Toll booth frenzy.

Initially the plan had been to take the free shuttle back to the airport & get the car hire company to come & pick us up. The transfer business from yesterday had made us question the wisdom of this - we'd be at the mercy of their schedule which definitely had a lot of wriggle room. Additionally the hotel was only about half a mile from the car place so we could walk there & come back for the bags. The other option was to lug everything there and crack on for the villa. Something to ponder over breakfast when we figured what to do about that. The attached mini-market was great for sweets & biscuits, not great for breakie. Had a wander and found a bakery. Bizarre cream pasty sliced, diced & dusted with sugar & cinnamon sounded just the trick. Opted for the lugging which was a bit warm. The car hire guy tried his best to upsell us - limited options for him - 1 bag (don't need a bigger car) already got excess insurance. Tried the breakdown recovery option - didn't help his cause by blabbing the car was only a month old. Settled back to chatting about classic Liverpool sides of the 80s and how as a lad in South Africa he hoped to be a professional but injury did for him. You'll never walk alone - indeed. Driving round the Athens ring road was interesting especially since the phone satnav was being narky. Pitstop at services couldn't sort it but magically pressing some buttons on the steering wheel seemed to do the trick. Crossed the Corinth Canal - Liz surprisingly passed up the bungee option and pushed on up into the hills of the Peloponnese and the ever relentless insistence for tolls. The roads were good & quiet, the tolls were cheap but it did wear especially the odd prices - €1.65??? The 200 mile journey passed easily enough bar a couple of thunderstorms - some epic lightning. Stopped in Kalamata for some supplies & petrol - another Liverpool fan filling up for us. Then to the windy country roads of the South - some belters - no point hurrying. Got to Gialova - our resort - and now to the difficult stuff - locating the villa. The owner Gianni, lived in a yellow house & once we located the correct area, which was yellow enough and big enough. Decision made then we had to fend off the dog. Fortunately for Liz it was the cutest little puppy. Apparently fully vaccinated and a bit mad. Gianni got his scooter & guided us to the villa. Absolutely perfect and a fridge full of supplies. View is perfect as is the pool. Settled down on the veranda with some Tzatziki (officially the only good use of cucumber) and bread and watched yet another thunderstorm trundle in across the bay.Read more