A date with Delphi

We woke early and took spin around the fish and meet market that was close to the hotel before getting a taxi to the port to try the bikes again.  As we were being driven south I could feel the tension in the car, we got close to the port and the conversation dried up until… 

“There’s the ship!” I cried.

The bikes have arrived.  A mere 3 hours of waiting around and I was able to ride away.  Sadly Easy was fresh out of luck and there was a problem with his paperwork.  Not wanting to delay me he said goodbye and went to resolve the issue as I rode away.

Having Easy around in Israel was a massive help and he was a good guy to spend the day with in Athens, not to mention splitting the cost of a hotel and taxi.  I’m hope the issue was resolved quickly and he caught his ferry to Italy.

Free at last.  Transport ship in the background.

Easy with his VFR

While he was fighting the red tape I sorted out my bike, mounted up and started north.  Delhi was the target and from there who knows.  Loki was on great form and we flew around Athens before cutting north on some minor roads.  The riding up and over the hills was fantastic.  The roads are well paved, have very little traffic and plenty of corners to keep me interested.  Once you leave the hills there are vast plains to cross and it’s easy to picture Roman legion marching to war.  Yes, I do mean Roman.  I can’t help it having just read “Caesar’s Legion”.

After a cracking 5 hour ride I came into the town of Delphi.  It’s nestled in the hills overlooking the Ionian Sea and the small port of Itea in one of the most beautiful locations anyone could ever hope to visit. 

Delphi.  Sweaty and happy to be on the way back down.

By the time I arrived I was hot, sweaty and ready for a rest.  Sadly, this wasn’t about to happen as Delphi is built into the side of the hills so a significant amount of walking uphill was required. 

I do not recommend that anyone tries to walk up a long steep hill in heavy motor-cross boots and armoured gore tex riding trousers.  It might be a great combo for riding in the UK or messing around off-road but it’s downright shit for hill walking.  Fortunately, the walk was worth it and the stadium at the top is worth seeing as are the views.  I left the sight shortly after 6:00pm and had to decide if I was going to push on to my friends house in the north or find a spot to wild camp.  I decided to push on, until I saw a sign for a camp site just 3km outside Delphi.  Given that I could smell myself (and it wasn’t good) I opted for the camp site.  So for the princely sum of 11 euro I’m writing this post shower and with today’s riding clothes drying on a bush next to my tent.  That’ll do.