Travellers Tales: A FINAL WEEK IN GREECE

Tracking Mandy's flight was as always fascinating with the remarkable number of flights criss crossing Europe contrasting sharply with the empty skies over the swathes of Central Asia I have visited in recent months. A two hour delay meant we returned to the park up late but the gates were not locked and we were soon quietly in situ next to the friendly Bulgarian family I had been chatting to earlier.

Next morning after refreshments in the friendly bar we moved on to Vergina having stopped at a foreign exchange bureau in busy Thessaloniki to change the US dollars I had not used in the Stans in to Euros for the rest of this trip. We had also called at a camper accessory shop for two new and more comfortable chairs and a powerful USB powered fan that would combat the high temperatures. A hot parking place at Vergina was very convenient for the main sites but lacked shade so we walked in to the village for a good salad at Alexander's Place on the crossroads which had powerful fans adding to the gentle breeze. We walked up to the amphitheatre beyond which lay the Aigai Palace as the town had been the first capital of Macedon. In 336BC Phillip II had been assassinated in the theatre and his son Alexander the Great proclaimed King.

The following morning we visited the combined museum and tombs with the former displaying vast amounts of the treasures retrieved from the three tombs whose portals are now firmly secured. Everything is underground as once the tumulus had been excavated a large roof structure was installed and covered over allowing the artefacts to be displayed in the atmosphere of a necropolis. Just outside the village is a new surface level museum with more displays and as we visited there was a conference underway with dignitaries and officials watched over by a large police and security presence. We climbed in to the mountains stopping for lunch at Edessa located on a limestone escarpment where a number of water powered industries are still represented in a series of small museums. The guide at the sesame seed mill seemed pleased to have visitors and showed us the processes involved in obtaining sesame seed oil and similarly the security guy in the small former cathedral was proud to explain the various frescoes that adorned the building but the staff at the other couple of exhibits had locked up early. The impressive waterfall provided a cool breeze and also had a well decorated cave hidden behind it.

At Agios Panteleimonas the municipality provides a free Aire located above a large reservoir with shaded flat pitches, power and a clean toilet and shower block. The skies had darkened before dusk and a slow moving thunderstorm rattled around but there was very little rain.

The Prespa Lakes straddle the borders of Greece, Albania and North Macedonia and at Mykrolimni we found a perfect park up by the Small Prespa Lake on a level gravel track yards from the water's edge. The reed fringed lake is an important wild life habitat but swimming was permitted away from the reeds and if you were comfortable with swimming snakes. Thus I enjoyed a solo dip before we walked in to the tiny hamlet where a small taverna occupied a stunning location on the shore just along from the small jetty.

Looking north to North Macedonia and west to Albania started feeding my travel plans with a visit looking likely in a year or so. The owner had relocated here from Athens with his family for a better quality of life and had put a lot of time and effort in to creating a memorable place that I will definitely return to as the food was exceptional.

More twisting mountain roads through deciduous woodlands largely empty of human life took us to the lakeside town of Kastoria where we walked through the old town, nosed around a small church and then dropped to the water's edge for lunch at a shaded cafe.

A boat is supposed to do trips around the headland but after locating the departure point and waiting a while we saw no sign of it so dropped in to a Lidl for groceries before heading west again and towards the Pindos Mountains. At another free camp site provided by the local Nature Society we stopped in good shade on a grassy field with another free hook up and access to water. The small cafe bar is known for its local sausage which was as good as expected and made for a pleasant space to sink a couple of beers with any profits going to maintain the surrounding woodland reserve.

Up in the Pindos mountains we stopped at Konitsa where high above the village large columns of smoke indicated the location of a wild fire. A couple of helicopters were clattering around the skies dropping to the river to fill up and then heading up to the hotspots. Spotter planes were also flying around and apparently fire fighters had been lifted up to the nearest access points. A few kilometres further on we stopped at a small campground by the Voidomatis which lacked any meaningful shade but was handy for access to the rafting experience run on the river. Thassos gave us the contact details and we booked places on the 10.00 departure the following day. Thassos and his wife also run the small Cantine bar up by the impressive arched bridge so we took a walk up to it and then cooled off in the grounds of the bar. The firefighters flew on all day, apparently the fire had been started by a lightning strike and been burning for 5 days with a warning message about the smoke arriving on our phones.

Next morning we met the guides from the rafting company and climbed aboard their minibus which towed a trailer with three rafts on board. During the half hour drive we collected a few more participants and eventually dropped down to another bridge where a number of other companies were sending people off. Our young Greek/Albanian guide had very good English and explained the various procedures before we launched in to the surprisingly cold waters. There were just the three of us on board as the water levels were low so it was interesting to chat to Andreas and hear about his life and hopes for the future. With his skill at steering and our obedient responses to his instructions we made good progress down the river passing through small rapids and still pools. The water was crystal clear with craggy mountains towering overhead and the smell of smoke wafting down from the peaks occasionally. After a brief stop for a drink at natural springs we carried on down to reach the bridge by the Cantine and drop down over two weirs with the low water requiring Andreas to hop out and manhandle us over. After a very enjoyable couple of hours we were back at base and then walked across to the campsite for showers.

As it was still very hot we strolled up to the Cantine again, took a walk up the gorge in the shade and then retired to the comfortable chairs where Thassos and his friendly wife plied us with ice-cream and alcohol.

With about 6 weeks to get home we decided that walking in the Vikos gorge would have to wait as it would be too hot so headed to Igoumenitsa and round the coast to Palataria where we had last stayed in a sunny but chilly February. Now of course it is a very different scene with all the beach bars open, the sea warm and the sun hot. We stayed on the same aire and went for a swim in pleasantly warm water with a number of yachts moored in the bay. Later whilst walking in to the village we chatted to the owners of 'Yorkshire Rose' who turned out to be the family behind the Duvalay foam mattresses popular with some van owners. Having received an investment on Dragon's Den the company has expanded considerably over the last 15 years and the owners where clearly enjoying the spoils. A sunset pizza rounded off a cracking week in Greece and we have spent today getting the laundry done and enjoying a swim and beach time.