Greece — From Budget Flights to Ancient Wonders

Hi everyone,

So… next stop on this adventure was Greece, and I have to say, this leg of the trip had a bit of everything — from budget airline reality to some of the most incredible history we’ve ever seen.

Budget Airline… Next Level

We flew with Ryanair, and let me just say — it makes other budget airlines feel luxurious. I thought Jetstar was cramped… but this was something else. No seat pocket. hard plastic seats with no padding and very little leg room.

Digby said it felt like being back on a military aircraft, and honestly, he’s probably not wrong. But as he reminded me — in the Army you learn to sleep anywhere, anytime, so he managed just fine.

First Impressions

Once we landed, we grabbed a complimentary shuttle to our motel, Airscape Hotel. Now the drive there had us both wondering what we had signed up for. We passed what looked like abandoned houses, some with wire fencing on top, and areas that felt a bit rough around the edges.

But when we arrived, it was actually a really nice surprise. The motel was clean, spacious, and the staff were fantastic. They recommended a few food options, although most weren’t within walking distance — delivery was an option, but one restaurant offered something a bit different, they would come and pick you up.

So we thought… why not? That turned out to be a great decision, the restaurant was right by the sea, and the food just kept coming. We had the traditional tsipouro before dinner, then complimentary bread and dips, followed by a massive main meal, and then to top it off — complimentary loukoumades (donut balls in honey syrup), all for about €20 each, great value for money.

Safe to say we rolled out of there.

Trying to Describe Greece

Greece is actually quite hard to describe, it feels like a mix of different worlds, there’s a slight Middle Eastern feel, but softer somehow, combined with a bit of the hustle and chaos you’d find in India.

The towns are quite compact, and you can definitely see signs of economic strain. Things like footpaths, gardens and roadways aren’t always well maintained — unless you’re in the major tourist areas.

There’s also a lot of graffiti, at first it’s a bit confronting, but we learned that a lot of it stems from the 2009 economic crisis, high youth unemployment, and a strong artistic protest culture. While we were in Athens, there was actually a large protest happening involving the artistic community, and you could see the riot police presence around the city.

But at the same time, there’s huge investment happening along the coastline with what they call the Athens Riviera Project — new resorts, casinos and shopping areas going up everywhere.

So it really feels like a country in transition.

Driving to Delphi — A Whole New Experience

Our first road trip was to Delphi, about 3½ hours from Athens, we took the coastal road to avoid tolls and get a feel for driving in Greece. Let’s just say… it’s very different to Scotland and Ireland.

Over there, people are polite, they wait for clear roads before overtaking. Here? They just go for it, road rules feels more like suggestions than actual rules.

It definitely keeps you alert.

Delphi and Arachova Chaos

Before reaching Delphi, we passed through Arachova, which is a ski resort town, and it was chaos, cars everywhere, people walking on the road, vehicles double parked with hazard lights on and cars backing up to let buses squeeze through tight corners.

It was one of those moments where you just sit there and think, how does this actually work?

We stayed overnight in Delphi at Hotel Kouros, mainly because it advertised on-site parking, let’s just say… their definition of parking was a little creative.

Beating the Crowds at Delphi

The next morning we were up early — and I mean early — to get to the Temple of Apollo at Delphi before the crowds, and it paid off. We had time to take photos without people everywhere, which is rare at places like this.

But standing there, trying to imagine what it looked like in its full glory, was pretty incredible.

Meteora — The Reason We Came

The main reason we came to Greece was to visit Meteora near the village of Kastraki, and honestly, nothing prepares you for it. As you drive closer, these massive sandstone pillars just rise out of the ground.

And then on top of them… monasteries.

It doesn’t even look real. There used to be 24 monasteries, but now only six remain, with four still active and cared for by monks and nuns.

But don’t be fooled we did come across one of the monastery wine room, with it’s last remaining wine barrel which held 12 000 yes 12 000 litres.

It’s one of those places where you just stand there and marvel — how did they even build this?

Scenic Routes and Fast Highways

On the way to Kastraki we took the scenic route through the mountains and agricultural plains. One thing we noticed is that Greece is very mountainous around the edges, with flatter farmland in the centre.

On the way back to Athens we took the motorway instead, it shaved about two hours off the trip, but came with a cost — about $50 in tolls.

You definitely pay for speed here.

A Few Days to Breathe

After all that moving around, we decided to slow things down a bit. We booked an Airbnb in Athens with a kitchen and washing machine — and honestly, it felt amazing not to pack and unpack every day.

We also ditched the hire car and switched to using the subway and local public transport, which made getting around much easier.

The apartment was in a great location — walking distance to shops, restaurants, and even a short walk up to the Acropolis of Athens.

Layers Off, History On

One funny thing we’ve noticed — since Iceland, we’ve been shedding layers of clothing in every country. By the time we reached Athens, we decided to pack up all our heavy winter gear and send it home.

Best decision ever!

However working out how to get it home was a task in itself. First we had to find a post office, they sold us the packaging box, but then we had to go home and fill out the declaration and delivery forms on the computer, then download that to a USB, then find a copy store to print off the forms, then go back to the post office for them to finally send the package. Whew! that took some work, I won’t complain about Australia Post again.

We then spent the next few days exploring Athens on foot, and the history here is just… incredible, photos really don’t do it justice.

Standing in front of the Parthenon, looking at the size of the columns and the foundations, it’s hard to believe it was built without modern technology.