What a coincidence, we just happen to be here in Koufonosia at the same time as my Australian mate, Mad Petros. He’s here to help celebrate his younger brother, Stratos’, 60th birthday. His two other Mad brothers, Giannis and Thomas are also here, along with wives and girlfriends etc.

I had introduced Mad Petros to this island over 6 years ago, when I had invited him to my own ‘special’ birthday here…. (OK, it was my 70th if you must know) and it was obviously a successful party as three years later Mad Petros decided it would be a great place to hold his own ‘significant’ birthday here, his 60th, in exactly the same restaurant, Captain Nikolas’ fish taverna, as I had held mine, some 4 years earlier.

All his brothers came here for that too and it seems that everyone who came for Petros’ party seemed to just love the location and the island and its unique attractions. Petros sent YM and I an invitation but we had made other plans — after 10 weeks in Europe, mainly Greece, we were on our way back home to Australia by ship. I phoned Petros and told him we couldn’t make his 60th, but I’d definitely be there for his next birthday. His reply stunned me…. “Yeah sure, but what makes you think you’ll still be alive next year?”

When I told YM, all she could add was that he was absolutely right. “If it was me,” she said, “I’d be on a plane back to Greece quick-smart.” We disembarked in Singapore, YM flew home to Perth — but without me. I caught a plane back to Greece, then a ferry to Koufonisia, arriving just in time for the party. Was it worth it? Yes. Any excuse.

Now another year on, it’s his younger brother Stratos following the same formula — same island, same Captain Nikolas Taverna, same madness. I often joke with Petros that I get a ‘kickback’ from the owners — in Greece it’s colloquially known as ‘Fakelaki’, a small brown envelope filled with cash. He half believes me. I once walked out of the kitchen pretending to stuff my wallet with notes. “You Mallacca,” he said. “I f***in knew it!”

---

Read next:
→ The Fish Trap — the quiet night after the party that wasn’t quiet
→ The Last Boat out of Piraeus — how a cancelled flight accidentally saved the whole trip
→ All Koufonisia posts — the full island story from 2012 to now