, three beds, couldn't go wrong considering The Doff was enroute as we set up the transaction for the next couple of days stay.

Ios unlike Santorini is a much smaller island and therefore everything is in close proximity, which Mick and I found to be brilliant. Plenty of cheap take out places and restaurants all scattered through town, (which is a beautiful landscape, the main road disects the two hills which is highly populated with Nightclubs, Bars, and Plenty of shops and Hotels/Hostels... check out http://www.sjholt.com/gallery.html for some shots done my mate Sam).

The pub was a two min walk in fact we were right behind what was to become our favourite bar, FUN PUB. That's where we met a very angry 'Doff Man', who claimed he had almost not made it to Ios, the girls had booked him a ticket to the 'Paros' (another island), because they wanted to relax and not party. "Not Party?!" was The Doff mans remark, and he swiftly got himself a replacement ticket to Ios to meet up with Mick and I. Excellent choice.

After a couple of Lagers and a few games of pool, we headed back to the room, but The Doff bumped into a mate and we got chatting, apparently all her new friends worked on the island in the clubs so we would have no trouble in getting free booze. STOP IT!!!

After a quick snooze in the arvo we headed back to the Fun Pub to start the Big Sesh... I recognised my mate Ainsley who i hadn't seen in ages there and from then on, our group of three (Doff, Mick and I) became about 15. They had all been on the island for about 3 months already working, Ainsley now looking for another job, (she was on job 9, having just been fired for incorrect tshirt folding at a clothes store) had the night off. Party time.

I could go on now about that night and how it left me with a shattered elbow (Ains included), but basically it was just a big drink fest... This trend continued for a couple of days and then The Doff and I said goodbye to Mick who was heading back to London to pack and say goodbye for his return home to Australia (he had done two years, well done son).

Now as i said before, Far Out Village was a great place to Party during the day, and yes, it certainly lived up to its reputation. Essentially it was a camping site slash Hostel, but mostly tents. And i can recommend never sleep there. Mosquitos and the sun comes up pretty early there, so your tent is like a sauna. But it's cheap, so each to their own. I preferred our place in town (1euro 40 for the bus one way or a twenty minute walk, down the "donkey trail"). Most days in Ios the first week were spent lounging by the pool or on the crazy water sports rides on the beach (http://www.meltemiwatersports.com/). Tube rides, wakeboarding, another massive inflatable mattress that flys up in the air behind the boat. Awesome.

Anyway, on about day 6, (The Doff and I had planned to stay just four days and keep travellin) i was offered a job at "Re-Hab" (The Doff and I were actually play fighting out the front), so i took the offer and started the next day. Working on the beach for two hours painting peoples bodies with fluro colours, was hardly tough work. And 25 euro a night, is not bad money, it covers your accomodation, plus drinks are free at the club too, so you are basically not making money, but not losing money. I highly recommend it. A great way to holiday.

My first shift was pretty boring, Nicholas (30 something Swede), my boss, told me i was to work the floor as security. What? I know i've got massive pipes, but i seriously could't fight myself out of a wet paper bag. Ah well, I just did a lot of walking around and chatting. The Doff kept coming in with his new mates and knocking back several shots. The kid can drink.

Slammer Bar was a bit of a favourite in Ios. They served up a shot of an extremely undesirable concoction which you sculled - whilst wearing a helmet - and then they smash you over the head with either a fire extinguisher or a mallet, and sometimes even a crate. hence Slammer Bar. We met up with Bakes (Lagos buddy) one night, and found him wearing a dress and midriff top. I needn't go on. But didn't he have great legs. haha.

Another integral part of the Doff and I's daily routine was not only the beach but, a pool game or two. On one occaision, a challenge was put forward from two of the "Shooters" boys (Shooters was another great bar, everything from pop to rock to dance, probably the only bar that changed their music around frequently), Xavi and Glenn. We were to play for the FUN PUB CLASSIC. A Battle between Melbourne and Sydney. Good and Evil if you will. At 3-1, we had it in the bag, one more win for victory, but The Doff... He was on Vodka/cranberry number 5 i think and it was all down hill. We lost the next 3 games and the Cup.

