Greece - The arrival

"Κυρίες και κύριοι, σας μιλά ο κυβερνήτης. Ξεκινάμε τώρα την κάθοδο μας προς το Διεθνές Αεροδρόμιο Αθηνών, Ελευθέριος Βενιζέλος. Η τοπική ώρα είναι 9:15 το πρωί και ο καιρός στην Αθήνα είναι αίθριος με θερμοκρασία 22 βαθμούς Κελσίου. Παρακαλώ δέστε τις ζώνες ασφαλείας σας, σηκώστε τα τραπεζάκια και βάλτε τις ηλεκτρονικές συσκευές σε λειτουργία πτήσης. Η προσγείωση θα γίνει σε περίπου 20 λεπτά. Σας ευχαριστούμε που πετάξατε μαζί μας και σας ευχόμαστε μια υπέροχη διαμονή στην Αθήνα.", echoes from the aircrafts' loudspeakers. The captain's announcement snaps you out of your daydreams. “Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. We are now beginning our descent into Athens International Airport, Eleftherios Venizelos. Local time is 9:15 in the morning, and the weather in Athens is clear with a pleasant 22 degrees Celsius. Please make sure your seat belts are fastened, your tray tables are stowed, and electronic devices are switched to airplane mode. We’ll be landing in approximately 20 minutes. On behalf of the crew, I’d like to thank you for flying with us today, and we wish you a wonderful stay in Athens.”, he repeats in English. You are looking out of the window, hoping to spot a glimpse of the city. But the only thing you can see is the Aegan coastline and its numerous islands. It is probably too soon to see the city. Everything around you is getting busier. The other passengers are starting to pack their things so that they can be the first to leave the plane. But not you. You have time. Excitedly, you look out of the window again and watch as the ground slowly gets closer and everything gets bigger.

After a few minutes, you finally see the outskirts of Athens. The city is bigger than you expected. Only when the plane touches down do you slowly start to pack your things. As the plane slowly approaches its final destination at the gate, the other passengers are already getting impatient. As soon as the seat belt sign goes out, the first people jump up and a queue forms at the exit. Gradually, the plane empties, and you too pack your bag and join the end of the line. The flight attendants wish you a pleasant day as you leave, and you nod politely.

At last you set foot on Greek soil for the first time in your life. Even if it's only at the airport, it still counts for you. Following the signs, which are of course also in English, you try to find your way to the baggage claim area. Once you arrive at the counter, everything goes smoothly and you receive the two large boxes you checked in at your home airport. Now you stand there, in front of two tightly sealed boxes, rummaging through your carry-on luggage for your small nail scissors. The only sharp object you were allowed to take on the plane. As you slowly try to cut the tape on the boxes, an airport employee approaches you and speaks to you in Greek. "Μπορώ να σας βοηθήσω με κάποιον τρόπο; Μήπως χρειάζεστε ένα κανονικό ψαλίδι ή ένα χαρτοκόπτη;", he seems to ask you. After telling him that you unfortunately only understand a few things in Greek, he repeats your question in broken English: "You need scissors or knife for box?" You nod vigorously. He goes back to his counter and brings with him a box cutter. Then he starts to open both boxes and even helps you unpack your bike and all your bags. You thank him in Greek, one of the few phrases you learned before your trip, and hope that your pronunciation is reasonably correct. "Ευχαριστώ πολύ!", you say several times.

And then you unpack your tools and start assembling your bicycle. Once your bike is assembled, you put all your bags in their designated places. Suddenly, the employee from earlier is standing next to you again and asks, this time directly in English, if he should dispose of the boxes for you. You grin your widest grin, nod vigorously, and thank him several times at the same time. He wishes you a pleasant stay and then pulls the two boxes along with him. You wave goodbye to him before taking your bike and pushing it towards the exit. You attract a few curious glances, after all, it's not every day that someone pushes a fully loaded bike through an airport.

Finally you leave the airport and breathe in the Greek air. Greek city air, which smells mainly of the exhaust fumes from the taxis waiting for passengers in front of the arrivals hall. Let's get out of here, you think to yourself and enter the address of the ferry port into your satnav, from where you can reach your actual destination: Eirinia.

But to get there, you first have to make it to the port of Lavrio, which is almost 50 kilometres south of the airport. It's not too difficult and can be done in four to five hours, even with breaks. Of course, you could have headed for the ferry port in Athens, but then you would have had to cross the city, and somehow that idea didn't really appeal to you when you were planning your trip. Especially since it would only have been ten kilometres less. And so you start your journey. The first thing you see when leaving the airport area is a huge sign. You take a quick photo of it and continue your ride with heavy traffic and few beautiful views, surrounded by industrial estates.

After just a few kilometers, as soon as you pass the outskirts of Artemida, the landscape around you changes noticeably. The dense population gives way to agricultural land, with fields, vineyards and olive groves alternating repeatedly. The air is filled with the smell of thyme and sage, growing by the roadside. After about ten kilometres, your route takes you south. You drive through several small villages with cute little white houses, narrow streets, small squares, cafés and taverns that invite you to linger, but instead you push forward. For the first time now you are reaching the ocean, where the salty sea breeze replaces the smell of the fields. Of course you are making a short stop for another photo.

As soon as you leave the village you just passed through and turn back inland, the landscape changes again. Hills begin to stretch out before you and the road is lined with pine trees. As it is slowly approaching midday and you are starting to feel a little hungry, you decide to stop at one of the villages and have a bite to eat. Knowing that you still have a few kilometres to go, you opt for a classic dish. Greek salad with juicy tomatoes, crunchy cucumber, red onions, Kalamata olives and creamy feta cheese, dressed with oregano, local olive oil and red wine vinegar, of course. It is served with freshly baked bread and really delicious.

You continue the trip and back are the fields, olive groves and vineyards. About three kilometers before you reach your second destination for the day, you are back at the ocean, riding along a beautiful seafront promenade. Finally you see the signs pointing to the harbour. After buying your ticket for the fairy, you are driving to the ferry landing stage with even 30 minutes to spare before departure. The worker at the fairy is showing you, where to safely store your bike and you head upstairs to enjoy the sun, the breeze, and a cup of coffee, leaning on the railing. And then the fairy starts to move, out to the open ocean, bringing you closer to Eirinia.

After a three-hour journey across the Aegean Sea, the ferry finally arrives at its destination port. The only thing left for you now is the rather short ride to the camping ground. It is now already seven o'clock in the evening and the sun is slowly beginning to set, bathing the surroundings around you in golden orange light. Your route takes you past lush meadows dotted with wildflowers, olive groves and vineyards, and scattered groups of pine trees. Here and there, you can already make out the ruins that you plan to visit over the next few days. In the distance, you can hear the characteristic bleating of a herd of goats. And then you finally see it. The sign you've been waiting for so long, assuring you that you've finally reached your destination.

You pull up the short driveway towards the house, above the entrance of which hangs a large sign saying ‘Reception’. There you park your bike and enter the building. A young woman is standing behind the reception desk, holding a little boy of about two years old in her arms. "Welcome to Camp Cozy!", she greets you warmly. After you explain that you have booked a campsite for a week, she briefly explains where your spot is and tells you a little about where to find things. You thank her, wave to the little boy with a smile and make your way to your campsite. It's been a long day and all you want to do now is pitch your tent and snuggle into your cosy, warm Sleeping bag.