Stuck in Rhodes

[TooTrusting]

I was just east of Gennadi, 5 minutes away, at Atlantica Dreams resort (Tui). All day yesterday there was a steady stream of evacuated guests from other hotels arriving.
The fire seemed to die down at around 3pm. But by 7 it was raging again.
We were told one of us needed to stay up all night to listen gif the evacuation siren.
There were hundreds of evacuees there by then.
Just before 10pm we were evacuated. We walked to the road where there was a coach and some cattle trucks. It was chaos and hard not to be separated from my DCs (23, 19, 17 & 17). We had no idea where we were going. I had to calm and keep company 2 distraught children (circa 14 and 8) who had got separated from their parents. I lost a shoe and one DC their phone. We had to jettison the one small cabin size suitcase we had brought our essentials in.
Our truck broke down and we walked about a mile, again not knowing where we were going, and were eventually directed onto Gennadi beach. There were around 2000 people there all crammed together. Small boats, capacity around 10, went back and forth between ferry boats and the shore. There was no Dunkirk spirit. People were tired, upset and frightened. Some had not slept for 2 nights.

It took 4 hours until we finally managed to get on one at around 2. It was bedlam with everyone shoving and barging. I was separated from the DCs several times. Nobody knew where we were going.

We were on the ferry around 4 hours before arriving in Rhodes Town at c6.30am. We sailed through ash clouds and people had towels tied round their faces. People were taken off in different buses. We ended up in a school with 150 others. But there was nothing there for us, no beds, mats, washing facilities or food and it was boiling hot.
There was no list so the authorities have no idea who has gone where. It is a total lie for Tui to say they have re accommodated everyone. They have not. They have no idea where I am and until their phone lines open I cannot contact them either. The only info we have been given is an FCO number for advice on travel and consular assistance (which we don't need).
Luckily I have 24 hour insurance access and when I'd re charged my phone was able to establish I am covered (was worried it would be an "act of God"). I have booked a hotel for 1 night, after a long search. I've just arrived - it's chaos with everyone sleeping on the floor.
Just before we left the school a band of volunteers arrived laden with food and one of them thinks our hotel may have been burned down and we are unlikely to get back to try to retrieve our stuff. She says Gennadi is mostly gone.

We leave on Wednesday. We can't check in here til 2 and need to go and buy clothes and essentials. All we have is what we are standing in.

Come on. It’s not just about having their holiday ruined is it? Can you really not understand the fear and trauma op and the other tourists who had to run from the fires would have gone through? This doesn’t mean they think they have it worse than others or don’t feel extreme upset and sadness for them. You think that you are showing a superior level of empathy but actually you are demonstrating a worrying lack of empathy and understanding. This sort of attitude can cause people to hide their feelings and suffer in silence, creating long term issues. If you’ve ever wondered why people close to you don’t open up, this attitude will be why.

That seems much better and I always think the October half term is too short being just a week. There’s tons to do in this country around Halloween, the weather is usually still fairly good and 2 weeks in October would give more people a chance to go abroad (the Med is usually still nice weather at this time too). 4 weeks in Summer would also be alot easier with childcare. Everyone is always fed up and ready for school by the 6th week! I cant see much harm making half terms longer, in fact would it probably benefit the kids not having the 6 week brain drain that alot of children have.

OMG would people just shut up now.
Another thread the same shit from the same inane posters..

OP, thank you for your thread and I hope you and DCs get back as planned and safely.

Much love x

Well said and seconded 👏👏👏

Ive been in Greece when there were wildfires , not as serious as what’s happening now, and it is very scary.

And obviously anyone with half a brain understands you fearing for yourself has no bearing on you feeling empathy for the Greek people.

We stayed in lindos a few years ago and I’ve just read the hotel we stayed in is one of those evacuated.

It’s a very sad situation for all involved. I hope you get home safe and sound very soon

I've only read your updates OP and not the full thread. It appears you've been getting some stick so I wanted to put my 2 pence worth in! You have written clearly and precisely without moaning or in any way looking for or asking for sympathy. In no way on any of your posts have you even come close to coming across as if this is your personal tragedy and you of all those affected are the worst off. I'm amazed you've been able to post so concisely as I'm sure I'd be too overwhelmed with emotion. Thank you for giving those of us safe at home hundreds of miles away a clearer idea of the situation there and I hope you and your family get home safely.

What makes you think the OP is not able to put her personal suffering into perspective? Have you read her posts?

Thank you to the kind posters. I'm just getting a bit tired of the smug and snide remarks. It's quite true that those who claim to have superior empathy clearly don't.
I decided to go to the hotel today. It's undamaged but covered in ash. I retrieved most of our stuff but no sign of the bag I dumped. However the driver has found out it may have been taken to Rhodes Town Hall. I know it's only stuff but the road is open and I don't think I posed a risk by going. There were lots of burnt patches along the road and on the hills. The roadside all along the hotel was burnt. The worst fires are now further west. We saw one burnt out building and 2 cars. Other buildings were remarkably unscathed

Does anyone know whether TUI Blue Sensatori Atlantica Dreams Resort was a casualty of the fire, as indicated by the post.

