MOTORHOME TRAVELLERS' DIARY FOR JANUARY 2000

FRANCE, ITALY AND GREECE

The temperature inside on rising was 30°F, or 2 below freezing, with genuine frosted grass panes! We thawed out over a late breakfast, the sun glinting on the snowscape of the Alpine foothills.

Barry washed Rosie down, hot water freely available from the heated laundry room, while M hung the dhobi out to finish drying and recalled our New Year's Eve message, which to our great surprise was from Patrick & Felicity Phelan, telling us they planned to leave the UK for Greece at the end of the month. After lunch (turkey sandwiches of course) we phoned Mum at Harold's and also Eve, to let them know we'd survived France's 'Storm of the Century'.

A short walk across the snowy fields behind the campsite to the lake, frozen at its edges, complete with ducks and a lone fisherman. A beautiful, crisp, short day. Back home, we made a leftovers pie with suet crust, just the thing to keep out the cold, and watched half of an inspector Morse video 'Deadly Slumber', with more than the usual number of twists in the plot.

The main road past the campsite was busier today, with coaches and cars carrying skiers (mostly German), returning home from the Alps. We decided to enjoy another day here, printing the November diary, working on December, and mending trousers. In the afternoon sunshine we walked across the disused railway and over the main road into the little village of Mariens. The sturdy stone-built houses looked Italian (indeed, the Duchy of Savoy only became French in 1860). There was an old church and Maine in the centre, a small school, lots of atmosphere, no shops. Another evening of good food and entertainment, watching the end of Inspector Morse.

Another bright clear day and the road looked quieter so we prepared to leave. Madame was late arriving and we wrote to Patrick & Felicity Phelan while waiting to check out. Then we headed for Italy, retracing our route through Albertville and along the A43 to Modane, lunching on the way.

We had no problem climbing to the Fréjus Tunnel entrance, to join a short queue of cars and lorries waiting to go through (200 Fr, Visa accepted). This elderly tunnel is now the only one linking France and Italy, 1220 m/4000 ft above sea level. At 8 miles long, 1 mile longer than the closed Mont Blanc tunnel, it is only 2 miles less than St Gotthard, the world's longest! There was just one lane in each direction, with an unexpected stop in the middle when we had to wait to pass a broken-down lorry. it was with considerable relief that we emerged into the crisp snow, glistening icicles and late afternoon sunshine of the Italian Alps near Bardonecchia. At the small services by the tunnel exit, we changed money and phoned the nearest campsite, 10 miles away in the Gran Bosco National Park. M established that it was open but couldn't manage to check directions in Italian, so we didn't know to exit the Turin-bound motorway at Oulx, just before the toll barrier, and drove right past the site, unable to turn back until Susa, paying a small toll in each direction! We were misled again by the new Caravan Club guide, describing the site as 14 km SE of Susa instead of south-west.

We eventually found a gem of a campsite, mostly unoccupied statics, with the touring area to ourselves, It had a cosy bar, heated shower block, good 10-amp hook-up and a glorious view of encircling mountains, their white slopes turning pink in the setting sun. Turkey curry completed an eventful day.

113 miles. £10.67 inc elec.

A beautiful morning to walk in the mountain air, a mile or two along the road to the small village of Salbertrand. It had a single shop, one hotel, a church, medieval houses tucked away in a maze of narrow alleys and several communal laundry troughs with clear spring water flowing through. We sat on a bench taking in the views before returning, past the Gran Bosco National Park Information Centre, with cases of stuffed fauna and old leaflets which don't show the recent motorway. After lunch Barry washed Rosie again (winter roads are not kind to her) while M worked on December's diary and made the last of Turkey No 2 into a pasta dish. Followed by Christmas Pudding No 2, we declared festive eating over (except for the rest of the Christmas Cake and some German chocolates!)

