Athens - Where I angered the Gods

Day one:

I had to get up at 4.45am for my flight this morning as I needed to get to the airport as it left at 8.15. I could have left a bit later considering the flight was delayed, however, I have a thing about being extra early for flights so I don’t regret my decision. My great joy getting on the plane was discovering that I had three seats to myself.

As you can tell I’m about to loose something again, not my hat nor my iPad (it’s safety in the UK) or my iPhone or passport but my earphones. This was especially anoying as it had my iPhone to earphone connector attached. When I realised I went to the information desk only to find I would have to file a report etc and I decided it was not worth the effort. Luckily the airport has electronic shops and after discovering a new connector was €20 I decided instead to buy wireless for €25. It’s slight annoying to do this in the fact that cheap wireless earphones are crap quality and you have to recharge them a lot as their battery is not good. However, staying in hostels I can’t watch Netflix out loud or listen to music. I do have a set of high quality headphones but left them in the UK as they were too bulky to take with me. I’ve become minimalist as I travel - except for plush toys!

After finally getting out of the airport I went to take the metro downtown then catch a taxi the rest of the way. However, today the whole system was on strike. I then had to walk across the airport to find the bus stop and with 100 other people I had to wait around 45 mins for it to arrive. It only came every 30 minutes. So in 30+ degree weather I struggled along until it eventually arrived and somehow managed to get a seat. I’m not sure what I would have done without the seat as I was so hot and my feet were so sore.

I then managed to find my hostel and praise the gods there was air conditioning. Cooling down I headed out to dinner and got chatting to the people next to me who were from Australia. On the other side was a couple who I’m sure the boyfriend was about to dump his girlfriend. I guess they are having a nice holiday?

Day two:

I woke up late as I had to use my earplugs. I decided to get a hop on / off bus to see the city. Unfortunately Athens is quite run down. A lot of stores were bordered up or closed. There was graffiti everywhere and most stores that were open sold second hand junk - in one case a CRT tv.

By the middle of the day the heat was overwhelming so I decided to head back to my hostel to cool down before doing laundry. I saw on google maps it was a 16 minute walk away - which was a long walk in the heat. Getting to the laundromat I met some nice Americans from Florida. Who bought me a coke as I showed them how to operate the machines.

Let’s just say there is nothing more amazing then clean clothes - especially in this heat. I was washing every other week but in this heat it’s going to be every week for a while. I then decided to use the equivalent of uber back and must say it’s very good. It only cost me €3.50 and it seems to be an actual taxi firm as the cars are all yellow.

Getting back to the hostel I asked the staff about going on a tour to one of the islands. I was getting confused about booking a ferry so decided to ask for help.  As it turns out they had a brochure for a tour to visit two islands (on the first one you get a tour of the ruins) for only €90. This is a good deal as looking to book ferry tickets was going to be a minimum of €60 and I get picked up from my hostel.

After another quick break - I’m now reading A Man Named Ove I headed out for dinner. I went back to the square near my hostel. It was great to see so many different stalls and places to buy stuff. As you know I love my nephew more than anything and he is so great as I can buy him stuff. I’m trying to buy him a t-shirt from each place I visit and today I found something he will love. Or at least I will love seeing him wear them.

Day three:

I got up early today to see the Acropolis as the sun is at its worst at midday. I was going to get there by eight but managed nine because I didn’t want to get up plus it takes so much longer when you have to put on sunscreen. I’m not sure how people who put on makeup everyday cope.

I took a taxi and got there to find a queue. Luckily it was not too long and I got a ticket within ten minutes. I’m also glad the monument is only a short walk up the hill - a lot worse in this heat. Saying that it’s not as bad in Greece as I thought it would be but it’s still hot.

Admiring the view I decided Baby Groot would like a pic. I then hear a loud whistle and man runs over saying it’s not allowed. Slightly pissed I asked why I can’t take one of the skyline and was told it was a sacred place. Annoyed I walked away and decided to try again a little up the way. Again I was stopped - angry at this stage I asked him to show me the regulation of which he didn’t have. I then told him if the area was so sacred why was everyone else allowed to take 100s of selfies and are dressed with almost nothing on? Anyway I decided I had tried my case and then walked around to see the sites often hard to take a photo because of all the selfies going on.

I then decided to head down the hill to the museum as there would be air conditioning. I was amazed to find out there was no photos allowed anywhere. I’m amazed so many people still went in as I’m sure some people all they do on holiday is take selfies. Why does someone need a pic of themselves by some ancient artifact. Anyway I saw some amazing things and it’s so strange to walk around seeing things that are over 2000 years old.

