My day in Athens

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Monday 18 June, 2012

A day in Athens



I got up early and went straight to the Lido outdoor café, where I’d had breakfast with Ed and Miriam for the past two mornings. I hadn’t seen them since lunchtime yesterday on Santorini and wanted to swap addresses and say goodbye. They didn’t come. Perhaps they went to the dining room, I thought, so I decided to wait at the disembarkation point to catch them as they left the ship. They were part of one of the many tour groups (Trafalgar) on board the cruise, and as groups were being called up as I was standing there, I was positive I would see them. I watched every face of every person that disembarked, until there were no more people bar crew to get off. I was feeling very disappointed not to have been able to say goodbye. I really liked this couple. I guess I’ll have to be thankful to have known them for the short time that I did, and trust that this is the way it was meant to be.



I collected my baggage from the luggage hall and headed outside not knowing exactly what I would do next. I knew I would need to store my baggage somewhere as it would be impossible to look around the city whilst hauling baggage the whole time. I decided the train station would be the best option. I was feeling a little out of sorts for not having found Ed and Miriam and knowing I would have to walk to Piraeus station then change trains twice to get to the storage lockers in Athens, I jumped into the first cab I saw and told him to take me to take me there direct. €45 later I was there, this made me a bit cranky with myself as it would only have been about €7 taking the other alternative. Ha! What’s fifty bucks I thought, I’ll just have to eat salad rolls in my room for the next few days!



I stored my luggage safely in a very large locker designed especially for large suitcases. It was just €3 for eight hours, and as my flight to Venice didn’t depart until 4.30, that was plenty of time. I made my way back to Syntagma Square station and the heat immediately hit me as I came outside again. I found a cool café and enjoyed a coffee while I contemplated my next move. I was looking for the open-top bus that is well known throughout Europe for the hop on, hop off tour experience. I gazed across the road, and there it was. I only had to make it that small distance in the heat and I’d be fine as the bus had an awning to keep the sun out but was open enough to get the breeze. Perfect!



The tour takes in many archaeological sites and museums that Greece is known for, including the old town of Plaka, the Acropolis, Parthenon and the Temple of Zeus. The ticket price is very reasonable at €18 and passengers can hop off to take look around at any point and get back on again when the next bus comes along 30 minutes later. You can keep doing this for the entire circuit getting off at off and on at your leisure. If you stayed on the bus for the entire route it would take around 90 minutes and in this heat, I was tempted to do just that and see the sites from the comfort of the double-decker bus, but I didn’t. I got off and braved the heat to soak up the atmosphere, and marvel at the ancient sites.



At 12 o’clock I went back to the same café at Syntagma Square for a bite and a cool beer before heading back to collect my luggage. I wanted to be at the airport in plenty of time and figured that I’d take the train this time as opposed to the bus. The airport bus experience was not one I was eager to repeat. As it turned out, this was the best choice. Seats were readily available and the train was air conditioned. A young man sat next to me and picked up on my accent straight away. A Greek-born man, early twenties I’d say. He told me he was on his way home from seeing his lawyer. He wanted the opportunity of a good life as he was disillusioned with life in Greece. He was educated in Ireland and London and was trying to immigrate to Australia under the skilled labour policy. He is an engineer-trained and is trying to get work in the Australian mining sector. He wants to base himself in Melbourne where he has a distant uncle that he’s never met; but is happy to assist him if he can. He first put his application in over two years ago and apparently has come up against many barriers, each one a slow process to sort out. I wished him well when he got off the train.



Clearing security at Athen Airport was another hassle; I had my new €19 bottle of French body lotion confiscated. Wasn’t I peeved! But, I didn’t let the little shit just throw it into the bin. I told him I was going to lather it all over my body before he took it off me… which I did and didn’t he give me some dirty sideways glances as I did so! Also, I had spare near empty 50ml bottle in my hand luggage, so I poured some into that. I handed it back to him and he shook it... yep, a half empty bottle to chuck instead of a full one! Take that you measly little twerp. Stupid thing about is, as soon as you clear security, you can buy more liquid stuff and take it on board as hand luggage. I realise security has tightened since 911, but this is ridiculous.



The flight passed quickly enough and was soon landing at Venice airport. By the time I collected my baggage and went outside to catch a bus into Venice, I was feeling pretty out of sorts. Physically not well. I was hoping what felt like a cold starting last night was nothing, but as I write this, I am as sick as the proverbial dog. I will update my adventure finding my hotel tomorrow. I must sleep now.

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