Three Ferries to Greece or Two Innocents Abroad In A Honda Accord

Sunday 19th November 2006

The alarm went off at 6.30am and we got up and stuffed everything into bags, got ready and left the hotel.  We walked across to the harbour and Gerry sat on a bench seat with the bags while Dave walked back to the Hotel Roussas to collect the car.  There was no traffic through Volos town centre at 7am so Dave arrived quite quickly, collected Gerry and the bags and drove into the port to the coffee bar opposite the ferry.  As the Express Skiathos wasn't loading yet we went in for a coffee to while away the time.

We left the coffee bar about 8am and got into the car as the loading had begun.  we drove up the ferry ramp and into the bowels of the ship.  Cars for Alonissos had to drive up a ramp and back into the right hand side of the ferry.  After securing the car we went up into the lounge and managed to get a window seat with a table.  Dave went out to the back of the ferry and the ship seen here is privately owned by a Saudi Arabian business man and is often moored in Volos.

The ferry became quite full by the time it left and we were surrounded by Greek families who were out to enjoy what would be a rather boring 5 hour journey.  As we left Volos the families all got their food out and we ended up with lumps of cheese, spinach and what Gerry thought was pumpkin pie.  The sea was quite calm and the ferry chugged its way across the Pagasitic Gulf, around the bottom of the Pelion Peninsula and eventually into the harbour at Skiathos.  We watched the passengers and vehicles off and on the ferry and then the ferry departed for Glossa on Skopelos, where a Flying Dolphin was just leaving for Skiathos.

The Express Skiathos docked at Glossa harbour but stayed only a short time while a few passengers and cars disembarked and embarked.  The ferry then set off for Skopelos Town and the sea was a bit rough down the coast which is notorious for being battered by strong winds.  At Skopelos harbour there was a wait for passengers and traffic to exchage the we were on our way to Alonissos.  Along the coast we could see the houses of the Old Village in the distance, flowing down the hillside.  We could see the harbour of Patitiri coming into view as we waited to go down to the car deck.

We drove off the ferry at Patitiri and parked opposite the Alkyon bar.  We ordered ouzo and sipped our drinks while we watched the Express Skiathos sail out of the harbour, around the headland and gone.  At that point we knew we had arrived at our new home.  After finishing our drinks we drove up to Villa Aliki and unloaded the car.  we cracked open a bottle of Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin champers given to us on our departure by our dear friends Gill and Frank.  Needless to say we had no proper glasses so we adopted the Greek way and drank out of plastic goblets.  We were home!!

In the evening we went up into the Old Village expecting to eat but found all the bars and tavernas closed.  We new the Aloni would be shut as Panioti had died in the September but Taverna Boubalina said they would stay open but were closed and Yorgos at Panselinos had also closed down until early December.  Even taverna owners need a holiday!!  It was a cold night, no heating, so we went to bed with an extra quilt and two hot water bottles.

Our new life on Alonissos started when we woke up the following morning ....