It probably wasn't until after the Doff left that i really felt comfortable with myself... Totally away from Home and everyone i knew. Not that the Doff and I didn't have an absolute cracker of a time ("Pump It" Jaeger Bombs still a favourite), but i just found a new dimension to me, not Bruce or "Millsy", but me, the Millsy that i know inside. And from that i had the best month of my life... I met some killer people.

I continued to work at Re-Hab (Yes work Nick!) and they even stiched me up one night and got me to dance on the bar, which almost all the bar staff did without hesitation (Nicky No Shoes, you da best), but once i was up there... Miss Vanity starts blaring through the speakers. So i did a very impromptu performance, all to the delight of my boss.

Oh and speaking of performance, Matt the english bartender at RE-HAB, did a flames show/juggling act almost everynight at about 2am. Brilliant. This guy has talent, and quite a good singer as well, which i found down at the best place on the island, a place called Harmony. It is a restaurant right on the cliff of the main beach, perfect for relaxing in the giant hammocks out the front, or listening to some great tunes from the varying acts. Plus the food is to die for, Nicholas' brother is the chef (Meat balls supreme), and they also had a couple of open mic nights. That's where i heard Matt sing. Brilliant. Thanks Splatty for playing guitar for me, legend. Harmony was a favourite for all the workers i think.

There is so much that happened in Ios, so i am just gonna put down the ones that really stand out for me... and the ones i can remember...

- The Doff kick starting a 50cc to get home late one night from the beach
- The Pirate Ship to the other side of the island with my new mates
- Numerous Flaming Lamborgini's - thanks Xavi
- Johnny's Story about the Japanese Delicacy
- Tara's story about the evil Gnome her friends saw and captured in Amsterdam
- Cheese's antics in and out of Melrose Place (apartments, where i spent the last week and a half, sorry Josh about your bed)
- Beach Volleyball competition
- Dodging Rent at one place
- The latest Movies at Fun Pub after a big night, oh and the chicken pasta there... mmmm
- Meeting Crazy Irish girls
- A canoe Safari to a remoter place on the island, and another wicked cliff jump
- "The Square" Cheese, Jim Bob, Nick, My partners in crime.


From a tourist point of view, It is the best place i had been... apparently a week before i arrived, it was the Italian holidays, and there is often trouble started by the boys getting a little full on with the some of the girls in the clubs. Often roudy and pumped up obviously from their World Cup win (If i hear them sing the remix to White Stripes "Seven Nation Army" one more time i think i would've punched someone, often went through my mind), i thought they were harmless and in many cases, top blokes.

The night life in Ios was my sorta atmosphere, different music at different clubs, Flames and Super Fly both favourites of mine. Plenty of Rockin tunes and lots of dancing on the benches. And who could forget Voodoo.

It was probably my love of Ios and live music that made me dislike Mykonos so much... I went there for two days with some girlfriends, and really didn't enjoy myself at all. The music and the different Party times to Ios really threw me. During the day, every Club on Paradise Beach played the same doof doof music and then the first club at night time doesn't get busy till about 3am... What the?

So back to Ios and back to work for Mills and into the regular routine of beach, eat, sleep, go to Sunrise, and then work. Sunrise was a hostel that has a great pool area where you can purchase a bottle of vodka for 9euro, bargain and some mixes for about 2euro as well. They supply the glasses and the ice. You do the drinking. An excellent way to start the night.

Now The beer fest in Munich was approaching quite quickly so Jim and I decided to get out of Ios and get to Athens and work out how to get from the south of Greece to Germany in about 5 days...

Next episode, Leaving Ios, Athens, The Acropolis, Berlin, and the Autobahn to Munich.
P.S Make sure you put Ios in your travel itinery... And to all those who i met, I miss you. I look forward to catching up with you all real soon. Wherever that may be...