Greece > Getting to know Athens

In the morning, when I wake up, I realize it’s already an hour later. First, I set my watches to the local time. After breakfast, we take down the tents, say goodbye to Jip and Jip, and this time head to the station on foot.

Greece - Our camping site

The station is a complete frenzy. Apparently, there’s a strike on the Greek railways, and only a few trains run each day to Athens. When the train finally arrives, it’s a struggle to find a seat. We manage to secure a spot for Sandra and Monique, while Ron and I end up half-sitting on the railing. Our luggage is stacked in the aisle. The train starts moving but stops just a few meters ahead at a crossing. For the first half hour, nothing happens except that it gradually gets hotter in the carriage. The train itself isn’t moving. After waiting for half an hour, it slowly heads toward Athens. The scenery along the way is beautiful, but the seats aren’t very comfortable. We trade our seats for a standing spot by the bar at an open window. Only problem: we don’t have any money with us. To buy a drink, we have to cross the entire carriage. We walk along the armrests, using the ceiling for support, to reach Sandra and Monique’s wallet. Just before Athens, the train is swarmed by hotel touts with flashy brochures.

Greece - Uncomfortable seating in the crowded train to Athens

All their pitches sound the same. We take a chance and accept an offer from a hotel for 1,000 drachmas (about €11) per person per night. One of the hotel touts also suggests visiting the Greek islands. For €75, we could buy a pass for unlimited island hopping. We consider adjusting our planned trip to include the party island Ios, but we’ll decide on that later. In the evening, we explore Athens. We try to find our way through the blaring traffic. The guidebook rightly notes: “If you reach the other side alive, you’ll see on the left…” Here, it doesn’t matter whether the pedestrian light is red or green—they drive straight over your pants (read: shorts). At Omonia Square, we find a kiosk selling a copy of the Telegraaf. It turns out to be today’s newspaper. Unfortunately for Ron, the tour has a rest day. At a café, we play a round of Hearts but are quickly asked to stop in a mix of Greek and English. Later, we finish the game in the hotel bar.