31st May 2011

 A fellow traveller from Germany...Look Zorgs he has a family of tyers he`s taking on holiday!!

Now that what I call a beer 500ml and bitterly cold, and tasts as good!!

I was up after a not so nice night with this shoulder of mine, I think it`s going rusty inside the joint cos it stiff and creaks… I am on the road by 09h00 and hit the freeway to the border it`s 40 km, so was there quick well as quick as frits goes 50 min to do the distance On the Greek side all good not even an exit stamp. The Turkish side a little different, first it’s a visa stamp. Then its police clearance, then customs, then on the way out one last check of my green card (I`ve got a new one)insurance and what`s this?? The registration is different on the vehicle to the card, now to explain as I didn’t know that.

It must be a typing error the fact is 10000km and no one has noticed me included. But he just let me go so I was off like a long dog in case he changed his mind. The road condition isn’t pool table smooth and my air seat got quite a work out it was taking deeper breaths than Pamela Anderson with some of the bumps/humps in the highway. Then came the toll booth, I have to get out to pay as I am right hand drive and everyone else is left. The only problem is my CC won’t work and the traffic is building up I can tell by the 10 different sounding hooters all going off. The out of the blue a guy appears and I am 25 euro lighter and through the gate. But all good and I have made it to my camp in Kylios.

30th May 2011

 some size compertition ...

I got up early this morning as I wanted to be on the road by 08H30, but as luck it would have it.The gate boom was locked and the confusing lady would only get there at 10h00 … So I went to the other beach and had a look, its very nice but still all closed up until the 1^st June . Took some pics and then back to the gate to wait, unfortunately while was driving through the boom I took their telephone line with me oops… I did say shout if I touch anything. I took a drive around the peninsula to a small fishing village and then went on to the main highway to Alexandoupoli which is 40km from the Turkish border. I want to be there early in case they want to dismantle fritz; I am then heading to the black sea to a campsite called Misitke makes you wonder! It`s in a place called Kilyos . I will be about 35 km from Istanbul so I will take a bus or taxi and see the sites.

28th May 2011

What a way to start the day, seagulls and the waves. I think I am going to enjoy my three days here it’s a bit forced because the camp is supposed to be closed and the lady at the gate said the boom will be locked until the 1^st June Monday that okay I have enough food and water and my fishing rod which have yet to catch anything with . I have realised that this is a Naturalist beach it was a bit embarrassing but I walked away and left the older gent to continue fishing on the rock in the nick …watch out for that reflection on the water it can really burn! We South Africans are shy, I couldn’t take my kit off and walk around here it’s just not what we are used to...

27th May 2011

Christos and I had been chatting and he has suggested this camp site in a place called Platanitsi. And he also knows of a place I might be able to get a gasket for my window , So its 09h00 and I am off to the caravan repair shop who has what I need , and then to the camp . I arrive at 15h00 the lady at the reception tells me it’s closed!!What!!But what that means is I can go in and camp for free until Monday then she will have to charge me… Confused I drive around narrowly missing a high speed tortoise, stop and put him in the bush. And find a spot; there are lots of caravans but hardly any people, it’s so nice to hear the sea, in Thessaloniki were the work shop is there is a two lane ring road and there is a straight of about 2km which is the speed testing straight for every Greek dude with anything that might be fast or rather noisy and they go at it until the sun comes up, so the sound of the waves here are very welcome…

26th May 2011

 this guy has hungry written all over him

Fritz is ready to roll, the exhaust brake is working great and all the rest of the work is done. And today my insurance letter has arrived so I am covered until the end of June; I have decided to give the guys a braai to say thanks for all their help. My first since leaving home, myself and Ahan went to the market (Carer fore like spare) and seeing that he is of Islam faith I suggested he choose the meat so we get a leg of Mutton!!! And the very unhappy female butcher cuts it up using a meat clever through the bone, not even a wince except from me she could have scrummed for province any day. So it back to our workshop and light the fire and this is where Mehmet (Ahan`s Father Takes over) I must say the Mutton was really great and so was the salad, some big bits in there but all good. Just had to be careful of the bit of bone in the meat; don’t need a Brocken muncher now. My luck that the dentist is related to the butcher…

25th May 2011

 the view from Frits has changed some what !!

 Supper was boiled potatoes,Salad with power onions,and a sort of meat in samp I think...