We had to return to the Fréjus Tunnel entrance to rejoin the Turin motorway (perhaps Salbertrand will get its own exit/entrance one day), then it was cruise control all the way across more than half northern Italy, through Piemonte, Lombardy and Emilie Romagne. The landscape changed gradually to a misty plain as we left the Alps behind, stopping only to eat, buy diesel and LPG (easier to find than in France) and pay small tolls at regular intervals. Bypassing Turin, home of the Italian motor industry, we passed Asti, suitably set among vineyards, Piacenza, on the River Po, and Parma, famed for its ham and violets, before stopping for the night at the service station near Modena.

An interesting sign marked our crossing of the 45th parallel, the latitude half way between the Equator and the North Pole. In the past year we'd driven as far as we dared towards each of them!

239 miles. Free parking.

Epiphany, a public holiday in Italy (and in Greece, where appropriately they bless the waves). The roads were very quiet, with virtually no lorries out, and we had a fine morning's drive, keeping to the motorway, past Imola and Rimini and across the Rubicon. We paused for lunch at the last services before Ancona and decided to call at the port to check ferry times and prices before deciding whether to continue to Ban or Brindisi. We know the coast south of Ancona well from previous visits, wonder if Brindisi is still a safe place to linger (maybe the 2 campsites have turned into refugee camps?), and are keen to reach the peace and warmth of Greece.

Ancona was virtually deserted, all businesses closed on the holiday afternoon, but security had certainly been tightened at the port (where we once spent a free night without using the ferry). The guards would not let us drive in without a ticket (though we had to enter to buy one!), directing us to park way down the road and walk - It must have been nearly a mile away! Leaving Barry to brew up, M walked back to the port and found the ticket offices, with the Superfast and Minoan Lines counters open. Superfast sailed this evening but didn't allow camping on board in winter, making the price very expensive with a cabin. Minoan Hi-Speed were considerably cheaper (644,000 lire), had a camping deck and only took one hour longer (to Patras, calling at Igoumenitsa). "What time does it sail?" - "3.30 pm, you must book now, they are boarding" - it was 3.05 pm!! Agreeing that the booking could be exchanged for tomorrow's boat if we didn't make it, M grabbed the tickets and ran, banging breathlessly on our door 10 minutes later. Surprised and excited, Barry drove Rosie Hi-Speed to find the good ship 'Ikarus' just as the main ramp was about to be lifted (and after the inner ramp to the camping deck had already been taken up). Even so, the Greek crew welcomed us aboard, wished us a Happy New Year and lowered the ramp to the camping deck specially so that we could go up, saving the cost of meals and cabin.

Surely, this could only happen on a Greek ship! We even got an electric hook-up. The deck was shared with a few small lorries and a lot of rather old German-plated cars (of which more tomorrow!)

We explored a beautifully fitted boat, complete with restaurants, bars, disco, casino, swimming pool, shops and cinema, none of which we used. We watched Ancona recede without regret, staying on deck until it became too cold, then returned to Rosie to cruise in comfort. There were toilets and hot showers along a thickly carpeted corridor, and the waters had been well blessed, the sea remaining flat calm all night.

165 miles. Camping on Board.

Out early on deck to see the lights of Corfu to starboard and the dim glimmer of Albania to port. Fine and calm, very different from our first crossing in December 1995 on the old Ag Andreas from Brindisi! At 8.30 am the Ikarus called at Igoumenitsa, where most of the vehicles disembarked. Suddenly we realised why there were so many old German cars on board - Turkish Gastarbeiter visiting home by the safest route, through northern Greece. With such a long journey ahead, over Greece's highest road pass, the well-loaded cars squealed down the ramp and roared off towards Ioannina (without any customs checks). Igoumenitsa, white houses tucked along the harbour backed by green hills, our first sight of a Greek town for nearly 2 years - we had to overcome the urge to drive off at once ourselves, but knew it would be warmer in the Peloponnese.

