Sunday, June 15, 2025

Day 13, Athens to Karditsa

Today was one of those days, some ups, some downs. Getting out of Athens was a lot easier than getting in, despite the rough roads through the industrial area. Once out of the suburbs, things picked up and we were enjoying some nice roads, at a nice steady pace.

The roads up into the mountains were really quite good, with some long sweeping bends, switching left and right, allowing us to keep up an adequate 40-50 mph, leaving the boys on their toys to go flying past.

Our first stop was at a monument to the fallen, Greeks, in the second world war. It's a nice looking monument but seems slightly neglected. Next our fuel stop, one in the original schedule. Not the most expensive this time!

Our next stop was just outside of Delphi, at the Tholos of Athena Pronaia. I'm sure it would have been nice but as we approached I could see the parking space was taped off by the orange works fencing. We stopped anyway and I walked back to see if we could get in. No chance. Even a sneaky over the fencing was out of the question, as I could see someone in hi-vis on guard. The one place I had earmarked out of the whole Delphi complex and we couldn't get in. Bollocks!

We moved on, just up the road to the village of Delphi and stopped for lunch, where I had my first greek salad, first salad of any kind, of the trip. I asked for no olives but hadn't expected the peppers, red and green, I hate peppers! Poor choice Neill.

Back on the road, our next stop was the British Cemetery at Bralos. A small affair and to my surprise comprising dead from the first world war, the majority having been killed in September 1918.

We had a shade break further along the way, yes, it was still scorching hot, and then paid a visit to a Lidl for some toiletries, just a couple of kilometers from the hotel. That's when the day took another down turn, for me, at least.

I had already acquired some chewing gum on my boot and hence on my footrest and had to stop to clean it off. At the hotel though, Ginny was spewing out coolant. There had been no red triangle this time, so was a shock. As she cooled down, the flow stopped but she had emptied the header tank. I refilled it. Overheating is one problem, this moves it up a level. I now face the prospect of having to nurse her home, over the next 10 days.

We ate in the hotel, though we're not entirely sure the food was cooked there. After taking our order, the waiter was straight on the phone. When the food arrived, my starter and main arrived together! Hmm! Deliveroo? We only had 1 beer in the hotel, as they were expensive, so we popped out to find a bar. Instead, we found a tiny shop with a fridge of tinnies, so we got a couple each for back in the room. I think that makes beer count 29.

Pics from the day.

The Greek War Memorial

All that could be seen of the Sanctuary of Pronaia Athena

Thanks for nothing!

The British Cemetery, Bralos

As Above

Street of umbrellas, Karditsa


Tomorrow we head for a last overnighter in Greece, a place called Lithotopos, at the southern end of Lake Kerkini. Hopefully Ginny will behave herself. I have everything crossed.

More tomorrow.




 

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