Loutraki to Izmir 🚗🤪🤯🤬🛩

Bob the (failing) barista declined to get coffee to have on the balcony so we went for breakfast then walked the neighbourhood and along the beachfront before checking out. Our flight to Izmir wasn't until 4:30 and the time to the airport was just over an hour, supposedly, so we had plenty of time...
We drove along the coast to the lighthouse and the ruins of the Temple of Hera. Gorgeous view and we could see the entrance to the Corinth Canal in the distance. On our way back, we picked up an elderly man hitchhiking from his village inland. He didn't speak or understand English but said something when he wanted out in Loutraki. I wondered how he'd get home again...
It was around noon and we made a quick stop at the Corinth Canal, at first peering over the side but wouldn't/couldn't get closer 😬 to see the bottom and decided to see it from the bridge; we walked across. What a marvel! The colour of the water is spectacular!
We set off for Athens Airport with time to spare. Not! We got lost trying to get to the off-site car rental. Bob kept driving while I, like the GPS in the car, kept "recalibrating"! 🤯 We went through the tolls going both ways 🤪 and finally called the car rental to get them to direct us. Bob used his skills with the standard shift to reverse, u-turn, speed up, stop, 🤬, while I read out road signs to the fellow on the phone! We made it to the car rental just before 3 and got on the shuttle to the airport, hoping for no glitches at passport control and security. Haven't not eaten since breakfast, we scarfed down some snacks and Bob used his skills to open the beer bottle with nail ✂️! We boarded the plane and breathed a sigh of relief, until we took off and the plane dipped and bumped until we reached altitude. A few more glitches buying train tickets into Izmir and finding our hotel but when we arrived, we were "upgraded" to the honeymoon suite 🤣. At first glance, lovely and eclectic/gaudy in decor, but as the saying goes, all that glitters is not gold. We'd arrived in Turkey!Read more