Chip, the All American Bus

haha. They know very well what they've got! There was a small classic car meet on the island whilst we were there. We stumbled upon it whilst out driving one day & there was American muscle parked next to an Austin Allegro! Plus french rarities, a Triumph Herald and a small scattering of old vespas. The guys were saying how expensive classics are in Greece. Wouldn't have thought it...

Incidentally ,we made an offer on a panel van whilst we were on the Peloponnese. We'd seen it 10 years ago, looking loved, & left a note back then. Anyway this time round the old boy's family was ready to sell. The van was still in excellent condition & probably 7k's worth, maybe a tad more. They wanted stellar money. Totally unrealistic. 15k euro plus!! As the crisis bites the mentality is to hang on for 'better' times rather than sell cheap.

 

Techenders next for us Ray, one weekend to the next at the moment.
Something in the syncro is on the cards but we're juggling options at the minute. No boating out this year, just living aboard using it as a home although an expensive month next month coz it comes out of the water for blacking, anodes etc.

 

crikey. where do you live whilst that happens?

 

lol, it'll be floated onto a trailer which gets dragged out onto the inclined slipway.
Then it's a stupid hour or two with the heated pressure washer (charged by the hour ) to get all the crud & as much loose paint off as possible.

The trailer will then be dragged onto the flat & I mechanically remove paint around the water-line.....I'll do a thread!

Living aboard, up & down a ladder for the week. yay!

 

sounds weird!

 

Well, we've got the bus if the knees give up. Don't do stairs anymore.
Life on the Level...mmm sounds like a book title...

 

You live on a 7' wide 50' long boat, shouldn't your book be called "On the Straight and Narrow".

 

Is that the antithesis of "On the Run", another title that sprang to mind...

 

Just discovered this thread and all I can say is:
Makes you want to use your bus!

You may have mentioned that already but what are the solar panel you are using?

 

I'm partial to an nice antithesis and coke.

 

They're two I got from the US a couple of years ago from a bankrupt stock sale. They're big & not as efficient as glass backed ones but look good (IMO) & were cheap...ish. At the moment, with the bus parked up on the marina & the roof down as per normal, they've got the battery on float pushing 0.8 or so amps in but actually producing around 6.5. (the difference gets lost through the heat sink in the mppt controller so as not to cook the leisure battery)
For the full saga....
http://thelatebay.com/index.php?threads/chip.33075/

 

Quite sums up owning a bay bus!
But yes they do look good.
Thanks for the details.

 

As I previously alluded to we made some good friends at Camping Mani Beach. As a result we had an invitation to go to Athens and stay in a spare apartment!
Why would you not!
A city break in the very place I proposed to Mrs Monkey all those long & weary years ago.

So after a spot of moonlighting as my alter ego Sunset Derek!, it was time to get on the next ferry



The ferries run several times a day during summer season so tickets bought we were back in line..


This chap was getting off. We'd spoken to him previously. A real enthusiast for the T2, he was the supplier of snacks & stuff to the local bars & restaurants.


A fast passenger service is provided by the Dolphin Hydrofoils


And so goodbye to Aegina, until the next time...which was to be sooner than we thought


The world changed from the tranquility of the Peloponnese and agricultural islands even before you get to the hustle & bustle of Piraeus. This behemoth was catering for all those X celebrities out there!


So out into the paradox that is Athens. Behind a wheel or set of handlebars it's madness. In the cafes & backstreet restaurants all is fun & relaxation...

 

Chilled out in the city for a week in an apartment with this view! We were handed the keys & told to make ourselves at home. Amazing people!


Inside the top floor of the new Acropolis museum. It's the long dark building just to the lower left of the Parthenon above. It's built to scale as if you are walking around the top pediment so you can see the details of the marble carvings, most of which are in the British Museum .


The break in the city was a complete contrast to the recent chilled out travelling but was amazing. Wandering the streets felt completely safe & we soon became familiar with the public transport.



Emotional goodbyes were exchanged & we headed north & west towards our next destination, the Unesco World Heritage site at Delphi.

Incredible scenery opened up ahead of us & there was something tangibly spiritual about the mountains around Mount Parnassus.

 

Delphi....!



& at the end of the day...wish for a better view!

 

We camped on a beach somewhere convenient for...


...the ferry crossing the next day towards Patra & onwards to Italy

 

Excellent to read more of this trip. My mum has just been telling me about the road trip she did to Greece back in 1961. She raves about the beauty of Delphi and the area!

 

Patra is a bit mental & we arrived here with a sense of sadness to be leaving friends behind but with the anticipation of re-discovering Italy.
On the way to get some cheap cigs for people back home we passed a small scooter repair shop. Whilst admiring the GS parked outside the owner came out, invited us in & proceeded to get out the Tsipouro for the obligatory morning alcoholic shot! He'd travelled all over Europe on the candy PX, visiting IOW on several occasions.

We left having made yet more friends who gave us a packs of stickers & T-shirt packs commemorating the local Vespa clubs' recent anniversary meet.

On to the ferry, and we'd opted for the on-board camping option. You sleep in your vehicle, which gets plugged in to the ship electrics. The only proviso being you don't cook on-board. No problem, Mel cooked up some chicken in the port car park which we added to the salad later!



And on to Italy.....

 

Benvenuto Ancona