Doing Greece in One Day
Monday 15th September 2014
The sun rises into a cloudless sky as the ship slips between Corfu and the coast. A Vodaphone message chimes in on my phone - "Welcome to Albania".
Just before 8am we dock at the Port of Igoumenitsa and disembark with a refreshing lack of fuss and formality. There is no passport check and at 8:10 we are cruising along the brand new A2 motorway, another gift from the EU.
The A2 is an amazing road. Apart from a short section around Thessalonika it is all new and crosses Northern Greece in its entirety from coast to coast.
We are soon riding up into the mountains. It is misty at first but when this clears we have a big bright sun directly in our eyes. I didn't keep a count but there must be 50 tunnels as the road sweeps and drills through the spiky mountains.
My navi says it is 658 kilometres to the border with Turkey and this one road takes us there. No roundabouts, no towns, no traffic lights. It's beautiful country for the most part. One day I would like to take the old winding road over the western section. Maybe we will do this on the way home.
We only stop for fuel and for the randomly spaced toll barriers, maybe six in all. It costs €1.70 for a motorcycle at each toll.
There are no official rest areas or services, but impromptu Kantinas have been set up at toll stations by enterprising locals. Fuel stations can be found off the motorway near most junctions.
So we pile it on, a steady 130 kph when we can. There is little traffic. Signs are in Greek and English. The best one says:
"Attention! Warning! Bear's Habitat. Reduce Speed"
(Sic. The sign is in English and includes the misplaced apostrophe, for any Grammar Police reading this - and I'm thinking of you Digger!)
At Thessaloniki we hit the Aegean coast. The road swoops high above the shore with exhilaratingly tight curves. It is very beautiful.
By 6pm we are at the border. I need an insurance green card and Charly needs a visa. Having read many tales of border problems, closed offices and long delays it proves pleasantly simple and by 7.15pm we are on the road south.
My insurance cost 99TL (about £30) and Charly paid €25 for his visa. As K-H is German he doesn't need one. I'm legal but I have now moved outside the area covered by my EU breakdown insurance. Any mechanical problems from now on are down to me to sort out.
We head down the road as it grows dark and find a hotel at a petrol station. The room for three is clean, en-suite and has a balcony. It costs €30. We all have chicken burger, salad and bread for another €20 in total. It is good to be back in a low cost country!
It has been an exhilerating day but once again we have really piled on the miles and I am feeling pretty bushed by the time I collapse into my bed.
The sun rises into a cloudless sky as the ship slips between Corfu and the coast. A Vodaphone message chimes in on my phone - "Welcome to Albania".
Just before 8am we dock at the Port of Igoumenitsa and disembark with a refreshing lack of fuss and formality. There is no passport check and at 8:10 we are cruising along the brand new A2 motorway, another gift from the EU.
 |
| Sailing into Igoumenitsa |
The A2 is an amazing road. Apart from a short section around Thessalonika it is all new and crosses Northern Greece in its entirety from coast to coast.
We are soon riding up into the mountains. It is misty at first but when this clears we have a big bright sun directly in our eyes. I didn't keep a count but there must be 50 tunnels as the road sweeps and drills through the spiky mountains.
My navi says it is 658 kilometres to the border with Turkey and this one road takes us there. No roundabouts, no towns, no traffic lights. It's beautiful country for the most part. One day I would like to take the old winding road over the western section. Maybe we will do this on the way home.
 |
| Toll station on the A2 |
We only stop for fuel and for the randomly spaced toll barriers, maybe six in all. It costs €1.70 for a motorcycle at each toll.
There are no official rest areas or services, but impromptu Kantinas have been set up at toll stations by enterprising locals. Fuel stations can be found off the motorway near most junctions.
 |
| Coffee at the unofficial services |
So we pile it on, a steady 130 kph when we can. There is little traffic. Signs are in Greek and English. The best one says:
"Attention! Warning! Bear's Habitat. Reduce Speed"
(Sic. The sign is in English and includes the misplaced apostrophe, for any Grammar Police reading this - and I'm thinking of you Digger!)
At Thessaloniki we hit the Aegean coast. The road swoops high above the shore with exhilaratingly tight curves. It is very beautiful.
By 6pm we are at the border. I need an insurance green card and Charly needs a visa. Having read many tales of border problems, closed offices and long delays it proves pleasantly simple and by 7.15pm we are on the road south.
 |
| Arriving at our overnight accommodation |
My insurance cost 99TL (about £30) and Charly paid €25 for his visa. As K-H is German he doesn't need one. I'm legal but I have now moved outside the area covered by my EU breakdown insurance. Any mechanical problems from now on are down to me to sort out.
We head down the road as it grows dark and find a hotel at a petrol station. The room for three is clean, en-suite and has a balcony. It costs €30. We all have chicken burger, salad and bread for another €20 in total. It is good to be back in a low cost country!
It has been an exhilerating day but once again we have really piled on the miles and I am feeling pretty bushed by the time I collapse into my bed.
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