Stowaways At Patra Port!

Something none of us was prepared for was the stowaways. We were approached in the street and at the post box by Iraqi and Afghani men.

Their plan is to get into the docks any which way and hide under the trailers whilst waiting their opportunity to find a hiding place to get onto the boat.

David and Maggie Mottram whose Chevy troopy is open at the back, had two of them jump in as they were approaching the docks. Passersby allerted them to the first one whom they told "to get out of there!" David noticed the second one leap at the back. He slammed on the brakes causing the poor fellow to slam into his tailgate.

Another seized the opportunity to board Lang and Bev Kidby's Chevy utility in the loading area. Lang was stopped and searched by the army who pulled the guy out. He was let run away.

Everyone then had to do their own thorough search of their own trucks. The guard's search includes running a heat sensor over bedding and torches under the chassis, even checking under the bonnet. Five men were pulled out of a pantec and sent on their way.



LEAVING GREECE - RUINED!

Our last night in Greece was in a beautiful park on the water's edge at Rion, near Patra. Before we left we visited the ruins of the Rion Fortress built in 1499 to protect the western sea passage. A beautiful new 5 year old suspension bridge now spans the passage, but all the ferries still run. It's called "The Bridge."

Once again we had a dreadful time trying to find the correct ferry gate and the right boat, trucks scattered everywhere.

This time we were on the Hellenic Spirit on the "camping deck" for the first time and could sleep in the back of our vehicles with toilets and showers provided. The ship was relatively empty so it was very comfortable setting up our camp facilities. People upgrading to cabins were charged 34 euro each (steep) those who had to do it rough at least this time could get into their jeeps to get a change of clothes and shower by using our security card. This ship was the most luxurious yet, with its bars and disco!

The Greeks are a friendly enough people. It's the same as in Oz, people in service roles don't seem to want to be bothered. Add to that the language problem and you get no where.

There is always a military presence of some sort in Greece. You'll see them convoying or patrolling along the roads or from lookout towers, always happy to acknowledge you. Photos however are "forbidden."

The style of homes varied a bit in Greece and Turkey, the Turks building a bigger second storey than the first. Greece is noticeably scruffy, dirty and unkempt. It's a bit to do with the awakening from a hard winter with everything needing a good mow, cutting back and sprucing up. Although you'll notice these cleanups underway, what will be more obvious is the number of commercial establishments in particular left abandoned. They seem to build a new set of premises leaving the old one a crumbling eyesore next door.

Many private dwellings are three tiered, the family finishing one level or the other to live in, whilst the rest of the home looks like a derelict building site with rio spikes sticking up. There are thousands of unfinished projects dotted through the vast housing estates. We're told that tax isn't paid on a dwelling until completion and there is no such thing as a housing loan, so you build as you can afford to.

In some places along the coasts there seems to be thousands of empty apartments. Probably condamindiums for seasonal occupancies. Whilst passing along you'll come across cities of look-a-like multi-tiered dwellings. With no industry obvious one can't help but wonder where all of these people find work.

Rubbish removal seems to be something they are hopeless at! Piles of it lying around. An attempt is being made to recycle, with blue, green, yellow and galvanized iron skips being dumped along the roadways always over flowing.

The advantage of travelling early in the season is that you can get into parks. Cheerful bulbs are in full bloom bursting their way through the scruffy winter mantle. The world econonic downturn is obvious with parks delaying their openings up to a month. We often appear to be the only occupants.

Like the Turks, the Greeks are generous, they will give you a little extra, like a free carafe of wine, loaf of bread, box of tissues, biscuit, mandarin or "shot of racki"!

"One pleasant observation was how refreshing it was to see the day to day operations of life and traffic working in perfect harmony without a trace of the dreaded "workplace health and safety," unlike our own over regulated bureautic crap. Examples are hubbie and wife and two children on a motorbike with no helmets, builders scaffolding made of 6" nails and wood, workmen with no boots, hats, goggles earmuffs etc. Live wires coming out of posts with a bit of sticky tape around them, open holes in the footpath with no fencing, spray painting with no masks; but somehow it all goes along smoothly and everything gets done, " says Dale!