Christos has offered me a deal on an exhaust brake, after my nearly boiling my brakes in Andorra I have decided to take it. At least my time spent here waiting for the letter won’t be wasted. Sure going to upset my bank balance. The Father and son Mechanics are taking me into town to see the centre there is a serious communication barrier between us from a language point of view .But these two farmers from the Greek Bulgarian boarder are really nice guys, we are going to the promenade and the cops have blocked it off to vehicle traffic. There is a peaceful demonstration taking place by all the students and anyone else who thinks that the Greek Government is making a hash of things…the place is full and the mood is vibrant we walk about 2kms along the sea front until 23h00 it’s nice to be able to do this, and not worry about your safety or that of your friends and Family…

24th May 2011

 I am driving to the Unimog service centre and to meet up with Christos the owner, what a nice guy I tell him what I would like to have looked at and that Fritz needs a service , we find that the oils seal on the front has started to leak rather badly, after the removal of all the belts we find that the alternator has worn the mounting very badly so that has to be bushed by the time Fritz is ready is past 18h00 so I get to stay in the yard for the night . I have extended my insurance for a month and am waiting for the cover letter to arrive from England it was posted on Friday afternoon , Christos tell me it will take 5 days so here I sit ,but it won’t be the first time I’ve camped in a garage… Chris took us out for drinks and a bite and Ouzo very nice food. What can I say I like Greece and the Greek people! Not so sure about the guard dog here, there are three but the one I must keep my eye on he has a nasty sense of humour!  And would like to sink his many sharp teeth in this Saffer.

23rd May 2011

At about 20h30 the wind picked up so I was rocked to sleep literally it was very strong, But this morning is a lovely sunny hot day (talking of hot I have discovered a temperature gauge in the cab and it gives an inside and outside reading, a good motivator for AC.Aas yesterday inside the cab was 33deg and outside was 29deg) So I need to buy some food and draw some money I look up the beach and see a building about a km away so off I walk. This is called the fish eye beach bar and there are two bikini clad ladies sweeping the deck, good start! The owner Demetri informs me that there is no ATM in this village but only 4 km up the beach is a town called Platamonas and there is an ATM, 4km I’ve walked the Thomas more 25km this should be a breeze …I think I must have looked like I had walked 100 km when I got back I was finished so I had two very quick 500ml Becks and a lovely chat to Ingrid from Holland who is Demitris partner what lovely people. I then walked the last km to fritz and have 3 blisters for my trouble, that walk took me the better part of the day! I did have to find the bank too.   

22nd May 2011

I have decided to stay for two nights as it’s the weekend and its pointless going to the city of Thessaloniki where there is a Unimog specialist to give Frits a once over and a service, I have had a rattle sound coming from the new reduction gear box I had fitted and it seems to have got more expensive sounding. It’s been a long day with over 400km so I am going to sleep

21st may 2011

The Acropolis is quite an experience; I walked around it at least twice just to make sure they hadn’t cheated. It’s quite amazing how we as humans can do such amazing construction yet we cannot look after our planet (says he who is not exactly driving the greenest vehicle around) today I am heading North again to coastal town called Volos it’s a 320 km drive and I hope to stay there a night…I drove through the very busy and lots of one way streets town to the other side and into a small village but no camping is all I got ! the worst was I had to drive back through the same town and carry on up the coast to a place called Karitsa another 95 km further and those expensive toll roads equal to R75 and that the same distance to PMB on the way its getting late so I hit the beach and find a very nice sand road and no one else , this is a good spot to stay …

20th may 2011

I woke up much refreshed after a good night’s sleep, even though the mattress in Fritz is very hard. My next destination is a camp site in Athens, everyone I have spoken to tells me how easy it is to find. I`ve heard that before! any way after getting ready and cleaning my windscreen, I am off and straight on to the toll as this is the easy way …Now it’s 84km to my destination and Jane (GPS) is giving me instructions turn left, now make a U-turn and so on. Well the address I put in takes me to an auto electrician luckily he has had a few campers looking for this site and gives me directions, all good until a low bridge now that’s a problem 3.7mtr just isn’t tall enough. And the fun starts, after an hour and some change, I think I even made the news not to mention getting the Greek drivers in a bad mood before lunch. I eventually get to the camp, I get a site and catch a bus then a tube to the Acropolis it’s worth the hassle this place is quite amazing considering they didn’t have cranes