With only a few passengers left, the Ikarus continued to Patras, a lovely morning sailing past the island of Paxi, between Lefkadha and Kefallonia (Captain Corelli's island), round the northern point of Ithaka (home of the wily Odysseus) and down its eastern coast before turning into Patras, landing on time at 2 pm. We drove down the ramp into a wonderful sunny afternoon, the snow-capped peaks rising behind the town like a mirage from another climate. Parking Rosie between lorries on the quayside, we walked along the waterfront to change money (nearly 550 dr = £1, a good rate), buy phonecards and just take in the fact that we were back! It looked much as we left it except for the large number of swarthy Albanians hanging round outside the dock entrances, some climbing the fences, ignored by port police and tourist police alike. We telephoned Aginara Beach to see if Mick & Flo were in residence (no answer) and Ionion Beach (a warm welcome from George Fligos).

Returning to Rosie we thought we saw a dog underneath, then realised it was a man crawling about below the chassis. He emerged when challenged and cheerfully explained (as though it was obvious) that he was trying to stow away for a lift to Ancona! An Albanian, he spoke good English and we joked about how he'd have ended up down the coast road (if not dead). Feeling sorry for someone so desperate, Barry gave him a packet of cigs and advised him to try a lorry, which is apparently the way many smuggle themselves to Italy. But what do they do once they arrive, penniless? After this incident, we decided against staying on the quayside for tea, or even the night (as we once had), and drove south through Patras, stopping at the Eurospar/Praktiker car park to brew up. Barry had a good look round under Rosie to see if there had been any other motive - contraband fastened in some safe place on the chassis? All was clear.

Rather than going straight to Ionion Beach and arriving after dark, we headed a few miles down the old coast road which parallels the 'New Nat Road', looking for a place on the beach. Though we've visited some beautiful parts of Europe since we left Greece, with Corsica and Finland topping the list, there is nowhere to compare with this and we wondered if we'll ever leave again! Driving along by the sea, watching the sun set, through orange, lemon and olive groves, the bright light, the clear air, the friendly waves (in both senses), spotting our first black-robed priest, our first flock of sheep (with new lambs and old shepherd), our first black granny, the list could go on ... it simply felt like coming home.

We found our quiet beach at Kato Allissos, where the seasonal campsites were closed, and shared it with a few geese for a peaceful night, the only sound the lapping of the Ionion Sea. Great to be back.

22 miles. Free parking.

We drove past the Gastouni turning and continued to Amaliada, needing some parts to get Alf back onto the road. Along the New Nat Road was some disturbing graffiti, supporting Serbia and branding the USA and NATO as Nazis (a stance unique to Greece in the EU). We arrived in Amaliada as the market was winding down but bought fruit and vegetables, then got a splendid lunch of chicken, chips, Greek salad and hot toast drizzled in olive oil at the usual grill (for under £3 each including a drink!) Nothing had changed, including our appetite for Greek food! We tried the motorbike shop where Alf had once been repaired but they didn't have plugs or battery of the right size, and we found a better new shop, Peppas Motors, nearby. The enthusiastic owner, Dimitrius Peppas, spoke good English (and better German, having worked there for Mercedes for several years) and we bought 2 new sparking plugs, battery and 2-stroke oil.

Margaret rang mum to let her know we'd arrived and arrange for post to be sent, then we drove back to Gastouni and on to Glifa. 1 Onion Beach campsite was very quiet, just 2 couples from Germany and 2 from Austria in residence. Hans and Inge were expecting us (after spotting Rosie parked in Amaliada) and George Fligos had cleared our usual pitch by the beach, with its own gate and water tap.

We settled in facing the sea and watched the sun go down over Zakinthos, flooding the sea with light, full of joy just to be back in such peace.

64 miles. £4.72 inc elec.

Barry worked on Alf all morning, cleaning and servicing him after a year standing in mum's garage. Despite the new sparking plug and battery, a change of oil and fresh petrol, he still refused to start or even to turn over. M was busy inside, cleaning, cooking and dispensing coffee and sympathy to the cursing mechanic. After lunch we gave up on Alf and took the kite for a walk on our beach, scrambling on the tide-line rocks, the world and the sunset to ourselves. We can get 13 local and national TV channels here and are busy deciphering the news and weather and enjoying the many American and British films with Greek subtitles. We've remembered the alphabet and the few words we knew - perhaps we'll add some more to our vocabulary.

