Hotel Nathalie Ixia

... would entail completely replacing the grip shifts on both handlebars. Instead, I just covered the break with duct tape hoping that it would hold together. It did, but only for so long. <br><br> After some finking, the deralier would still shift between 2nd and 3rd, and I was able to manage it without too much grinding. Of course, the first obstacle was a rather large hill. Without a low gear, I had to walk it ...

... give an idea of scale. Six rows by thirteen of 20m+ towers. If only the gold and silver statue of Zeus still remained&#8230;<br><br>Also, there was the temple of Hera where the disk of the Sacred Truce was held. Every 4 years the games were held, all hostilities between regions were to cease. Outside Hera&#8217;s temple was the place where the Olympic torch was (is) lit. Still today the ...

... but it was closed because it&#8217;s Sunday. Yay. This is what I came to Greece for: sitting in a wet tent in the dark doing nothing. Things have to change soon. I won&#8217;t be able to hold Brian back from the train station much longer - or myself for that matter! After over 4 months on the road we're both a little travel-weary. This is not the time for bad weather and failing gear.....<br><br>

... trouser legs; I also had to carry towel, bag, and book tucked into bag. Despair ensued when, on arriving at the tent, there was no book to be seen - clearly, it must have fallen out while I negotiated the walk along the beach. Paul immediately and nobly volunteered to fo back and try to find it, while I prepared a tea as reward for his efforts. Some few minutes later he returned in triumph bearing a very wet and sandy ...

... PLUS THE PRIME MINISTER OF GREECE STAYED AT OUR HOTEL THE SAME NIGHT AS US. Pretty cool. He was making a speech in toen so the whole city was out waving Greek flags. Olympia was pretty devastated by fires last year so he was coming back to do some morale-boosting and PR. But ya, Olympia was great.

... the "Socrates" to ourselves. Literally: we were the only two customers they had. We also visited the new site museum then spent the rest of the night trying to get caught up on blogging--but not managing! We're finding that we can fit everything in on our schedule, but often we are exhausted. Sleep or internet? Not an easy choice! I phoned Reyla in the evening. I couldn't get her since she was at work, so I left a message wishing her a happy birthday. My baby is now 27!

... our turn to Olympia . We eventually find our way back on a very attractive minor road through pretty hilly country covered with olive groves. We enter Olympia and turn up right at the front door of our accommodations for the night, the Hercules Hotel. This hotel was certainly cheap, but not all that cheerful. Top marks for location, just one block off the main street and walking distance to the archaeological site, and ...

... Truly first class, even when you're in the cheap cabins like Michael and I. And the maintenance. They are constantly keeping this ship painted and polished, every day we see maintenance teams washing windows, scraping and repainting outdoor steps, re-varnishing the railings. . . . always keeping her neat, shiny and rust free! The sea is so calming..... but it's off to Team trivia, and hopefully a win for us! OK, we lost :-( . . . . . but we had ...

... I've been hitchhiking a lot, and one of these young, confident, speeding guys gave me a ride. His name was Kostas, and he was a bit paunchy. We spoke in Greek. He told me he likes every music, it doesn't matter what kind. But, then, he added casually, "Mono Elliniki" (Only Greek music), as if that was the only kind. He only liked Greece, and especially hometown Kalamata where he was a bar-man. He was only leaving to see his "yinaika" (girl). He ...

... to Italy. The route I took passed through villages, countryside abundant with pine, figs, vineyards, walnut, cyprus, olive, sheep, goats and lush green grass. Finished near a lake and camped in the dried up river bed. Lots of sticks to burn on the camp fire, grassy and flat. I only hope it doesn't rain tonight! One more for the collection... Temple of Zeus pediment ...