DAY 13 - near ARKITSA

13) SUNDAY, 10 JULY 1977: 210KMS. - BEACH NEAR ARKITSA
 

I woke up as the sunshine was very bright against my eyes. Looking around from the house balcony, I saw some other people still lying asleep on the rooftops  of other houses. There were heaps of folded  thin mattresses and sheets on some other rooftops since it was Sunday. About 9-10.00 am. we said goodbye to the Greek and continued on our way. We stopped to buy chilled fresh milk for breakfast instead of coffee.

Route from PIRAEUS (A) to ARKITSA (E)

We left ATHENS off to the northeast passing through seaside town RAFINA. Many people came to the beach. On the way before RAFINA, we bought a watermelon of 8 kilograms (7.- Drachmen/kg.).

Historical Athens - Photo : Bing images search

We went on to MARATHON, KAPANDRITI and then on the same route we made (when we came from HAG. KONSTANTINOS)  towards  LAMIA, refueling and getting some fresh drinking water for cooler and bottles.

Port of Piraeus - Photo : Bing images search

It had been very hot today and we could feel the hot wind blowing into our campervan. It was very hot that we had to close window, the temperature inside our campervan reached to 40 degrees Celsius. Without wearing socks, I felt like my feet going to be blistered when touching the floor although it was carpeted. Hot wind was blowing inside against my face and body making me feel hot and burning (I chose to wear shorts and singlet because of hot climate). 

Because of hot and dry air, I could hardly breathe. Since I was born, it was only today that I just came across with this hot weather and strong winds . In Thailand, the weather is hot and humid, we do not have much trouble in breathing. Though it was hot outside and we felt of hot air blowing into our campervan, we did not sweat.  Only when I  sat cross-legged overlapping I could feel humidity or sweat on the underside of my leg.

ARKITSA - Photo : Niefstat / Bing images search

We faced the hot weather all the way from KAPANDRITRI until ARKITSA, causing me a headache. I understood that hot air blows from the inland of GREECE , which is hot and dry for the time being. Or the hot wind blew from the SAHARA, crossing the MEDITERRANEAN sea. Although we arrived in ARKITSA by the sea,  a hot wind still kept blowing in. I did not feel so comfortable even though we stayed close to the sea, which might help cool down the hot temperature.

We arrived at the beach,  where we had parked earlier to wash our clothes and take a shower on our way to ATHENS. We decided to spend the night here as the weather was very hot to continue driving. Since it was Sunday, there were many people on the beach than last time we parked here but that was not as a problem for parking. I bought a watermelon and let it float in the sea to cool it. Anyhow, it did not help much as the water was not so cool like in ADRIATIC sea.

We felt tired and sleepy after each having a quarter piece of watermelon probably because of very hot weather. We lay down on own couch of each to take a nap, the temperature in the campervan was up to 45 degrees Celsius and we had to leave the back doors opened so that the wind could help blowing the heat away. Otherwise, it would almost like sleeping in the oven. Cold-drinking water in bottles became too warm and only bottled water kept in the cool box remained cool as it used to be, that helped refreshing us quite well.

Olive - Photo : Bing images search

I could not sleep because our campervan was parked on the slope and there were flies swarming on my body and kept disturbing me. I had beaten some to death and even used insect repellent spray to chase them away but it did not help. The hot winds kept blowing and it seemed not to stop. So I  got up and sat outside under olive trees near our campervan, watching people swimming and playing on the beach.  I wondered how Tilo could sleep, he seemed having no problem with the circumstances. Probably, he was tired of driving, sweat appearing on his face.

 

Photo : Bing images search

The sun began to lower. The weather was cooling down while the wind changed its blowing direction - sea wind finally.  Tilo woke up at proper time, when I opened canned tuna to make sandwich for our simple dinner.  Not far from our parking area, there was a camping tent of a Greek family as well. (In fact, they had been here since we were on our way to ATHENS) .

I had a big surprise when I wanted to wash myself before going to bed. Whoa!  The water in the plastic tank was rather warm due to the heat today. We had a plastic water tank (25 liters) in a wash basin form, placing on the small built-in counter of the inner room for washing our faces and hands as well as brushing teeth.  The water tank, equipped with hand water-pump and a small faucet, is also used as a wash basin at the same time. 

I looked at a small climbing plant “Devil’s Ivy”  in a bottle filled with water, it seemed to be withering because the water was heated  during today extreme hot weather.