Adding more Greece
New additions to the van on this trip... A TV bracket hanging from the ceiling with different viewing positions, the bracket also enables it to stand on a table for outdoor use.
Day one
Shen-gen visa in hand, summer on its way and Bulgarian weather wanting to remain in winter, a trip to the coast of Greece is inevitable.
With a meandering drive to Dimitrovgrad, we stay over in town, not forgetting the new amazing type of bread to be had.
Day two
With a small delay at the border due to it being Friday afternoon. It seems, many Bulgarians find the short drive to the Greek coast attractive for a weekend.
With a very pleasant lunch stop in Komotini... our last stop of the day is Fanari, a small fishing harbor at the sea.
After a sun-downer at beach a memory was made, it was the first time sleeping right on the water’s edge of a harbor.
Day three
Goal, Thessaloniki via small roads. The town of Kavala made for few good shots along the way.
Ending up at Ikea, one of our previous spots.
Makes for a good place to take the bus to visit the old city tomorrow.
Day four
Visit to the city, by bus and back. Ikea(they allow campers to stay the night) makes for perfect spot due to the bus station on its parking premises.
There is so much to see in this city but Sunday is probably not the best day (All shops including supermarkets are closed on Sundays in Greece).
So after a good breakfast / lunch at Ikea we're on the road again
Day five
South of Thessaloniki along the coast seemed attractive. After being caught up in a series of unpleasant toll roads we found one of our best lunch stops in Greece shortly before....
.... finding the best sleep spot.
There have been so many amazing stops in our trip. From now on we will attempt to mention the best in each individual country rather than overall.
Day six
Highly tempted to remain longer we took to the mountains and crossed over to Volos…Nice harbor town/city. Soon we could not resist going back, so after a little Wifi connection it was back over the mountain to “the spot”... only to be disappoint by having to share it with others.
Day seven
Retracing our steps once again to Volos we found the city a little stifling after having been out in the wild. Soon we took to the road further along the coast only to be surprised by another “ideal spot” - not as underpopulated as the last, but a very quaint coastal village with an amazing parking on the beach.
Day eight
After a failed attempt to do the coastal route of the well recommended "Pelios Mountain drive" we settled for the short easier, well known route not forgetting the Kali Beach bar before departing. Half way along the mountain trip we decided to stay over on the other side of the peninsula at once again, an amazing coastal village.
Day nine
After finishing the remainder of the mountain loop we found another spot a little further south for the night but not before spending most of the day at Kali beach bar on the way.
Day nine and ten
Some of you might be under the impression that it was the for "the bar" . You would be incorrect, it’s the beach at the bar, huge trees with lovely shade, easy parking and free Wi-Fi. So yes a whole day here ending off at the first beach spot (on this side of Volos) for the night.
Each time we find a good place to sleep we end off refining it just slightly on the return night. This time knowing the direction of the early morning sun we were able to park just right so as to have prefect shade for the next morning. This worked out so well that it became our spot for two nights.
Day eleven
Temptation reigns to stay much longer, unfortunately responsibilities back in Bulgaria are slowly pulling us back home so with one more night at the wildest of all the beaches on this trip we start to make our way towards home.
Day twelve
Making our way back to Thessaloniki (avoiding the expensive toll roads), then north towards the Kulata border post. At Serres we made what proved to be a good decision, going east, opening a window on an amazingly different type of mountain range. Once across the middle border post (just below Gotse Delchev) going further east along the Bulgarian side of the border we reached Smolyan the first town we ever stayed in while having our own car in Bulgaria (2011). After nearly four hundred kilometers of very windy, incredible road we find a great spot to sleep right in the center of town, only 100 meters away from the place we had our first Toasties in Bulgaria.
Day thirteen
Driving from Smolyan to towards home we had a long lunch stop in Asenovgrad .... we got home that afternoon taking a long drive through Stara Zagora and over the Shipka pass.
Greece will definitely see us again. In a few weeks time we will be returning to South Africa. With the success of stealth vanning in Europe I will be looking to setup another vehicle for Southern Africa.
