In 2005, when we last visited Greece,we went with our backpacks and moved by local bus and ferries. It worked well and I especially enjoyed the very long ferry trip from Crete to Lesvos. Over 24 hours and we slept on chairs outside on deck in a small wind protected area, enjoying the simple things. In fact I liken boat travel to walking as you really get a feel for the voyage and the subtle changes happening along the way.
And just to prove that we are still young enough to need not too many creature comforts on the road, we are trying a repeat ferry performance this year. This time we are in aircraft style seats and with bags with wheels as an indulgence.
At the start of the trip we are happy to say we are still a few years away from regular cruising it seems. Our ferry mates seem mostly a healthy mix of eastern european truck drivers and a few travellers. Not many women on board and probably no other Australians that we can glean. Barely any english to be heard anywhere as we check out the casual seating and dining areas where some serious card games are happening. Although when our quiet little seating area is invaded by about 40 turks, part of a Kabanya sports club tour group it seems, we go through about an hour of territorial dispute before things settle down. This is a very basic trip we have signed up for.
As we steam along the Adriatic and into the long night (the trip turned out to be about 23 hours long), we hear Hong Kong is enjoying riots, French pilots have yet again agreed to go back to work after striking (they have been in industrial turmoil since Bleriot first flew), Italy is besotted by Mr and Mrs George Clooney and Turkey (our final destination this trip) is still at the cross roads of the world.
As it turned out the ferry we were supposed to be on hit rocks the week before so was out of action for repairs and we were on an older and slower ferry – hence the 23 hours.
It so happens that we eventually
arrived in Igoumenestis to find 'no ferry to Paxos today my friend.'
So a slight change of plans and after a taxi ride with our friendly
ferry meeting taxi driver, we end up in the small seaside town of
Parga some 50 kms away. But more detail of that little deviation
will come in our next blog.
We are not ship wrecked like Ulysses
was around here and we are not dealing with the cyclops. What will
tomorrow bring?
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