Finale of Greece

Overnight on the ferry from Crete back to Athens 9pm sailing arriving into Piraeus port at 6:30am  I managed a bit of a sleep on this crossing.  I am feeling a little spoilt knowing where I am going with the metro. Central station, to discover how to get up to  Litochoro and Mt Olympus National Park.

My metro ride takes me a little over a hour and I'm feeling pretty confident when I realise the information man is already at work -  he even sorts out the ticket lady for me.  I meet a lovely elderly Greek lady (yes all dressed in black) who is admiring my pack and tries to set me up with another Greek backpacker sitting next to her.  Lovely lady salt of the earth - its times like these I wish I had a second language. 

I am enjoying my train ride,  a little slow but the scenery is good and I didn't realise that Greece has such abundant cotton crops - knew they had tobacco, rice, wheat etc.  I have also met similar aged locals and it is pleasant to talk about travels, work (a lot of people doing archaeology)  and the issues with the current economics....  

 

I arrive into Litochoro at 3 in the arvo - not doing to bad, the train station looks completely abandoned and I am feeling lazy not keen to do a 8km walk to the local hostel schlepping my pack in 28 degrees.  So find the local station master, his dog, air nikes and sorts out a taxi  - who bonus! speaks English and I discover is a Marathon runner who competes in the Olympus Marathon yearly.  On hearing my indecision he comes into the hostel with me,  shouts me a beer and sits down to help plan out my itinerary.  Which of course Murphy's Law is changed at 10pm that night before departure as two more people have arrived at the hostel to complete the hike and we decided to spit transport together rather than hitch hiking giving us more flexibility.  The boys have decided to join my loop trip although I will be staying at a different refuge (hut - fully supplied including linen and a cook)

 

We depart at 10 in the morning and the first hour my body is telling me that I'm crazy and what am I doing going up this hill?! - Peter is a little concerned but once the body has been moving for over a hour everything settles into its rhythm and life becomes a lot easier...  

 

The tracks are not difficult and I knew that I had a 1000m climb but thought it would take me a little longer than the three hours. Of course the taxi ride made a huge difference with not having to spend time trying to hitch a ride up to the start point. and yes I forgot to calculate this into the equation and in hind sight I could have easily walked to the next huts.  I was the only one staying at Petrostrouga refuge but it was neat to chat with the staff and watch the donkey's come into camp with supplies apparently it is the only reliable and cost effective way to deliver them. The refuge also had brilliant views up and down the coast line which at night was amazing to view the lattice work of street lighting. Next morning I was able to leave at 8am and rock my way up to where I am supposably meant to be spending my second night.  but after having lunch and chatting with the Refuge C operator I decide to flag my stay as visibility is not the best on this part of the mountain range due to a forest fire, summit and try my luck at the Refuge A or hike out.

 

 

 

 Departing the refuge I nip around Zeus's throne to the assent of Mytikas 2919m it is a reasonably steep clamber with hands and knees to the summit. I would hate to have a accident up here and feel a little uncomfortable not having  a secondary person with me or at least another hiker in the vicinity.  The views are quite cool to the north but towards sea I cannot spy anything due to smoke which is disappointing as the walk down to the next refuge would otherwise be amazing.  On arrival at Refuge A I take a break to grab some water and begin talking to a German couple when I spy Chris form the backpacker who lets me know refuge is full. So - at 3pm I reckon we can easily walk the remainder 3 hours out.  My heals have long given into my shoes and I know something not so happy is going with them but if I don't look it cant be that bad right?! 

 

 The walk down this section has no scree and follows a stream which is pleasant to be in and a lot of people heading up to Refuge A,  not sure where they will sleep but pleased not to be up there. We reach the end point of our walk, cruise refreshing ourselves with mountain water and a change of shoes........  there is no way I will be walking any further in my hiking shoes for the next week or so. 

It is still a 35km trip back into Litochoro and deciding that we had better make tracks we start heading down the road to try our luck at hitch hiking.

 

Success!!  we are given a ride from a kind Russian couple who have some English skills and offer to drop us off at the local motorway giving us only a km walk to the hostel but somewhere in the Russian, English and  hand movement conversations we end up another 30km further south of where we should be.  Gutting - we thank them kindly climb out re-orientate our selves and start walking back in the direction of the hostel trying our luck with our thumbs again.    Arriving at 9pm in the evening is a nice feeling especially when a hot shower is had and a evening meal with the guys!   Happy!!!!

 

As our hostel is right on the beach I spend extra days here swimming, chatting with the hostel management learning Greek history, the debate of Macedonia (Former Yugoslavia Republic)  and Macedonia Greece, doing some home chores washing, mending  and sorting out my feet which will be in jandals for a few days yet. 

 

Caught the train up to Thessaloniki for a overnight stay and enjoy checking out the town areas and I'm going to be biased and say I like the vibe here more than Athens,  also the history here is very neat, not so much of the Greek gods but more Byzantine Roman and Ottoman. If you were unaware This part of Greece was returned in 1912. It is also neat how the city has incorporated the ruins into its aesthetics and it makes you smile to see the archaeologists hard at work.

 

Over night bus to Tirana Albania tonight (30 Sep)  departing at 9pm and I understand is a 9 hour trip.

 

 

 

 

(Photo provided by Peter)

 

 

 

 

(Galerius Palace at Navarino Square Thessaloniki)