I then started to feel sick - not sure if I’m drinking enough water. I decided to go back to my hostel to rest for a bit until I go out again. Luckily on my way back I found a place that sold stamps. At only €0.90 each I can afford to send everyone on my list.

I went out to dinner (food is so cheap here!) and then for my massage only to find out they were running behind. I decided to rebook for Wednesday rather than wait. I got back to my hostel to find my roommate in a right state. She had been sick all day and instead of heatstroke which I thought it was she had developed some sort of infection in her chest (apparently she had surgery last year). Anyway the moral of the story is always have insurance on holiday. I spent around $600 I but it was for six months. She didn’t have any and apparently didn’t want to pay for the doctor so instead booked her flight back home.

Day four:

Beach day! I had been looking forward to this for months as I love to swim and it’s Greece. I was feeling apprehensive again as I’m alone but I forced myself up and out. Another feel the fear and do it anyway moment.

I used a taxi as I’m not taking a train and bus to get here and it only cost €12! I had done some research online and I found a place called Costa Del Sol and it was brilliant. It only cost €5 to get in and it came with a sun lounger and umbrella. Luckily it was filled with mainly English Tourists and local Greek people who didn’t give me a second blink.

If they did I didn’t notice - I’m finding this the same for eating out. Even if they do look at me I don’t care - plus most of them are on their phones anyway. As Olin Miller said: “You probably wouldn’t worry about what people think of you if you could know how seldom they do.”

I had bought an aquapac in the UK and it allows you to take your phone into the water as I didn’t want to be pickpocketed on the beach. It worked amazing and as it turned out I didn’t even need it as it was all families there and I just kept an eye on my stuff while I was in the water.

I had a few amazing swims though I got bitten a few times by some fish. Apparently they are more common now because of climate change. After my second bite I avoided the shallow water after that and kept my legs moving.

Another great part of the place was that there was a bar with lounger service. I also found that my quick dry towel is quick. I’m off on my island trip tomorrow so should be able to get everything dry to go swimming.

I must say we need this in NZ I would go to the beach so much more if I didn’t have to lug so much stuff and got drinks and food brought to me. I’m new to holidays to this is probably more common for other people.

Getting back to the hostel I got the sad news that my island tour had been cancelled. However, I was able to rebook for Wednesday so fingers crossed it’s not cancelled. It just means I will have to be extra efficient tomorrow and be packed as my plane leaves at 6am on Thursday.

I went out to buy some stuff from the supermarket and then stopped for dinner. In my defence I didn’t expect the pita bread with the haloumi and the salad I ordered was way bigger than expected. All in all only €11. Didn’t eat all of it - The haloumi was amazing.

Day five:

So as I had no plans I had decided to sleep in and read some of my book. I have sore feet (I think I burned them underneath a bit on the sand) so didn’t feel like much walking. I ended up sleeping and reading most of the day then going and walking around outside before having dinner. I came back to my hostel only to find out the tour had been cancelled again sigh.

So I’m now stuck and not sure of what to do tomorrow. Athens is a pretty run down city which I didn’t realise when I booked. Then again I had no idea my cruise was going to be cancelled again. So I guess we’ll just have to see what tomorrow brings. Also there is only so many museums and sites with ruins you can see before it loses all its glory.

In other news as it turns out I have around a seven hour layover in Amsterdam on Thursday. So as the airport is around 15 minutes to the city centre I now have a bonus sightseeing day. I’ve already booked an open top canal ride to see all the famous sites. I looked at the Anne Frank museum / loft but being that I was 17th in the line to even go to the booking page suggests to me that there will be no spots available on Thursday.  

Day six:

It’s official - I believe I have angered the Greek gods in some way. Today I decided after a Facebook recommendation to go up Mt Lycabettus at sunset for the view. Would you know it - there is a taxi strike. Yes I could have walked but not in this heat. So I didn’t really do anything today - watched YouTube and read my book mainly before heading out for my last dinner and bought another gift. Another person is off my list.

So at this stage I must say I’m getting a bit over travelling. Don’t get me wrong, I’m having a great time for the most time. I think my main mistake way not thinking ahead of the different things I could be doing in advance. In retrospect I should have only stayed in Athens a couple of days then went to an island for a few. However, what I have learned is to make sure I have enough to do / see each day. I also feel bad that I’m not achieving enough as what I would have liked.