MONDAY 10 JANUARY 2000 GR IONION BEACH CAMPING, GLIFA

Another fine day. Barry cleaned Rosie down, M did 2 loads of dhobi and hung it in the sun. After lunch, just as we were putting our shoes on to walk along the beach to Aginara to see if Mick & Flo were there, they arrived at our door!

We hadn't seen them since March 98 and had plenty to catch up on, talking and drinking coffee until it went dark. They'd been back to England last year (June till October) and may return again in March to find work. They had news of Stan & Celia, having stayed at their bungalow for a couple of days. Sad to learn that Stan's back problems are much worse, so he can no longer cycle and barely ride the scooter. They have gone to Spain again for another winter in Benicasim etc. We arranged a day out in Rosie tomorrow, as Alf needs carrying to Amaliada for repair and we learnt of 2 new supermarkets in Pirgos, called Lidl and Dia.

Mick & Flo walked round early to join us for a shopping excursion in Rosie. We left Alf at Peppas Motors in Amaliada for repair - its clear that the piston is seized in the cylinder. We drove on to Pirgos, lunching in Lidls car park. Its on the Kiparissi road out of the town, next to Dia (the Spanish discount supermarket we'd used in Spain and Portugal, along with the ubiquitous Lidl.) They opened very recently and we checked them both out, Lidl winning easily (except for digestive biscuits, found only in Dia.) On our way back we also stopped at the AB for fresh meat, opposite the gipsies' polythene shanty town along the main road, barefoot kids begging outside the shiny superstore. We even managed to reverse round the back of the AB for a fill of discount diesel - about 40p per litre.

We called at Peppas for Alt's diagnosis and found that he needed a new piston and rebore and quite a bit more TLC. The part had been ordered (from Athens, where else!) and we should phone on Thursday. We dropped the Stevens off at Aginara and got home at dusk.

68 miles.

We finished cleaning inside and out, then walked over to Aginara after lunch. It was even quieter than Ionion, no Stan & Celia, just Hertha & Johannes and a German couple on the site. Dennis is still working there, just returned from a visit to the family in Albania.

Inside 'Lizzie' we admired the shelves Mick had put up for his new music centre and video, made to measure in Gastouni. We were inspired to design some for Rosie. They had also acquired an analogue satellite system from Hertha & Johannes on which we watched the news on BBC World and got Eurosport and Deutsche Welle but nothing else in English. A huge dish is needed to get Sky Satellite out here. We stayed to dinner, helping them eat the chicken they'd bought yesterday, and walked home under the stars, the lights of Zakinthos beckoning across the water, as we'd done on many a balmy night before.

We rang Peppas Motors, heard of the not-unexpected delay in getting Alt's new piston from Athens and arranged to phone again tomorrow. Mick & Flo called round for coffee, all 4 of us enjoying the novelty of English conversation.

After lunch M worked on the December diary while Barry fitted the new Back-See Lens and cleaned the awning - our first chance for major maintenance in a long time, settled on a quiet site with plenty of hot water, privacy and freedom. What a contrast with the rules and regs of the Caravan Club, Deutscher Camping Club, etc, where you daren't even hang washing out!

While M was busy mending bedlinen and baking, Barry checked over the bicycles and retaped their handlebars, using 4 of the 10 rolls from Tony Butterworths ('take the box — no-one else uses it!') Another phone call promised Alf would be ready to collect tomorrow - 'my hands are full of working on it' assured Peppas.

So after lunch we cycled the 2 miles to Aginara via Glifa village (boasting a new phone box!) to invite Mick & Flo along tomorrow to shop at Amaliada market and collect Alf. As we left the site, we met their new neighbours, Carmel & Martin from the Republic of Ireland, travelling through in search of the sun. They asked us in for drinks (we could smell the whiskey!) but, keen to get home before dark, we agreed to return on Sunday afternoon to share our knowledge of Greece.

