We had a great flight back to Greece on Aegean Airways from Heathrow and managed to see the coast line of France and Dieppe, the French Alps, Italian mountains and we could see the many islands of Croatia.  The crew very kindly came down the Aegean Sea passing Thessaloniki, Skiathos,  Skopelos and the large island of Evia just off the Greek coast before turning and heading for Athens airport. This area is of great interest as we expect to be sailing the inshore water of Evia to meet up with one of Jim’s old work friends before we cross to Turkey later in the year.

On Tuesday we had been wearing thick tops and coats to miss the rain.  Stepping out of the airport on Wednesday we were in beautiful sunshine and it was great to feel the warmth after our British spring time.

The hire car company were there at the airport and very soon we were on our way past Athens and across the Corinth Canal and onto the Peloponnese.  The roads seem almost deserted even near Athens and our little car climbed the mountain roads very slowly.  It was a very new Lancia but it didn’t have the speed you would expect from a little sporty car.  The Peloponese is very quiet and it was a relief to see another car or small village as we made our way to the boat yard.  Thank goodness for the GPS which I must say was often “off road” due to a very weak signal and unmarked roads but we did make it although it was very dark by the time we arrived. Luckily a car drove into the boat yard a few seconds before us and we managed to call to them to let us in.  We had booked the car for the next day and we were able to fill our fridge with a few little extras at Lidl the biggest supermarket around this part of the world.  It is a great sight to see almonds growing on the trees around us.

Ariel was fine and just as we had left her although covered in red dust.  For the next 4 days we have washed, polished, bluffed up the copper coat, replaced a few things and generally spent our days working away at getting her ready to go back in the water on Monday.

Before we can go back in the water though we have to visit the local police station and pay about 10 euro’s for our piece of paper which needs to go to the boat yard to say we are able to launch Ariel back into the water!

A new sailing season is about to begin.