GREECE!!!

Day 81

Our ferry ride to Greece was something out of some kind of movie...we left at 5pm and arrived at 7am, tired, sore and wishing we hadn't had two nights in a row travelling...with broken sleep, no showers, and grazing on biscuits and water!

And to really to it off, the ferry to Igoumenitsa which was an industrial truck carrier! Whwn we bought our ticket she did say the loading gate was a bit of a distance from the terminal. So we headed off, along with two girls travelling from Canada who latched themselves to us, fearing the unknown...

The trucks got loaded, a Contiki bus loaded with travellers got loaded, then we walked up the ramp to get loaded. Couldn't fit in the lift, so walked up 5 flights with our packs to find out where our 'deck space' where we were to sleep was positioned.

We were thankful there was actually a large room, with seats, that we could spend the night on! Contiki travellers had cabins we found out later, how did they get so lucky?? And, they spent the night drinking in the 'lounge' so we dreamed of popping into those bunks and squatting there!

And...there was dinner in the dining area too. So we had spaghetti and greek salad. And kept to our 'no drinking when travelling' plan and had frizzante water.

Back to our chairs. We really couldn't sleep, too much spitting and chucking of some of the drinkers for me. And farting and snoring. It was horrible.

Arriving in the port of Corfu, where the Contiki mob got off, was spectacular though. The scenery from the deck at 6am was just beautiful. Righ there, in the Adriatic Sea. I had to pinch myself to realise we had arrived at one of the Greek Islands.

Then to the place where we were headed. Igoumenitsa. On the border of Albania and Greece.

Once we arrived we messaged George. His homeland. It felt special.

We then walked into town to catch the bus to Ioaninna. Arrived at 10am. Our plan was to stay the night in Meteora, the mountainous town where the 24 monasteries were built on top of large mountains by christians escaping their persecutors in the 16th Century. And where there are now 6 monasteries.

So, we caught the bus from Ioaninna and passed the beautiful lakes and mountains and headed for Kambalaka via another bus stop and bus change.

Meteora is 6km's away.

And tomorrow we head there!