It's all Greek to me!

Now we're talking- finally some cheaper petrol than Turkey After a very tedious exit from Turkey which took over an hour thanks to their computer saying 'no' to my temporary import document I got on entering the country, I eventually made it to Alexandroupoli in Greece. The first thing I noticed was all the big bikes going around- Africa Twins, Transalps, BMWs, Varaderos, KLRs etc, they're all here. It was a bit like seeing old, long lost friends again after being lost in a wilderness of small bikes and I couldn't help smiling (very sad I know!). I find the municipal campsite which is pleasantly situated by the beach and end up staying for a couple of nights. Oh, and the other good thing about Greece, apart from all the beautiful people going about, is the fact that you can get proper kebabs here!

I ride west to the peninsula below Thessaloniki again to the coast but the weather appears to be turning now and even see clouds again- aaargh! Its colder now and somehow while asking about the price of the campsite, I mention the fact that my bike clothing is no longer waterproof to the owner who thinks I'm talking about my tent and gives me a caravan for the same price as a camping pitch- result! Anything that means I don't have to unpack and repack my camping stuff is a very good thing indeed as far as I'm concerned. Unfortunately, I notice my chain that I had to adjust that morning is already slack again and figure that at 31,000 kms, its now time to buy a new one- bugger. The next day I stop off at a local bike shop and part with 115Euros for a new chain plus fitting my spare sprockets. I realised that if spending big (well to me anyway) money is going to be my new hobby, I might as well go the whole hog and in Thessaloniki buy a rainsuit overall from the very helpfull Triumph dealer in anticipation of getting rained on very soon, which as it happened, occurred just outside Thessalloniki. I was very glad of my new purchase as even though its red, white and black and I look a bit like a Power Ranger, this was the first rain I'd had since entering Pakistan.

In Kastoria, a very pretty town near the Albanian border, I don't find a campsite and after looking at a really nice Pension room high up on a hill with its own balcony overlooking the lake for 30Euros, I decide I'm not really very hardcore anymore and take the room, and then quickly dash out for some beer to have on my balcony at Beer-o'clock.