Right.....I am still due to be flying out to Hanioti early tomorrow morning - BUT i have seen 3 planes have flown back with people who were only there 4 days, i cannot get hold of my hotel - LESSE STUDIO'S, I saw pictures on the news this mornign of the main supermarket in Hanioti burnt to the ground! How do i know that the whole place isnt devastated....

I am told by my insurance and opertaor FIRST CHOICE, that i will not get any money back if i cancel becaue the government has not advised people not to travel!!!

Is anyone else in the same situation? or made a decision? what should i do!!

Many thanks!

Dean

I am in same situation as you, Due to fly out tomorrow with Thomas Cook, they told me on the phone that the area was safe and all flights are going ahead. I guess i will still go although I am a little nervous due to the fact people are coming home. I am going to just keep an eye on their website for any changes.
Hopefully the area is not tha tbad and we will still have a good time. Just glad to hear that people are safe.


Victoria

we are in exactly the same predicament!! we have been on the phone since yesterday trying to get some answers. we are flying tomorrow with thomas cook. they have just told us the directors are in a meeting and we wont find anything out until this afternoon! how can they still be sending us when they have just evacuated people from the area we are going to. they keep saying you arent going until tomorrow!!!! we have children who are sat here who should be really excited instead we are all so worried not an ideal start to the holidays! i think it is an absolute disgrace all they are interested in is the money. what really annoys me is the greek authorities have been calling it a distaster zone and thomas cook are still discussing it!!!!! hope we get sorted JC

Totally, that is the worst thing - this should be the most exciting day of the year! but instead......Where are you flying from? We are on the Gatwick flight at 5.40...

I am pleased there were no injuries and i really want to go out and support thew local trades and resturants! But just dont know what to expect - on GMTV they said it is currently 'not a nice place to be'.

I just dont want to loose my right to complain and get money back if i go! The Foreign and Commonwealth office are useless!!!

I am off to Pefkohori on Monday. Has it been affected by the fire at all?
Cheers
Steve

Hi There i was in Hanioti 2 weeks ago,if i were to go back tommorrow i wouldnt hesitate i was at the naias apartments which stand on the beach i visited the supermarket(which was about 15 mins away from hotel) many times i wish you all good luck and a great holiday,the people of Hanioti need your support if the tour operators are still sending you go for it im sure you'll be fine.

Hanioti and the villages are fine.The supermarket was burnt but the buildings next to it were not touched.It is only a few buildings on the edge of the towns that were damaged and areas inland.
The beaches bars etc are still open as usual to don't worry about coming

I am due to go to Petridis Apts. Pefkohori on 31st Aug 06, can you tell me if its o.k. to go.
regards
Lorette.

I'm planning to arrive in Pefkohori on 26th of August (Saturday).
I called the owner of the villa and he said everything is ok, so I won't change my plans.
The villa is named Villa Kostis, situated between Pegkohori and Hanioti, near Hotel Kopsis.

Regards,

Adrian

OK- remember...

The press want to create a story so they are bound to use words like 'disaster'
The people flying home were probably due to fly home - today is Thursday which is one of the change over days
The municipality have declared it a disaster area probably because that releases funds.
Sakis, who is on the ground over there, says everything is fine.

Holidays are what you make of them.
The sun is still shining, the beach is still full of sand, the sea is still blue and all the hotels are still standing...

I'm going shortly, the only thing I may not be able to do is walk in the woods which I usually enjoy....

If you don't come... ALL THE MORE BEACH SPACE FOR ME!

The Greek Authorites And Locals have all worked very hard to control the fires , thanks to everyone involved for trying to save a beautiful place and help move the tourists to the beach area as the smoke were too heavy to remain in their rooms were a Health and safety messure .. Hanioti and villages are fine (the wooland area have sufferd the most) shops tavernas bars and beaches are all working and are busy as normal, its a lovely day ,and blue skyand the sea is clean, i can understand worrying about your holls but theres nothing to worry about so if your thinking about canceling dont! youll be missing out on a nice time and besides the tour operators wouldnt send people if it werent safe (they wont refund) , regardless to what were said on the news... not all Halkidiki is a blaze . Bravro Peter ' Welcome to Halkidiki Burning inferno" get your facts right next time before you broadcast it, a few woodland areas on the Kassanadras peninsula were a blaze not the whole of Halkidiki .. Debbie

I am due to go to Hanioti in 3 weeks but if it was tomorrow that i was to go, it wouldn't stop me. At the end of the day it was a natural disaster and it annoys me that people want to complain so as they can get a refund, thinks like this happen all over the world. The way some people are going on its as if the fires were started just to ruin their holiday. Halkidiki is one of the most beautiful places in the world and it will be again. I cannot wait to go back

Hello Dean and others enquiring about Hotel LESSE.

