Since I keep raving about those mountains and that we're going there, we actually did it...we just didn't think through a few things. Like that it could be cold there...not for nothing do they say that you learn from mistakes and that once you do something wrong, you'll remember it forever! :D

Thanks to the insurance company, they looked at the car a bit sooner and we went to pick it up on Monday. Unfortunately on the way to the service center, our neighbor's car broke down – the one who had been helping us all along. We decided to give him the comfort of the I❤️ECO and sleep in the tent ourselves. But his repair didn't take so long, so after two days we're taking his to the service center. The repair went quickly and smoothly and the neighbor's van is functional again!

But ours is showing minor signs of permanent damage. They already told us at the service center that it would be advisable to replace the entire engine and maybe that's really how it will turn out in the foreseeable future. But we didn't want to do it here because it could get quite expensive. Plus we don't know what else would show up there.

We decided not to strain the Iveco for now, and when we need something in town, we ride bikes instead. And so we came up with an alternative for visiting the mountains – we'll go by scooter! On Thursday evening when we're supposed to pack and figure out the route, another neighbor stopped by for dinner, so instead of obligations we had a small barbecue and chatted almost until midnight. On Friday Leo went to town for the motorbike and I packed a bit and prepared things in the meantime.

We're off!

Already in the morning it was swimsuit weather, so we didn't even feel like getting dressed in pants and sweatshirts, but we finally did it. Unfortunately that was the warmest thing we took. With all the sleeping and food gear we loaded onto the scooter and set off around 11. Over 100 km of riding to the mountains awaited us! We chose the route through one smaller mountain range here in northwestern Greece and I must say it was great. The landscape here is really beautiful and at first we weren't even cold! It was more like a pleasant breeze in the heat.

On the way we also met a turtle trying to get to the other side of the road. I helped her a bit so nothing would run over her, and then the poor thing ran scared into the nearest bushes! We rode further and saw a storm starting not far from us. We tried to outrun it, but light rain caught up with us after a while, so we hid under trees. Fortunately it was only for a moment, but we still got a bit wet and weren't so warm anymore. That was the first moment we regretted not having those jackets. Oh well, we'll stop somewhere for coffee and warm up a bit.

For lunch we stopped at the end of a town just below the mountains where they made excellent and really big crepes filled gyros-style, and as a bonus they gave us a third one with sweet filling for free! We really overate, but it was really delicious! And since they didn't make coffee themselves, they called the nearest café and ordered delivery for us. Meanwhile it started raining outside again, so we warmed up there a bit longer.

When it looked better, we got back on the motorbike and tried to ride those last few kilometers as quickly as possible. Only it blew through us again a bit. We stop at a statue of a woman standing by the road at the entrance to the mountains. There's a great view of the valley behind us from here.

Suddenly it's cold! Could we have reached those mountains?

After crossing the first hills we see a big dark cloud ahead of us. We try not to make anything of it and stop to look at the first stone bridge we encounter. There's a small chapel by it where we tell ourselves we'll stay in case of emergency. Next to it another turtle is grazing! In my life I've never seen a land turtle in nature, and that day we came across two!

Since it's not raining, we continue. After about 2 km rain catches us, so we return to the chapel to wait it out. It looks like it will rain a bit longer, so we wrap ourselves in one of the sleeping bags for warmth. We even dozed off for a while.

We're figuring out what to do next. The rain gradually stops, but it's already about 6 pm and we should find a hidden place to sleep. We go check out several bridges around, for which the Zagori region is famous. Then we find a place to hide the motorbike at one trail leading into Vikos canyon, pack our things, and head there. It's starting to get a bit dark, so after about 1.5 km we find a place to sleep, hang the hammock, and go to sleep. We're all broken from the motorbike, but excited for the next day!

The night was very cold. We're sleeping wrapped together in two sleeping bags, but being at the bottom of the canyon, the temperature here probably didn't climb above 5°C and we kept tossing and turning the whole time and alternately sleeping and waking up because of the cold. In the morning we were gradually awakened by singing birds and the sky lightening. The sun has a bit further to go down here, so we first feel it when washing dishes after breakfast, when we're already packed and setting off.

A hike that finally warms us up a bit

Through Vikos canyon runs one of the Greek national trails. It's a quite famous trail and they say it's one of the most beautiful here. We wanted to walk the whole thing, but it's about 20 km and we decided we won't spend another night down there. But we still bravely jump over rocks and trudge uphill along the canyon sides. Basically wherever it leads us. After a few hours we meet a tap with drinking water that's piped here from the opposite hill, and we have lunch.

An older Greek couple catches up with us who speak good English, so we start chatting. They were a bit surprised when they learned about our overnight stay here – were we afraid of bears? And so we learned that bears really do live here. We didn't really want to believe it before, but supposedly they even visit local villages!

From this point, after a bit of time and kilometer calculation, we turned around and headed back to the motorbike so we'd still make it out of the mountains that day. The morning weather here is really nice, but every afternoon they forecast rain, so in our sweatshirts (though we have raincoats!) we're trying to avoid them. On the way we meet a Dutch couple who warn us about a poisonous snake on the trail. We got to talking with them. They say they've also been in Greece throughout the quarantine, just in the mountains in a hostel. They had planned to drive in a 4WD car with a roof tent all the way to Mongolia! In such company we finally feel normal again! :D

Last rainy experiences from the mountains

The trail led us to our turnoff, and when we finally climb up to the scooter, it's starting to cloud over. The motorbike waited nicely for us, so we transfer things and set off to one more viewpoint a bit further in the mountains. On the way, for a change, another rain catches us, so we hide at the beginning of a village and wait for it to pass. We find we're running out of gas and the nearest gas station is at the exit from the mountains. We wanted to sleep outside the mountains anyway today, somewhere at a lower altitude where the sun occasionally shines. And so we decide after one last stop with a great view of another canyon to head out of the mountains, refuel on the way, and find a place to sleep somewhere further along the way back.

We're racing with one big gray cloud. We stop again at our little restaurant and this time, for dinner, we have local pizza. It's not Italian, but for Greek pizza it's really excellent. We each managed with great effort to eat one. But it took quite a bit! Meanwhile the rain passed again, so when we leave the sky looks much friendlier.

About 20 km further we found a camping spot by a river and hung the hammock between trees. It's only about 100 m above sea level, so we're looking forward to the sleeping bags where we'll finally not be cold! And we weren't. We slept about 10 hours like babies! In the morning only the rain drumming on the tarp above us woke us up a bit, so we went for another hour.

After breakfast we wrap ourselves in sleeping bags and hope the way will be better for us. Leo also takes the backpack in front so it won't blow so much there, and we set off. I thought about one more trip somewhere between us and Igoumenitsa, but in the end we rode all the way to the campground. We were all stiff and blown through and racing with rain again. This time we won! :D

All's well that ends well

At the campground we treated ourselves to a long hot shower, cooked hot soup, and wrapped ourselves in blankets for a while. A neighbor just told us that as soon as we left on Friday, he saw lightning in the mountains and felt a bit sorry for us.

Later in the afternoon we got on the scooter again and rode to the end of the peninsula next to the campground. We stopped at a rocky mini beach and enjoyed views of the campground, town, and mountains behind it. Finally we headed out for gyros and were a bit horrified by all the people who suddenly filled the streets. The restaurant patios are already open and locals are making heavy use of it. It no longer seems like a cute little town to me, but more like a tourist trap. And so we take our gyros to the sea where we sit almost alone and tell ourselves we've maybe been here too long already and could head a bit further again.