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Published: March 19th 2007
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"From Sydney to the acropolis....is 30 hours by foot and wings"
I started my journey in top spirits and continued this mood despite the exausting flights that got me to my destination. All that free time did give me a chance to watch borat a few more times. I had the window seat and it seemed my prayers for a couple of sexy co-eds in the seats next to me had been ignored and replaced with two middle age brits. There was an amazing lightning storm as we passed over indonesia, and i tried to ignore the possible danger it meant to the aircraft and enjoyed the show. An uneventful change at bangkok, followed by an attempt to sleep. I managed to get a few hours in before arriving at heathrow. There was a traffic jam on the tarmac, forcing us to fly around in circles for 20 minutes. This meant that the time i had to get to my connecting flight was now only a bit over an hour - and it was mayhem! A bus ride over to the british airways terminal presented me with a never ending line of people. I made it to the transfers desk at
Parliment building at Syntagma Square
Look it up - there has been a lot of historical events happen here 0754, one minute before my plane took off. I had to sprint about 800 metres to my gate and scraped through as they were closing the doors. A three and a half hour flight which seemed a breeze after the flight to london. We passed over the Austrian Alps which were still completely covered in glorious white snow. Although i managed to make my connecting flight at Heathrow my baggage did not. So i travelled light on the metro into town and waited for my backpack to be sent over on the following flight, which was delivered to my hostel later that night. As i walked to my hostel i noticed a police blockade on the main street and lots of police and army officers around town. I later found out there had been a student protest the previous week which turned into a violent riot. I made it to the hostel and took a much needed shower and went straight out to see the sights. 30 seconds out of my hostel i was taken aback in awe of the huge rock shooting out of the ground into the air with the Parthenon sitting on top. I took a picture
Guard
Same as the british guards these guys can't move. Poor guy - someone put pom poms on his shoes. of the acropolis and now an obvious tourist it didnt take long for some dodgy old man to try and lure me away for a drink. I did a lap around the acropolis which had closed for the day and stood atop Areopagus (mars hill) and took in the view. After a bit of a wander i went back to my room to lie down for 5 minutes. 5 hours later i awoke to thoughts of my first night wasted asleep and qucikly went downstairs for a beer. I said hello to the first people i saw, two sisters from Indiana, USA. They invited me to go with them to Aegina ( an island off athens) the following day. The hostel bar shut at midnight and i went with a few others to a bar around the corner. Got chatting to some great people at the bar who were from Leeds, England. A late night followed by an early morning to catch the ferry to Aegina. At the train station on the way there i noticed people starring at me. I think i must have been the only person in Athens wearing shorts. The ferry to Aegina took about an
Police blockade
There was a line of cops on the other side of these buses...i took the photo from this side incase they took a baton to my head for taking a picture of them hour. We walked around and soaked up the vibe of this beautiful island. We hired a couple of mopeds and went cruising. The water looked so amazing and clear. We stopped for lunch at a cool little ma and pa restaurant down an ally way right on the water. The owners were the full stereotype, the husband yelling from the kitchen and the wife yelling back as she took our orders. Not being the peak season the full menu wasnt on offer. I ordered the chicken souvlaki. Not knowing what souvlaki was i was relieved when it arrived. We cruised around the coast of Aegina and towards the centre to a huge monastery. After a big day we sat at the dock eating strawberries as the sun went down waiting for our ferry. I spent the second night with a couple more americans who live in Germany. We had a few Greek beers called Mythos at the hostel then headed to the club district - another late night. I spent today seeing more sights. I went up the top of the acropolis and saw the parthenon. It was weird being infront of something that i studied in art in high
A Big Rock
The Acropolis and Parthenon school. I never thought back then that it would be anything more than something in a book to me. From there i crossed the road to the Temple of the Olympian Zeus and up through the national gardens where i had an afternoon lie down in the sun. The weather has been sunny blue skies since i got here, though the wind and the nights are quite cold. Athens somehow manages to be busy and cruisy at the same time. Everyone is just so laid back. The roads (and footpaths) are shared by cars, motorbikes and pedestrians with no panic. After a few more beers tonight i say goodbye to Athens and head off to Syros on another early morning ferry. Im hoping the weather will be good enough for swimming. Im keen to get into that Aegean water.
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Rosie
non-member comment
You look hot
Hi Great Dane. Firstly, i owe you an apology for not maing it to your farewell. Long story. I hope you can forgive me. Secondly, I LOVE your blog. Keep me in the email loop. Thirdly, you look fabulous in a daggy helmet. LIVE, LOVE, Go WILD my friend!! Rosie