Driving through Greece

Leaving Crete was no small thing, for one, it’s an island – you can’t just drive off of it, you need a ferry. I took the overnight one as it seemed less intrusive, although I’m sure the day ferry is delightfully charming as well. It’s about a 9 hour trip, and I slept through most of it.  I got a room, which was pretty comfortable, but the shower was much appreciated after a frantic packing of the car as I realized not everything will fit (I was overambitious for sure on what would fit into a Fiat Panda!), in some serious heat. Once again, I am very grateful for a community of people who were absolutely willing to help me pack up. I couldn’t have done it without you ladies!

When I arrived on the mainland, it then became a decision of where to go. The part of me who has always been fascinated with ancient Greece got to choose the destination and so I ended up in Delphi. There are some beautiful ruins there – the talent of the ancients never ceases to amaze me – but more, I could feel the power, the allure, that drew people to that place, to seek guidance from the Oracle – the seer blessed by Apollo – for hundreds of years.

To demonstrate how seriously I am taking being open about my travels, I didn’t book where I was staying for the night until I stopped there. Perhaps I could have chosen something closer, but the drive through the mountains of Greece was spectacular, and I even stopped to take some pictures along the way. It is endlessly winding roads up one side of a mountain and down the other, but it offers such breathtaking views that I do recommend it for anyone who doesn’t mind heights.

As a side note, I was really impressed by the number of wind and solar farms I saw. It honestly didn’t feel like they detracted much from the environment and it is nice to see a country serious about clean energy options.

I did also pass by a wildfire as it was building. It was a reminder of how much of a relationship we are in with the land, as people from the nearby village came to watch the firefighters battle the blaze, while the seaplane kept watch overhead.

By the end of the day I had a beach towel draped over me to protect from the sun as I was getting scorched on the drive. Thankfully, with the help of an abundance of lotion it is tanning, not burning, but I am working on an incredibly lopsided tan with this road trip. 😂

Most of Greece is so concentrated in certain areas that you forget how big it is, but a road trip across is one way to understand the size. I also completely see why the mountains in the north would have slowed down any invading armies pre-motorized vehicles, making it a good defense. One of the things I love most about travel is the insights and understandings that you can only get through seeing and being somewhere. I see you, Greece. And you are spectacularly beautiful.