Athen's here I come.

Trip Start Aug 09, 2008

Trip End Sep 16, 2008

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Where I stayed

Dorian Inn Athens
(aka. Dorian Inn Hotel)

(Athens hotels)

Flag of Greece Athens, Greece
Tuesday, August 26, 2008

I'm too lazy to navigate the metro system to get to Fiumicino Airport during rush hour on a Monday Morning. So I did the next best thing. I ordered a cab. What I got was even better, but more about that in a minute. I checked out after having breakfast at 7am. Went outside to wait for the cab, who should be there but my old friend. He says to me "My old Friend, will you buy from me today? I see you leave. You go home to your wife? Girlfriend? I have lovely cameos for your lovely ladies." This fella really cracks me up. I had a look anyway since it was my last day. He says "This one for 12 euros, This one for 20 euros, I do you bargin. Both for 24 euros" By this stage I'm thinking, they are both very nice. Fake but real nice. I spend about a minute looking and before I can say yes, he says "No, I give to you. You nice man, I like you"

Now I'm all for a bargin, but I'm not taking these from him for free. So I say no and say I can't

Athens from my room 9 floors up

. He then says "Ok, 20 euros then, good bargin and you not feel guilty no" This guy is good, I laughed and surrendered and bought the 2. He then said thank you and good luck, then wondered over to his next victim. I've never felt good about being fleeced before, it's quite weird really.

Anyway, by this stage there are a few others outside waiting for theier buses and we speak briefly, I tell them I'm of to Athens. then comes my cab. No, it's not a cab it's a limosine! The chauffeur gets out and says "Are you ready to go to the airport Mr Peneha?" "Yep, I'll just finished this smoke" I say. She then gets my bags, puts them in the boot, and waits with the back door open for me. My mouth just dropped, but as I was heading for the Limo, I got a glimpse of the other tourists, whose mouths were almost hitting the floor too. Priceless.

The Limo ride was what I expected, having never been in one before. Fantastic, comfortable, classy. The airport is quite someway from the hotel. Now I'd been told by the cabbie that a trip that long would cost between 80-95 Euro's. The limo only cost me 50. still expensive, but I saved at the same time and got some entertainment out of it to.

40mins later I'm there, she drops me off and I go in to check in

1-Athens from my room 9 floors up

. It's about 8:30, check at 9am for my flight out at 11am. I managed to check in early. So when to the departure lounge and waited patiently as usual. I decided I would text a few people (You know who you are!!) and before you know it, its boarding time.

No it's not, they have changed the gate, and we are delayed 30mins. Ok not so bad. We get on at 11:30am, and started to taxi, but now we have to wait another 20mins on the tarmac because of traffic.

Finally we take off, and land in Athens 2 hours later. The first thing I noticed about Greece/Athens is that it's very arid. Second was how hot it was, and thirdly, how humid it is. I'm picked up at the airport, but yet another limosine. My lucky day, and it takes an hour to get to my hotel. Traffic wasn't bad, it's about, according to the driver, 40km to the centre of Athens where I'm staying.

I go to my room, and ahhh!! Airconditioning. Marvellous invention. I hang out there and get settled before going to tea. Then, when it's a little cooler, I go for a walk. It wasn't a long walk. It's too hot at 9:30pm. I asked at the counter what the temperature was. He said "its warm, 42 degrees." Oh this will be interesting tomorrow.