Mick & Flo walked round early for another excursion in Rosie, which involves locking the bicycles in the laundry shed, reserving the pitch with a barricade of outdoor table and chairs (just in case of new arrivals), clearing enough tree prunings from the paths to exit the site, explaining ourselves to Kamp Kommandant Hans and avoiding running over Benny, the delightful puppy which Inge is fattening up, not to mention emptying our waste tanks at the drain by the gate as we leave! We parked in Gastouni to buy bread (from the baker who sometimes throws in a free currant teacake) and called on the woodworker to place our orders. A lovely patient man, speaking only Greek, we gradually conveyed what we wanted with the aid of diagrams and mime - a shelf to go over the entrance door, 2 summertime covers for the hot air vents in the floor, and worktops to fit over the gas hob and sink. After all this work, we made coffee before driving on to Amaliada. Peppas was very embarrassed that Alf was not ready after all. The man who ground the new piston to size had cracked it, another had been found in Pirgos, and the story continued. He offered to try and finish the job by 6 or 7 pm, to save us coming in Rosie again, but knowing he normally closed for the weekend at lunchtime we suggested he did it on Monday and we'd collect Alf Tuesday. On Amaliada market we bought 2 cheap Egyptian rugs to brighten the floor as well as the usual fruit, vegetables and fish, then the 4 of us had a late lunch in the chicken grill before driving home.

Overcoming the familiar ink-flow problems, we printed the December diary and wrote to the Cyclists' Touring Club for a form to renew our lapsed membership, in order to gain access to their library of information leaflets for planning a grand tour. Barry also started on a list of DIY jobs: moved the coathooks to make room for the over-door shelf, fixed the door lock and made a birdtable for our flock of sparrows and robins, using a pole off the beach and an ice-cream tub lid. They eat our crusts off the ground, but so do the campsite cats!

After lunch we walked along to Aginara, where we'd promised to have coffee with the Irish couple and fill them in on Greece. 'We'll be with you later' we told Mick & Flo as we passed their Kon-tiki but next time we passed, it was well after midnight. Carmel & Martin were straight from central casting, hard drinkers and hard talkers, with a wealth of wonderful stories told in a lovely Irish brogue. From the outskirts of Dublin, they'd built up a chain of launderette and drycleaning shops and were now semi-retired, with a boat on the Shannon and a small motorhome.

They brought out white wine, cassis, red wine, gin, pernod, and liqueurs of varying hue as the day wore on, determined to find something Barry liked, quite unable to accept he preferred lemonade or coffee. By the end of the night, Margaret wished she'd also claimed abstinence! They fed us with Irish crisps (the best in the world), Jacobs biscuits (an old Irish firm), a meal of pasta and mussels and a relentless line in blarney (or 'crack'). We admired their use of language and knowledge of Irish literature, the result of good classical education with Latin and Greek. They told us how well the Republic is doing now, from membership of EU monetary union, and emigration has reversed, with many firms now moving to Ireland.

We eventually walked home under a cold, clear, starlit sky at 1.30 am, hoping they would move on tomorrow: we couldn't manage many such evenings!

While M came round gradually and did the dhobi, Barry walked over to Aginara to tell Mick & Flo what had become of us! Carmel & Martin were still there, but moving tomorrow, so Barry asked them over after lunch, since we'd not started on the subject of Greece yesterday!

They duly came, to receive tea and biscuits, plenty of information on touring here and a well-read book 'The Winds of War'. But we didn't ask them to stay to dinner - we needed an early night and Martin needed his pipe and pernod!

In the evening we watched 'The Full Monty', one of the videos which Mick had lent us in a mutual exchange. We loved its working class humour, Yorkshire accents, familiar location, accurate social comment - unlikely but brilliant!

