The day started well…

EDIT: I’ve reorganised the grid because I found another old photo of what the Acropolis was like in 1975. This is my pal Tineke, taking in the ancient ruins in the evening, probably about to have a fag… Nobody else there, we could wander everywhere. Nobody is allowed near the caryatids now. So it has changed a lot.

I'm writing this in the KLM Lounge, awaiting a flight to Schiphol and then to Glasgow, where a taxi awaits us. We had a lovely early breakfast in the morning sun in Piraeus harbour, but the day went downhill from then...

Everybody has to get off the ship by 8am - they have to get it ready for the next lot of passengers, no problem with that. We were all in groups, depending on flight times, but I think we were in the wrong group, as we were deposited at the airport with about four hours to wait. But things went wrong before that...

We had a bus tour of Athens, which apart from a wee spin around a couple of small harbour areas, isn't much fun, as it's mainly just sitting in traffic. However we did get to the Acropolis, and we all set off up the steps. Endless steps. There were a few dodgy knees in the group, but they seemed to keep up OK. I was beginning to flag, as tour leaders just keep to their own pace, regardless of the customers struggling to keep up. Also it was very very busy. Half way up, two Aussies decided not to go any further, as they'd been a couple of weeks before the cruise, so why bother? They sat themselves down at the corner and were instructed to wait there for the group's return. I caught sight of the next set of steps wending up into the distance, and decided I wouldn't bother either. After all, I'd seen it in 1975.

Never Not many times have I made such a sensible decision! I sat and chatted with the Aussies (always good fun) and people-watched for an hour.

Eventually the group came back. Stragglers came back. JR did not. Three still missing. Then two turned up. One missing. JR!! We all waited and waited, the tour leader getting frantic because of the time. Eventually one sensible person suggested phoning her. She had my phone to take photos up there, so someone gave me their phone. She answered straight away, (having heard all the discussion  about the missing person) and it must be said, sounded a trifle panicky.

'Where are you?'
'I'm at the bus and I can't find it!!!'
'WAIT THERE. We're coming down.'

She'd got separated from the guide (who was useless - he was short, and didn’t hold up a big paddle with a number on it like every other guide on every other tour, in every other country) but she could hear him, through the earphones, telling people to 'head on down'. He meant to head on down to the place where the three people stayed. NOT down to the bus. She claimed she did look at that place, but didn't see us. Now, we were three quite large people, not easily missed, so I don't think she was at the correct corner. 

Never mind, we found her, and it was NOT a good experience there. They let far too many people go up at once. We just just wandered round in the old days, nobody there. And free. €20 now. I had a ticket, which I didn't use, so on the way down I gave it to chap with a nice red hat. He was an Aussie, and quite appreciative.

Still a long way to go, but we've got rid of the big suitcases, so it's not so stressful.

OH NO! we’re delayed an hour in Athens!!*#&¥*

Parthenon photos by JR!