Greece March 2018

2/17/18 - So our Greece trip is approaching in a few weeks (March 9th). Part Independent, part guided. Booked our seats on Lufthansa ($11 each) for the MUC-ATH/ ATH - MUC legs, which Gate 1 (our tour supplier) doesn’t include. Total trip cost with air for both of us is around $2800 which was a bargain - we’ll see if that holds true by the time we get back! It was a 2 day Flash Sale that was hard to pass up.

Studied Rick Steves book on Greece to learn the easiest way to get from the airport to our hotel (Stanley Hotel) in downtown Athens. Looks like the express bus to Syntagma Square and then a short metro trip from there. http://www.visitgreece.gr/en/travelling_in_gree… Seems easy enough. 5 Euros for the bus. Hard to beat that. About a 40 minute ride to get downtown. We should arrive around check-in time. Enough time to stroll around , get some good Greek food for dinner and then crash. Next morning we have the entire day until in the evening when we meet with the Tour Director and have dinner with the rest of the group.

Downloaded about 10 podcasts from Rick’s app Audio Europe (Greece) to get acquainted before leaving. VisitACity is another app with 1,3,5,7 day tours of Athens which should be helpful. Also checking out some free walking tours which always seem to be good.

Checked out lunch/dinner opportunities with Traditional Greek meal https://www.eatwith.com/events/26455 for Athens. Requested a lunch with Michial on Sunday afternoon. Waiting on a confirmation. Had tried this EatWith experience in Madrid and had a great time. (He wrote back and we’re confirmed!).

Since we return on a 6am flight which means we'll probably have to leave our hotel about 2:00am, I checked out Uber services. Looks like it should be about 29 euros, which is considerably cheaper than regular taxi service which would run about 70 euros after midnight. Plus I have a $10 credit from other Uber trips, so that sounds good. it's always interesting experience waiting on an Uber driver in the middle of the night in a foreign country. :)

Temps are looking good so far as you can see from the weather temp photo here

Using this app to remember what to take - Packing Pro by Quinn Genzel https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/packing-pro/id3…

3/9 - last minute charging of all devices, toiletries ,etc. Looking at blog from Madrid trip, can most likely leave home between 1:30 -2pm and have plenty of time. Blew through TSA last time This time we both have TDA pre- Check indicated on our boarding passes. No big suitcases to check. Should be quick. But a new passport wallet at AAA to carry a few cards and my passport and some cash. Fits in front pocket nicely. Will see how that works. So far, so good

Made a reservation at what appears to be a really good restaurant just a block from our hotel on the first night we get there. Should be at the hotel by 5 - reservation at 7. Thank you TripAdvisor! https://goo.gl/khPXxyもっと詳しく