With Mick & Flo as passengers, we took Rosie to Gastouni, posted the CTC letter and found packages waiting from Mum and Alan. On to Amaliada, where Alf was ready at Peppas Motors, new piston in place, carburettor cleaned, most of the electrics working, brakes overhauled – 'be gentle with him, he needs running in again'. We asked for a new rear tyre of European make, and went in search of a new mattress while it was being fitted. We were in luck, a standard Greek double being exactly the right size, and bought a good one for about £45 from a little mattress/pillow shop.

Back at Peppas, Barry and Mick loaded Alf onto Rosie's carrier and dumped our old mattress in a convenient roadside skip before driving round to pick up the new one which just squeezed in through the door. We drove back, calling to collect oranges and lemons from Mick's friend Jimmy, who lives on the edge of Gastouni and runs a glazing business. We admired his fine house, with large citrus orchard and flock of hens, but refused to stay for a drink as Mrs Jimmy was in the middle of cooking lunch. She gave us a few fresh eggs as well as several carrierbags for the fruit which Mick picked.

We parked by the shore at Loutraki to have our own lunch - an oven-heated quiche and salad - before returning to the campsites. Opening and reading the mail took the rest of the day: a long letter with Beanfeast and custard from Mum and a packet of Christmas cards and letters via Alan. We slept exceptionally well, only now realising how much the original mattress had sunk. The new one is superbly deep and firm.

Barry unloaded Alf and put him back together, fixed his various covers, box, basket and windscreen and took him for a short test run. He went very well, though his stop light, horn and headlight were not working (essential in Greece). Standing through an English winter had probably corroded some of his connections.

M sorted the business mail and wrote to MMM (about the 2 extra issues they'd promised after our subs ended in December); to Turners (accepting the estimate for outside painting in the spring); and to Vodafone (disputing the December bill with the wrong tariff).

The rest of the post was more enjoyable to read, including 2 letters from Benicasim on the Spanish coast, where both Stan & Celia and Martin & Clare are spending Christmas, each saying 'guess who we met who knows you'! There were also newsletters from Dick & Audrey (met in Sicily), Heather & Bill (met in Gavdos), the Serra family (met in Crete), Richard & Jean (met in Corsica), and old friends Ken & Joyce, Dennis & Julia, the Andersons, Jeff Mason (with 2 chocolate gold coins for the Milleniurn), Brian Underwood, Sally (with news of Keith), and lots of cards and notes - even one from Joan, the Blackpool Caravan Club warden (it's surprising who writes, and who doesn't).

The news from Barry's former colleagues was not so good - Mike Guggenheim had collapsed at Holly Bank during the Summer School and been off ever since; the new Dean had resigned; Peter Frankland couldn't cope with early retirement and had taken a 3 year contract in Botswana, leaving Ruth in Huddersfield; and Richard Latimer's wife Ann has had a mental breakdown but his chances of early retirement before 60 are now slim. Yes, we made the right move (to keep on moving). Barry Crawshaw wrote an interesting letter (from his Scottish home where it was -5C), accepting an article on Morocco whenever it suits us. He had the sad news that John Hunt (founder and long-time editor of MMM), taken into hospital with heart and lung trouble, had died there on 19 December. There will no doubt be tributes in the Jan or Feb issue, another reason to get hold of them.

Alf carried us into Gastouni, an experience at once very familiar and quite strange (we hadn't ridden him since Corsica, 15 months ago). He ran well with 2 passengers after the rear brake had been persuaded not to catch, though Barry decided Peppas was right to suggest new front brake shoes. We met Mick also biking in to the market and were invited for an evening meal.

In Gastouni we shopped, posted the letters, left Mum a message, collected 10 films we'd left at our favourite photographer's (who gave us a free album and said the Moroccan sunrise pictures were the best he'd seen), got Jimmy to reglaze one of Rosie's exterior mirrors (it becomes convex in warm weather!) and collected our shelves and worktops from the wood-worker. Strapping everything onto a willing Alf, we carried it all 10 miles home to find everything fitted well except the 2 floor vent covers (too deep). However, they would eventually make useful shelves for the shortwave radio and a few books!

