Day 18: Corfu to Athens

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Today, we travel through the Peloponnese and cross the Corinth Canal to Athens.


Had to get up at 6 this morning so we could catch the ferry to the mainland. Carted our bags up the stairs to the pool so they could be driven down to the coach, and was glad we didn't have to carry them down all the stairs. Had breakfast in a rush, there was no yoghurt so that was disappointing.
Drove about half an hour to the port, then got on as foot passangers while Marty waited to drive the bus on. Left at about 8.45, heading straight for the mainland. Sat inside as it was cold and a bit rainy. It was set up like an aeroplane, with rows of seats and a TV at the front. The shop was actually really cheap, so we all stocked up with snacks for later. I played euchre with Matt, Dave and Josh. The seating was quite random as 2 rows down the middle were non smoking, but the rows either side were smoking and there was no partitions separating them, and people just smoked everywhere anyway. It only took about an hour and a half to get there, then we got back on the coach.
Drove for almost 3 hours, then stopped for Gyros in Amfilochia. Amanda decided that we should play games to pass the time on the next leg, so we played 'dear deidre', which was crap and then a treasure hunt game that Amanda made up.
Stopped at the Corinth Canal, which was built to join the west coast to the water inlet on the east coast so boats didn't have to travel all the way around the south. The original idea was proposed around 69 AD, but it wasn't started until 1889. Built by 6000 slaves, it's 72 metres below ground level, 8 metres deep, 24 metres wide and 6.7 km long. It was completed in 1894, and all built by hand.
Arrived at our hotel at about 7, it's right opposite the 'beach', along the main road/esplanade thingy. It looks really derelict from the outside, like 99% of the buildings in Greece (they only pay taxes on a building when it's finished, so they leave the top floor unfinished and just utilise the lower levels), but the rooms are really cool - similar to the royal national. It's so good to be in a proper bed, with a proper bathroom and towels, and i can't remember the last time i watched tv. Walked a few streets away with Ange, Julia, Emily, Nat L-Z and Melissa to get dinner, then had an early (sober - my first one of the tour) night as we had to get up at 5.

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