London - Athens - Patras - Kalavryta

When we first planned this trip we knew that the first day or so would be very busy. Although it went smoothly, it did indeed live up to our expectations!

In order to maximise our holiday we left London directly from work and made a late night journey to Athens. With the usual delays (which we always seem to incur), we didn’t arrive until 3am by which time we were both craving for some sleep.

From the airport it was a very entertaining taxi journey with the driver telling Grigoria all about the new road works in the city and casually driving at 150km/h! In what seemed like 10mins we arrived at Grigoria’s family inner city flat for a quick 2.5hr nap until another the taxi arrived to take us to bus station for our next destination.

Grigoria’s mum & sister were based in Kalavryta (3hrs away) so we took the 8am bus from Athens to Patras (a major port city) along the northern coast of the Pelopenese.

When we arrived in Patras Grigoria’s mum, sister Maria & aunt Tina happily welcomed us. Grigoria had the enviable task of renewing her passport so Maria, her aunt and I decided to head towards Olga Square (in the centre of the city, were a young Grirgoria once played) for a drink and some people watching (which the Greeks seem to do a lot).

From Olga Square we headed to the local sailing club with their superb seaside fish restaurant, where Aunt Tina is regular http://www.sailingclub.gr/ This was only the second time I’d had freshly grilled (& baked) un-filleted fish and real treat for sure.

Following lunch we drove the 1.5hrs from Patras inland and up-hill to Kalavryta, which is, located 35km from the coastline at an altitude of 750m.

Kalavryta http://www.kalavrita.gr/ is the where Grigoria’s father grew up as a child and the location of their family home. I found the small town very welcoming/relaxing and in some ways rather like my home town in New Zealand.

The family house reminded me of a ski lodge villa with the use of timber post/beams and rafters, a concrete structure and very nicely furnished. A place which was homely and very much the family’s pride and joy.

The remainder of the day we relaxed enjoyed the view down to the village before dinner, and then some well-deserved sleep.