all about E

My first idea when planning my 50th was to sail around the Greek Islands with a group of friends. My research quickly put the kibosh on that pipe dream as I discovered it would break the bank and our 9-month adventure could quickly become four. That was when I settled on Mykonos as a single destination. This island hot spot offers great food, nightlife, beaches, shopping, and excellent people-watching. But most importantly, it was one of the stops on our first European holiday together in 1995 and holds a magical place in our story.

As our plane began its descent over the island, the beauty of the area came rushing back – this was going to be special again. Our driver met us with that just-right level of service to ease us into the experience. On the way into town, the traditional whites and blues contrast the arid landscape just like we remembered, but the new construction has a level of sophistication and “global destination” attention-to-detail that was once the exception. We stayed at the Hotel Rochari in 1995 but had not been back since. It has become a choice spot for many of our friends from Sydney, and in our minds was still a simple hotel with a friendly vibe. That expectation quickly went out the window. The Rochari has upped its game over the years and like all of Mykonos, is quite a bit more than it was when we first stepped on the island. Our room was not large but perfectly appointed -- beach cool -- with a balcony view over Mykonos Town. The Mediterranean was spectacular. We felt that immediate calm that the Greek Isles gives every visitor. Ahhhhhhh.

Because it was all about me (as well as a few people joining us in Mykonos), R did quite a bit of planning to ensure we had some special events on offer. There were loads of sunset drinks at the Rochari pool, an amazing lobster and wine-soaked lunch at Spilia (along with a few hundred of our wealthiest, yacht-owning, Dom-drinking, table-dancing friends), a sunset dinner complete with the perfect soundtrack at Hippie Fish (where Shirley Valentine was filmed) and best of all, an afternoon out on the deep-blue Med with Mykonos Catamarans on the actual “B” date. Our core crew grew and included some special Aussie friends staying at the Rochari and Captain Michael and Alice. So, while we didn’t have a week of cruising around the Greek Isles, we had a sails-up, sun-shining-down, breeze-in-our-hair, beer-in-our-hands kind of day – the best way to celebrate.

Birthday or not, Mykonos is a non-stop party. There are beach clubs everywhere for every taste. Their atmospheres vary from the quiet-waves-lapping-at-your-feet types to world class DJs with cabana boys waiting on you hand over foot. We took advantage of both the quiet and the festive, first at Elia Beach and then like so many before us, headed out to Jackie O’s at Super Paradise Beach to spend the day watching beautiful people (and the waiters!). Even more so than a visit we made four years ago, the super yachts filled the ocean view. It was a bit over the top to watch some kids posing in designer swim wear for selfies with the club's iconic flag. Around 6, the party really goes up a notch as beach goers move poolside for an island staple: the drag show. Priscilla has been in residence for a number of years now at Jackie O’s and her nightly lip-sync is not as fresh as it once was, but the crowd still has loads of fun (as opposed to the in-town show at the Elysium which needs a reboot). It was all good fun and the party crew included a number of other Aussies who happened to be in Mykonos including some we hadn’t seen in over 10 years - Bondi does Super Paradise.

Mykonos rightly deserves its party reputation, but if you plan it right, you can still find a simple side. Timing is everything and avoiding the peak cruise ship crowds in the early morning shows off a simpler fishing village vibe through the maze of painted white, blue and grey stone. We were lucky enough to have a rental car in the group putting it to use pretty much every day. A slow-down-the-clock lunch at the taverna at Fokos Beach, included ultra-fresh seafood and the kind of service from the owner you dream of on a European holiday.

The highlight for me was our nightly gatherings to watch the sun sink into the sea; I’ve never seen them anywhere as beautiful as they are in the Cyclades. And they were that much more special when surrounded by close friends who help me be me. There were a few notable absences in that crew, but I felt their love over great distances.

A big thanks to Rick, Rob, Ian and Will for sharing that time with us and most of all to Robert for making it an amazing 50th – made me feel 25 again!