Fasten Your Seatbelts

All Aboard!

 

Our High Speed 4 catamaran is yet to clear the port of Piraeus so I don't know how fast it will go but we have aleady left a ferry in our wake. Fortunately, it is a sunny and calm day for our sailing to Mykonos. We have picked up a travelling companion in Athens. Di is working in Italy but has joined us for the first stage of our cruise. The boat is packed with a weekend crowd and the weathr forecast is for summer temperatures.

 

We arrived about 6 pm local time and wandered unhindered through customs. Our Benz taxi took off at a sedate  pace through the off ramps and the driver said little - he had programmed his GPS for the City Plaza Hotel and was either concentrating or waiting to see what sort of tourists we were. We must have passed the test because soon Kostas was chatting amiably in good English to us as we sped down the new freeways to Athens. Top speed I noted was 140 kmh but I was probably more nervous at 120 kmh when he drove without hands on the wheel. In traffic.

 

By this stage we were good friends. We passed a broken down bus on the freeway which confirmed the wisdom of out choice of transport - the metro is currently closed from the airport. The trip was otherwise unremarkable and soon we arrived at our hotel, a little grimy on the outside, the area definitely a little seedy in a bustling way, but reception was friendly and helpful. We have offloaded our heavy suitcases (Emma has loaded us up with her books and winter clothes - 37kg) for the island tour. Fortunately the coupl opposite us are non smokers but elswhere smokers rule! Very European.

 

The hotel has 4 man lifts (two of me) which took some sussing out but we discovered we had a 6am pickup for the ferry so we knew we would not see much of our room. We met Di for a drink and then went up to the rooftop bar which had a magnificent view of the Parthenon and St. Georges.  We had a lovely Greek meal with friendly staff and look forward to a slightly longer stay when we return.

 

This morning we awoke with a phone call from reception - our taxi was here. My alarm was set for 5.30 pm! Dressed and packed in record time we quickly joined Di and our patient driver who proceeded to demonstrate different driving skills from Kostas. While only peaking at 120kmh (in an 80 zone) he drove down the middle of two lanes in traffic, moving without indicating (except onto the freeway) between the lanes but generally keping his options open. It seemed to work as we avoided most of the traffic and other vehicles to be deposited right at our ferry.

 

About to leave land behind in the haze so will close and go for a walk.

 

Next stop Mykonos!