I have received an email from the owner of the hotel who said this...
"Everything is ok now, the hotel had no damages apart from 2 sunbeds and 3 ombrellas."

Hope this helps re-assure anyone planning on staying there.

DaveS

Can you please explain to me why there are currently 600 'British Refugees' in Thessalonki awaiting flights home??????????????????????

I, yes me! broke the story to BBC not the other way round. We sent the BBC pictures and they have taken an account from me and numerous other British tourists. How about you get YOUR facts straight????

How about you speak to the people who flew from Manchester yesterday morning only to re board their back to the UK??

I have been cleaning the black dust out of my ears tonight, which is now making me wonder how much I inhaled let alone the hundreds of children that were running from flames on monday night down hanioti Beach. THIS IS A DISASTER.

The sun is still shining but you can't see it through the smoke still pouring out the forest, the beach is full of sand AND ash and debris from these fires which is also covering the sea surface.

I beg to differ about hotels, we have had reports regarding one hotel that is practically a shell. Yes it is still standing, but the windows have been blown out etc.

OH AND BY THE WAY TODAY IS WEDNESDAY. We have waved off many people who only arrived MONDAY and have been flown home.

On monday there were three seperate fires in part of the peninsula from Polichrono to Pefkohori. It is now reported the 80% of the forest that runs through the middle of kassandra is now either smouldering or still alight.

Come and see for yourself. When you have to walk around with a damp cloth over your mouth and your clothes and hair are coated in ash - you cannot say you were not warned.

From Dom and Vicky, Don't care what the English Press are saying, were still coming. In fact at this moment in time were waiting in Manchester Airport for our VERY delayed flight! At least we can have a fag without anybody complaining about the smoke! See you either tonight or tomorrow Debs.

I would just like to inform anybody that is about to depart for their holidays to Halkidiki that there is no danger and don't be put off coming.

Was it bad? Yes it was.

Is it a disaster? No it isn't. Everybody WAS running scared wondering whether they WERE in danger, if their homes/businesses/cars were on fire andif they would ever recover from such terrible events.

How are things now? The effort of the locals to restore order and normality has been outstanding. Everybody taking part in their own little clean up operations. After a meeting with the local shop owners, everybody is converging on the square at 7AM to clean up any remaining damage or anything affected by the smoke and ash, not fire. I can count on one hand how many hours sleep my wife has had in the last 3 days. Many of the villagers risked their own lives keeing Hanioti village the beautiful and safe holiday destination that it was and still is. We owe them a debt of gratitude. The very night after the main fire, as soon as we had electricity and water, we were open. The next night, everything was open. So things are pretty good considering....

What about the smoke and ash? Yes the last few days have been affected by smoke but every day gets better and better. A little smoke was to be expected as thousands of square metres of countryside went up in flames. The ash, well, nothing a good hosing or sweeping hasn't sorted.

I am speaking for Hanioti but I am sure this is being repeated up and down the peninsular by other villages.

So, if you are planning to visit, there is a friendly welcome waiting for you and please dont abandon us for the sake of a lot of exaggeration and sacremongering.

Leigh & Eleni

The Hot Goblin

Hi Leigh and Eleni

We will come and say hello next week.....

Shirley & Barry

Hi Leigh, i will be in to see you as soon as i get there, only 3 weeks to go. i am just gutted that i haven't been there already this year as usual.
i am so glad that everyone is ok. i was so worried as i couldn't get through to anyone at the Angelo (gary or anyone else), felt really helpless.
say hello to Eleni for me,

see you soon

Nicola

WELL DONE !! JoKent.. How true your comments are ! We too have been flown home early along with many others ( some who had only arrived on Monday) We were evacuated on Tuesday evening from Hanioti. The resort was empty of tourists and also many of the locals had LOCKED UP and also left. If there was no danger then why did these also leave. It is o.k. sitting here in England giving comments that its all been blown out of proportion, you needed to be there and experience what it was like!! We are now back home safe, thank goodness, but its still affecting us. Tour operators and bar owners will keep saying its all fine.. their main interest is Money.

I agree with angies post above. Of course they are going to minimise it all as the word is MONEY and they want people to still go.