Journey to Greece

The most un-seafaring family took off for Greece on a ferry yesterday from Brindisi, Italy.

Not just any ferry ride, but one that lasted 21 hours.

I think we have to write a thank-you letter to whomever invented Dramamine.

Our cabin on the ferry was quite adequate for our family of five. Wefit quite comfortably in the four beds – thank goodness that Chayton is still so tiny.

What Courtney and I wasn’t prepared for was the way quite a few of the travelers traveled. They came prepared with blow-up mattresses, sleeping bags and tents to spread out along the floor of the decks. There were people EVERYWHERE you looked. And not just the young backpackers you might expect, but families of all ages ready to spend the night and enjoy a cost-effective way to travel.

Dinner was the sandwiches that we brought on board plus a special drink from the bar (peach tea for the kids and a breezer for Courtney and I – can you imagine they didn’t have any wine?). After a few trips up top to see the sun and then the stars, plus plenty of time spent reading, it was time to be lulled to sleep by the slight rocking of the boat.

Breakfast was coffee and a tasty danish from the ships kitchens. A few more trips up to the decks and by 2:30pm we were at Patras, Greece.

It was HOT as we got off the boat. Very hot. Thank goodness the port terminal was air conditioned. The kids and I hung out there while Courtney caught a taxi to the car rental place. Chayton entertained himself by coloring; the girls had a bit of attitude and didn’t want their pictures taken.

After a four hour drive from Patras to Kalamata, we were finally at our new home.

Going into this, Courtney and I knew the apartment was going to be basic – no WiFi, but air conditioning and minutes away from the beach

But we weren’t expecting it to be THIS basic. No towels (not so out of the ordinary). No pots. No pans. No cutting board. Not a spoon to stir with, a bowl to mix with, or a mug to put coffee in – but there was a brand new coffee pot. Nothing in the cupboards that would enable any human being to cook a meal – not even ramen noodles in water. You couldn’t even make a bowl of cereal!

Everything is part of our adventure and this one will include an extra trip to the store tomorrow to find plates, bowls, cups and other items to cook with.

But now I am sitting on the beach outside our restaurant in Kalamata, Greece after a delicious dinner and too much wine to finish.

The sun has set and it is dark. The lights are blinking off the mountain to my left. The waves are soft on the sand. And my kids are happy building sand castles.