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Published: June 14th 2011
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11th June 2011.
Yesterday's evening on the terrace turned into five hours of watching the wotld go by. As the sun fell behind the pine trees behind me fireflies began to sparkle in the growing darkness. I stared lazily trying to predict their next flash point. I didn't feel like moving and so didn't bother going to find something to eat. Then the ominous diving whine of the pregnant female mosquito looking for blood forced me to go inside. When you hear that zrzrzrzrzrzrrzzzrrrzzzrrzrzrzrrrzzzz whine it's already too late cause a couple of silent assassins have already got you! Sure enough, little B@#$%^*s!!
The lazy mood from last night continued into the morning as I returned to the terrace for three cups of coffee...grazzi Marta...Grazzi Marta...Grazzi Mille Marta....but by ten o'clock I decided I better get to Ancona. The ferry wasn't due to leave until 4:30 and it's only 50 miles from Casa Paradiso, but I planned to potter along and wasn't sure how easy it would be to find the ferry port....foreign country and all that??
I rode along the coast road weaving its way round the jagged outcrops and up and down short steep climbs and descents
which run the length of Italy's Costa Verde. The Giro D'Italia Cycle race uses these roads and the main traffic I saw were brightly coloured cyclists puffing up the climbs and whirring down the descents.
I arrived in Ancona about half eleven and followed the clearly signposted route to the ferry port lol!!
I was only 5 hours early? But checked in anyway and was guided to a spot right by the water and told I didn't have to move as the ferry would dock right alongside me. There was no-one around except some roustabouts and a couple of truckers so I thought I'd lie down on the harbour wall and a have a long blink.
I was dreaming of being back in the narrow lanes of Cairo's market district....the shouts of traders vying with each other to attract the tourists wandering around, the mixture of scents from the perfume stalls mingling with the smell of burning charcoal and paraffin from the food trolleys and hashish from giant hubble bubble pipes, brightly coloured stalls with tacky shiny camels and garish jewellery, all jumbled together creating a vibrant hustle and bustle....I opened my eyes, but could still hear shouts,
there was perfume in the air and a heady mix of sea air and diesel fumes, there was hustle and bustle everywhere????? "Pistachio Gelato!!" I looked around a bit confused and for a moment had no idea where the hell I was?? I was surrounded by brightly coloured families, parents warning children not to play near the edge, grandparents shouting ice cream orders and cars and campervans everywhere? I checked my watch....the long blink had lasted 3 hours lol!! i had a sudden panic and quickly checked I hadn't been robbed cause a couple of drunks could have spent a leisurely ten minutes pulling my boots off and I woudn't noticed!? Phheeeewww........still intact hahahahaha. I stood up in my bike gear and felt like I was melting, it was HOT! A cold drink and a sandwich sorted me out and I waited happily for the ferry.
Minoan Ferries....it's the biggest ferry I've ever been on, 4 car decks all full before we pulled out of port 2 hours late. I'd splashed out and paid the extra 2 euro's to get a reclining chair for the 25 hour crossing and it was worth every penny :-) 25 hours at sea
can be a very, very long time......There was absolute carnage in the cheap seats, bodies everywhere, families spread out like the Sunday Papers and toddlers running riot and screaming. I closed the door on my business class lounge lol and left the faint whiff of vomit firmly behind me.
I was well and truly settled in for the night and didn't feel like eating, when a friend sent me a text and told me to get off my arse and explore telling me you never know who you might meet? So I dutifully got off my arse and headed straight out on deck for a cigarette.....forgot my lighter so asked a fellow smoker for a light. He turned out to be Janik Polocek, Czech National Rally Champion 2010! I read that on the embroidery on his team shirt. So, me not having a clue, I asked if he was going to a rally? Turns out the entire World Rally Championship's pit crews and some of the drivers were on board, heading for the Greek stage of the World Rally Championship. Already completely out of my depth as I know nothing about rallying other than I watched it once on TV,
I asked if he hoped to do well? He went on about some technical stuff and finally said he hoped to finish in the top ten....I said, "If you take your brain out before you get in the car you might make the top 5?" Thankfully he laughed which was my cue for shutting up!! Smoke over I went back to my seat and watched 2 films on my netbook.
12th June 2011.
After a fitful sleep I witnessed a horrible family tragedy :-( One of life's disappointed men was ignoring his wife's inquiries into what he would like for breakfast as she busily prepared a banquet of rolls, cheeses and cold meats infront of him. Their 8 or 9 year old son, noticing his dad's non responses, attempted to cuddle his dad, at which point the dad hit him a heavy backhander and a cold stare.....the boy sat in his chair silently staring at the floor, not shocked or crying. The mum glanced at her son and continued preparing breakfast. I was fuming and wanted to do something or say something but couldn't bring myself to get involved, so I sat feeling a bit sick at being
unable to do anything and knowing that that wasn't the first time the boy had felt that back hander :-( Really awful thing to witness....
I left in search of coffee and fresh air, feeling sorry for the boy and glad my childhood was so good.
German's! You've got to love em! While quietly enjoying my morning coffee, this guy walks into the restaurant wearing Jesus sandals with socks, a raggedy mustard coloured t-shirt and a pair of way too brief budgie smugglers and sporting a pair of way way way too hairy budgies legs. He promptly stops in the middle of the restaurant and shouts across to his family asking if they wanted more coffee? I saw his wife actually duck!! hahahhahhaha undettered he shouted louder hahahahahahaha classy!!
We docked in Patras at 6pm, 2 hours late. Fifteen minutes in Patras and I'd already witnessed 3 crashes??? My eyes were out on stalks as the driving style is....well...manic! Eventually after a couple of wrong turns and a few side streets I found the road I wanted and relaxed a bit. Quick stop for my first photo on Greek soil and put some music on for the
final 100 miles down the coast to Kalo Nero. It being a Sunday evening there was hardly any traffic so I was marching on....I felt I was going a bit quick and saw 120 mph on the speedo oooopppppsssss....just at that moment I saw 2 policemen leaning against the bonnet of their Fiat Punto squad car......they waved!!!?????? LOL????!!!!
I arrived at Archelon, Sea Turtle Research and Protection Society's campsite at 7:30. As I pulled off the road Snow Patrol's "An Olive Grove Facing The Sea" was playing on my Mp3.....The campsite is in an olive grove facing the sea?! :-D I think they were a bit surprised to see me? They were expecting me....just not expecting me to arrive on a big bright red Ducati???
Road trip over for now.....it was fun! Now I'll be doing serious work for a few weeks on the a sundrenched beach in a quiet corner of Greece :-)
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