Tourism plays a big part of Greek island life and Paxos is no different. Although not catering for the hoards, there is a steady stream of Paxofiles who return year after year.

In the winter Paxiots hibernate as during the summer many work seven days a week. It is therefore quite justifiable that – apart from harvesting their olives – sleeping, relaxing and catching up on village life is the order of the day.

Around Greek Easter they awake from their slumber, poking their heads above the parapet as it slowly dawns on them that the new season is approaching and their houses, restaurants and bars need spring-cleaning.

For some reason most Greeks have a habit of leaving everything to the last minute, something I find difficult to understand.

It's a long time since Yianna and I were in Paxos at this time of the year and it's easy to get caught up in the reawakening ritual which annually encompasses the island. That's why we naively agreed to help a dear old Paxiot friend who was struggling to prepare his two waterside apartments in time for visitors.

He had invited us to have a look at them for a spot of advice on how to refurbish them as economically as possible. Immediately Yianna’s creative side kicked in. The challenge to transform the tired and bland interiors to 21st Century panache was irresistible and she volunteered her expertise as consultant and organiser whilst yours truly was seconded to the role of general dogsbody.

A plan was quickly conceived as the first guests were due in less than two weeks. The main areas for improvement were furniture and soft furnishings with a good paint job transforming rather dull colours to creams and whites.

Well – it was decided that one of us had to paint the apartments whilst the other had to take off to Ikea in Athens to buy all the furnishings that needed replacing. This is when I thought I was being very clever as I opted for the Ikea trip that allowed for an overnight stay in the much improved city since the 2004 Olympics, dinner with a couple of old friends and a quick shop in Ikea and back home again. I should have smelled a rat when Yianna readily agreed to concentrate on the painting!

I have to confess I have never been to Ikea before. It started very well and in less than two hours I had selected everything – however for those innocent husbands and partners out there that have never made the trip – that's the easy bit!

What followed was a nightmare. After making my furniture selections, I then had to find them in the warehouse and that's when I discovered half of it was not available (well, slight exaggeration), then I had to queue at the checkout with my laden trolleys – that took another hour and a half and lastly but not least I had to wrap everything in brown paper for transportation by road and ferry to Paxos and that process took another three hours.

All in all I spent 10 hours in Ikea and I never want to go through that again – I was seriously traumatised. I suspect Yianna knew this all along – that's why she let me volunteer – she knew what was coming.

Anyway, we finished the refurbishment – our guests arrived and by all accounts were very content especially as they had stayed there before the transformation.

Yianna and I got lots of 'Brownie Points' and were smothered in kisses from our dear friend with a promise of a magnificent lunch at his house to celebrate the new style waterfront apartments.

These are not Simpson properties and are still relatively simple, but for any one curious to know more and who might like to stay there – and they are truly in a splendid position by the sea overlooking Loggos harbour – then drop me a line and I will gladly point you in the right direction.