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- Sep 4, 2024, 9:00 PM
- 🌙 17 °C
- Altitude: 1,438 m
GreeceVradeto39°54’10” N 20°46’47” E
Long-Term Stay

After dinner, the Israelis and I go separate ways, but not before exchanging numbers. Maybe tomorrow, definitely in Tel Aviv: We will meet again!
I drive to the other end of the canyon, finding a serene offroad campsite on a hilltop next to a tiny chapel. The views are spectacular, I spend the night all alone and, after a very slow morning, walk down to the village below.
The charming tavern there will be my base throughout the day. For now, I start with a strong Greek cappuccino and hike to Beloi Viewpoint with its breathtaking views into Vikos Gorge. And my Israeli friends are already there, waiting for me!
We chat, then they're off, lots to see and do. I, on the other hand, feel the need to take a break from the speed of the last two weeks. And so, as others come and go, taking just fleeting glances into and quick snapshots of the canyon and, I just sit there. Reading, writing, taking in the energy of this magical place.
For (late) lunch, I'm back in the tavern, then to my campsite to spend the afternoon heat in the shade. I've decided, for the first time on this trip, to stay in one place for a second night. But I won't be alone anymore. A campervan comes bouncing down the dirt road and stops a few meters away – the site can, after all, be found in a public database.
Its occupants, a young German couple, are really sweet. We get along right away and we agree on a sunset hike to Beloi. There's clouds moving in, and so we don't see the full sunset, but instead some beautiful cloud formations over the canyon.
To finish off the day, I convince the two to join me in the tavern once more – the Portokalopita (Greek orange cake) is to die for and they need to try it! Even though I love having a campsite all to myself, this is another one of those evenings with great people that I don't want to miss when traveling. We drink, we eat, we talk, we laugh and end up walking back to camp in the dark – a good thing we talked about taking our headlamps!
The second night is just as wonderful as the first, the crickets even louder (which, by the way, fulfils the criterium "quiet night" for me).
Sadly, this is my turning point. Much as I wish I could just keep driving, home is a 25 hour drive away and I have seven days to get there. But there's still a lot to come!Read more
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