It's fine - I was sent a video an hour ago. The village a km away is under siege again though, fire fighters and locals trying to get it under control

I think you've clearly used your judgement and advice from those on the ground, yes it's only stuff but it's your stuff and honestly it's one less thing those left behind have to sort out. Most of us would want our belongings back if we could safely do so despite knowing they can be replaced etc so ignore any of the arseh0les on here that might have a go at you about that! Let's face it, you left it all behind and discarded the other bag along the way (hopefully you'll be reunited with it) so clearly your priorities are in order! Any word on when you'll get home? Are you still on track to take your original return flight? How are the locals coping? Are they being supported as well as the tourists?

Thank you. Did the video show whether the resort is affected by smoke and ash. I am with a wedding party booked to go out mid August and with no communication from TUI just anxious as to what we shall find. It was meant to be a very special wedding. Cannot do anything without a lot of additional expense so just have to wait on TUI.

That's where I've just been. Fire damage all around but none to the hotel itself. It's covered in ash.
If you left luggage there DM me.

It's just dirty as it's covered in ash. But undamaged.

Going tomorrow lunchtime.
The locals are generally upbeat from what I've seen, trying to be positive. All say please, please come back and are clearly worried about the tourists not returning. It's desperately sad.

You sound like a decent level headed person to me (as much as you can judge a strangers character from a few posts on a forum!) Try and make the best of tonight/the morning and reassure and thank the locals that you care and appreciate all they've done. Get home safely and please come back and update us once home as most of us do wonder how things turned out for OPs x

I’m glad you’ve got most of your stuff back OP and hope you get the abandoned case back too. Wishing you a safe trip home. Your thread certainly attracted some nasty posters but you shut most of them down effectively. No doubt they’ve moved on to find another victim to judge in order to make themselves feel superior.

Power banks is another top top. I shall be getting one.

We have got the missing bag. The driver made some calls and established that abandoned bags had been brought to the Town Hall here in Rhodes Town. We've just been and it's there.
If anyone on here was in the hotel and missing luggage, anything left in the rooms is still there. Anything left roadside/on the beach is in the town hall. they are all labelled with a reference number. I've videoed the ones with no address/airline label and have posted the video on the fb group. The hotel has a few and there's a video of those too.

*top tip

That's great that you got all your stuff back.

I am at a loss to know why anyone would begrudge that.

Hope you have a safe and uneventful trip home tomorrow, and thank you for posting this. Pity about the nasties, but it's been very interesting to read.

You're amazing OP. So proactive. Helping everyone you can. Just amazing.

Not correct as many people with yachts are willing to tell you.
**

A yacht /jɒt/ is a sailing or power vessel used for pleasure, cruising, or racing.[2][3][4] There is no standard definition, though the term generally applies to vessels with a cabin intended for overnight use. To be termed a yacht, as opposed to a boat, such a pleasure vessel is likely to be at least 33 feet (10 m) in length and may have been judged to have good aesthetic qualities.[1]

The Commercial Yacht Code classifies yachts 79 ft (24 m) and over as large.[5] Such yachts typically require a hired crew[1] and have higher construction standards.[5] Further classifications for large yachts are: commercial—carrying no more than 12 passengers, private—solely for the pleasure of the owner and guests, or by flag, the country under which it is registered.[6] A superyacht (sometimes megayacht) generally refers to any yacht (sail or power) longer than 131 ft (40 m).[7]
Racing yachts are designed to emphasize performance over comfort.[8] Charter yachts are run as a business for profit.[7] As of 2020 there were more than 15,000 yachts of sufficient size to require a professional crew.[9]

Yacht - Wikipedia

I assume it’s because their family and friends (if they have any), are sick and tired of hearing their diatribes where they think we all need to live as people did in the 1800's. Actually worse than they did, since they want to ban meat, so no cows, sheep, pigs, chickens.

They think their "way" of informing people is helping. It isn't. Being nasty, mean, cruel and condescending has never worked and never will. But still they go on.
And on. And on. And...

Luckily, the majority here have the reading comprehension skills to understand EXACTLY what you are communicating.

We are reading about a horrible incident through your eyes. You haven't diminished anything. I guess there will always be someone who just cannot comprehend anything beyond their own viewpoint. That or they lead such miserable, lonely lives that they have a serious need for attention and are using your post to get it by castigating everything you say.

I hope you and your family are doing okay and please, continue updating us. The majority find it interesting and we can do that and STILL feel saddened and horrified at what the residents, businesses and rescuers are coping with right now.