Note: big thanks to Kevin Chapelle, Isabelle Verleg and above all Hannah Cappon for taking some of these great shots during our trip!
Halfway December, while late night study sessions kept me up, my toes started to tingle at the idea of traveling abroad again. I put all my money (almost literally) on a big trip for upcoming Summer. Travel destination: Iceland (my roommate Linde’s striking stories of Iceland pulled me over the line). It would be the most north I had ever been. Ironically enough, that trip got cancelled and I went to Greece, the most south I have ever been!
I would go with travel organisation Mundero. They organize active group travels worldwide for 18 to 35 year olds. The groups are always small (which is great for getting to know each other) and filled with people of the same mindset. If you are familiar with the travel companies Joker or Bootz, it's kinda the same concept (but don't tell them).
My travel companions were 12 amazing people: David, Eva, Gilles, Hannah, Isabelle, Jana, Jeroen, Jelle, Kevin, Mike, Niels and Jano (our guide as well). It was the most diverse group of people. There was an architect, teacher, violist, Phd engineering student, judge, soldier, nurse,... I have been amazed by them so many times during these 13 days. From the singing sessions in the car to joking about Greek traffic. To the photoshoot we held on the quay at Napflio, dancing under a full moon in Athens, drawing on mount Olympus and the race for the strongest athlete in Olympia to sharing feta cheese and souvlaki. I'm so grateful and still smiling brightly when thinking back on our crazy adventures!
To the south
I made the decision of going to Greece a week before the actual trip. Very last minute. So before I had properly processed that, I was at the airport with a backpack full of light weighted clothes. Our group met under the giant panel with flight hours and everyone flowed in at their own pace. Lots of happy but exciting faces. While waiting in-between the usual fuss of checking-in, we started to get to know each other. And then we went up in the air to the south!
First stop: Thessaloniki
After arriving with two rental cars in the bustle of this city and dumping our backpacks at the hostel, we delved into the city streets. While the city didn't impress (most of) us that much, our first Greek restaurant did! The ice was broken under a good glass of wine and after, (our guide) Jano(s) came up with the idea of catching up a converted pirate boat that was on the quay further down. We had a boat to catch and started speed walking to the quay (we didn’t have the Greek laid-back state of living with us at this point). Once there, all of us jumped on board where oil lamps, dark wooden walls and barrels surrounded us. Pirates of the Caribbean was nothing against it. With a cocktail in hand and a bit unsteady on the deck, we sailed along the banks of the city. It was dramatically beautiful!
The next morning, we ate fresh bread and pastries on the rooftop of our hostel (rooftops are a thing in Greece, keep on reading). A pretty bright sunset lit up the grey facades that were entangled in electricity cables. At this point, I had camping vibes with our breakfast wrapped up in paper bags and us slumped together at two small tables. With full bellies (besides Mike who wasn’t a fan of breakfast), we crawled onto boat number two. It would takes us to a beach in Leptokarya, 45 minutes away (sailing time) from Thessaloniki. This beach was recommended by the host of the hostel we were staying. He said that many Greek went there and few tourists (guess he cheated on the locals by telling us but utterly grateful for doing so). After finding some sun loungers, we tasted the salty sea with a good swim (and amused us unabashedly on the floating bouncy castle).
In the footsteps of the Gods
We had to leave Thessaloniki and explore the mountains of Greece. Mount Olympus was our next destination. According to ancient legends, this mountain range is the home of Greek gods. The highest peak, Mytikas, is 2.917 metres high and the tallest skyscraper within Greek borders. From the village of Prionia (1.075 m) we started our climb. There were more pine trees and Greek strawberry trees than there were people on the path. Here and there we passed other climbers.
But once we reached the refuge of Spilios Agapitos (2.060 m), a nice buzz surrounded us (including dogs). There are different refuges along the mountain range and we were going to stay the night at this one. While the evening fell we ate warmed up spaghetti and played Vlotte geesten (Isabelle always won) and Avalon. Eva and I held drawing sessions and wrote postcards for the people back home.
I really loved this particular day because the mountain vibes made the perfect group bonding. And for the first time we all slept together in one room, which was funny (we all know who snored now).
The next morning we had an even bigger climb to do! With the most amazing sunset (and a lot of camera's pointed to it), most of us left the refuge behind and climbed up to Skala (2.866 m) and Skolio (2.911 m). At one point someone researched that the slope we were climbing was over 30%. Very steep! It’s crazy how much altitude our group had done: we could see the refuge behind us like a dot after only an hour.
I think it was Jeroen and then Mike, Kevin and Gilles who reached the top of Skala first (with the soundtrack of The Lord of the Rings in the background, very very suitable).
When I got to the summit, the most amazing view I had seen in a while was right before my eyes. Worth all effort. Our group took the moment to the fullest and closed its eyes together for a good minute or two. Just the appreciation of nature that belonged to the mighty mountain.
Going up means going down as well. We were faster down than up (my knees were not saved). After a lot of sweating, drinking (water) but also grinning brightly, we eventually arrived back at Prionia and drove south to the city of Volos.
The firsts of the many firsts
I was puzzled when I saw 'canyoning' on our list of activities. Jano and Hannah had some experience with canyoning but no one else of the group had done it before. Basically canyoning is wadding through a river with natural slides and rappels.
We rode to Mountain Escapes Canyoning in Pelion, to go canyoning in the Canyon of Centaurs. Our guides of the day were Loureta and Soulis and they immediately provided a real baptism of fire (besides the struggle of getting the wetsuit on). We started with a slide of an inclined rock, ending in a cold water pool. All of us did the slide! The rest of the canyoning was a little easier and we had some cool rocks where we could jump off. And a pink inflatable flamingo ring was with us for a while. Kevin, the tallest of the group, had the luck (or misfortune?) to go last, out of the eyes (but in the confidence) of the guide.
After the canyoning and saying goodbye to the guides (such an enthusiastic ones!), we stumbled around in the village of Kissos. Stone houses, cobbles and old maple trees made it look like the village was stuck in the Middle Ages. Jeroen tasted Halva, a cake-like product made of sesame seeds, at the local market. Before heading back, we dined with our group and this sweet dog came to say hello.
Mighty Greece
The road would lead us still south to Kalambaka. It’s an ancient city where your eyes are always glued at the towering rock pillars surrounding it. These sandstones pillars are significant for the region. Erosion and the geological test of time caused their pointy shapes and forms. On six peaks Orthodox monasteries arise, built in the 14th century. The place is called Meteora.
In order to build them, ladders and ropes came in handy to transport heavy rocks up to the peaks. With our group we visited four of them: Saint Nicholas monastery, Varlaam monastery, monastery of the Holy Trinity and The Great Meteoron monastery. Each monastery looked alike but was still very unique on its own. Plus the views from above were magnificent. At the end of our visits, we had a mighty thunder cloud painting the sky. Thanks to Hannah, I know how to recognize a thunder cloud (it’s not so easy as it sounds). It’s darkish underneath but extends massively and lighter upwards.
A missed sunset is a day not finished properly. On a place like this, with views like this, we parked the cars on the side of the road and gathered on a flat rock. The sun set behind the Meteora pillars while we were busy enjoying our view, laughing and drinking. I had great talks with Niels and Jeroen about books and travel destinations (favourite topics). The most powerful moment of the trip would be us singing/taking in ‘I See Fire’ by Ed Sheeran on the peaks at (almost) midnight.
Part 2 is in the making :)
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