The owner of the mini-camping Villa Verde does everything he can to make the stay of his only guest, me, a pleasant one. They have a small bar and restaurant in the house and after having a look at the modest menu I decide to leave my cooking and eating utensils in the bag for two days.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner, everything is made for me for a small price. Unfortunately we don't really get to talk due to the language barrier, but when I drive away after the 2 night stay, I got to know all his Facebook friends and recent guests in pictures.
Today I'm going to Greece. This time I did check whether my motorcycle is insured there and nothing stands in my way. The road to the Konitsa border crossing is beautiful. Little traffic and with several beautiful passes. Although it remains to be careful with the condition of the asphalt. Without notice, sections of road have been replaced by gravel, have subsided or have been patched up.
I am also the only one at the border crossing and it takes a while before I can continue on the Greek side. The computer in the booth doesn't work and the customs officer disappears for a while with my passport and license plate to the main building. A little later I can drive on and the difference with Albania is immediately visible. The asphalt is light gray and smooth, the houses are finished and maintained, garbage is simply thrown in the container instead of next to it and every few kilometers there are places of worship on the roadside.
I set course for Meteora and, I'm not exaggerating, I encounter exactly 1 car and 1 motorcycle during the first hour and a half that I drive through the mountains. The roads are wide, beautiful and deserted. I can drive as fast as I want and use both sides of the road. That's coming along nicely!
Luckily I filled up before the border (€1.65) otherwise I would have been stranded long ago. The first 80 km I do not come across a gas station and Greek petrol is also a lot more expensive (€ 2.04).
I've only been in Greece for half a day and already sold. It's beautiful here. Also warm at 31c, but I've had these temperatures every day for three weeks now and I'm getting used to it. Drink a lot is the motto.
After a wonderful day of motorcycling, my mouth falls open again when I see Meteora in the picture. This landscape is unbelievably beautiful. My campsite is located at the foot of the famous Meteora landscape; 6 monasteries built on top of a rock.
For the first time I also have to put my time forward an hour and the day is over faster than I thought. Groceries at Lidl, pins in the neighboring touristy Kalabaka, pitch a tent, eat and then it's dark.
Standing next to me, tonight, Wil and Elise are traveling through the Balkans in their 4WD truck. Have a nice chat in Dutch and exchange travel stories.
