On my way…

 Sunday 11th September 

So on a very grey day I walked to the local train station on my one way journey.Two unruly cases were bad enough on our pavements, but in Piraeus it’s is going to be tricky ! Two neighbours saw me on our road and waved goodbye to me. The coach journey was uneventful except I only discovered right at the end that the wireless charger on my table was the only way of getting the internet on the bus. Because the M4 was closed near Heathrow we were advised to leave at T5 and get the train ( which is free) to T2.

Terminal 2 is a lot quieter than the manic scenes when I was here last time. I sailed through the bag drop off and security. It’s then a coffee and a sandwich and wait to see what terminal the plane will be leaving at. The only thing that I think I have left behind is a few Euro coins. But it won’t be until I completely  unpack on Monday night that I will discover what still might be at home. 


At the gate I am asked to weight my hand baggage on two occasions, which is trifle annoying. Amazingly no one sits between me and the lady who is occupying the window seat. Elsewhere the plane is full. But we got on board late and once we are all aboard we are told it’s going to be thirty minutes before we take off. We make up a bit of time but arrive late at Athens and of course it’s two hours ahead of us. With two cases it’s a voyage of discovery as I have no idea where all the lifts are. I just miss a Metro train, so I have a wait until the next one arrives. As we wizz along beside the motorway, there is a lovely sunset. The train windows are so grubby a decent photo is not possible. It’s funny because on this line, the trains are graffiti free, line one, which takes me on the second leg are covered in it, I imagine they have given up trying to remove it. I change at Monastirion after which I start to hear an accordion. Sure enough a man and his young child walk through the train, the child with his own instrument, a small cup taped to it. The station is really attractive but it’s in a poor state. If it was refurbished it would be beautiful. It has lots of what looks like cast iron in its superstructure.


At the station by the huge stadium, loads of supporters scramble on board. They are rowdy but friendly. I imagine some might be getting ferries home. As we get off at Piraeus they erupt in rowdy song. As expected my poor cases struggle with the Piraeus pavements. It’s hard work and it’s hot. But I am rewarded by a friendly welcome at the Faros 1 hotel.  I quickly get into my room and then go downstairs and have an omelette and a couple of beers. It’s well past nine at this point. I go back up to my room, have a shower and try to sleep. Alas no luck. The lateness of my meal and being very switched on, means I don’t drop off for ages. I do wake early but manage to go back to sleep. I am nearly there. 


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