Later we walked to Aginara for a meal and a pleasant evening and got a surprise present - a transfer of the name 'Rosie' to stick on her front, which Mick had had made at a signwriter's in Gastouni. We walked home under an amazingly bright full moon in a clear sky, but very cold. We'd read of an eclipse of the moon in the early hours to come, but didn't wait up for it.

The new mattress had made such a huge improvement in comfort that we now considered the dinette. Could we get the cushions restuffed or replaced, and would the bench behind the driving seat come out and fit along the window to make an L-shaped settee? Barry decided to try the latter, and worked all day (9 hours) cutting and sawing and, the hardest part, removing the underlying steel frame to which the seat belts were bolted, which involved crawling underneath the chassis to shift the bolts by drilling them out. Margaret's contribution was to borrow a power-tool saw from George Fligos, offer encouragement and sustenance, and vacuum up the resulting debris. She also gave the cooker a thorough clean inside and out before fitting its new worktop. It was an unusually cold day and George was amazed that the dog's water had frozen overnight in the bowl by its kennel, apparently unheard of in these parts! The TV weather forecast showed strong winds from the north and the news pictured heavy snowfalls in northern Greece and chaos on the pass beyond Ioannina. We thought of the Turkish Gastarbeiter trying to get through.

Warmer but raining over breakfast. We rode Alf back to Peppas Motors and left him to have new front brake shoes fitted and his horn, headlamp and stop light fixed while we shopped. Peppas asked the furniture shop opposite where we could get upholstery done and they recommended Maratos. We found his shop, got an English-speaker from across the road to explain what we wanted, looked at materials and agreed to return on Monday when he'd worked out a price to confirm the order. Given time and patience, most things can be done in Greece.

At the mobile phone shop, Germanos, we got a 12-volt charger to fit our Bosch phone (more portable than the mains charger we have, ideal for cycle-touring) and they'll try to get us a spare battery (from Athens!)

After a chicken lunch in the grill we collected Alf, all fixed and even sporting a shiny new windscreen (the old one was cracked and mended). On the way home we called on Mick & Flo to invite them for dinner tomorrow. Margaret made a lemon sponge cake and 2 tubs of lemon curd (using some of Jimmy's lemons and eggs). The oranges are providing delicious juice for breakfast.

In the evening we watched the first of a double Demi Moore video Mick had lent us, a film called 'Striptease' (a spoof thriller about a stripper). Mick insisted he'd bought the video for the second film, 'GI Jane', which cannot be other than better!

Barry had another day's work on the dinette/settee conversion, with many electrical connections to sort and rewire as the 2 leisure batteriss reside under the seat base which has moved. Wiring which was hidden is now exposed and needed rerouting and tidying. We re—measured the upholstery and decided the seat covers could be cleaned and restuffed, though we wanted new back rests, higher and longer than the originals. We also needed to make the fixed table into a freestanding one and searched through MMM for suppliers of folding legs.

M wrote to the Midland Bank (aka HSBC), asking them to send our new credit cards directly to Alan's in March, and to CGU about renewing the house insurance. It was a stormy wet day but Mick & Flo walked round at about 4 pm to share our evening with corned beef stew and dumplings - it's still unusually cold.

Alf took us to Amaliada where we saw Maratos, the upholsterer, to choose the material for the new backrest cushions - plain burgundy dralon, scoth-guarded and washable, zipped for removal. We also arranged for him to clean and refill the seat covers we'd taken with good high density foam and a wadding overlay (with the help of the interpreter from the shop opposite). We agreed a price and paid a deposit of 50%, the order to be ready in 10 days.

M rang CAK in Kenilworth to discuss folding table legs. Posting the letters to CGU and HSBC, we met Mick & Flo, in Amaliada on their Honda to collect a new tyre from Peppas. Dodging a heavy shower, we all had coffee in the Grey Parrot, then toured the ironmongery shops for light oak varnish, paint, brushes, etc, to finish our refitting, though we couldn't find a tenon saw - just rough heavy saws for pruning trees and hacking the undergrowth.

After eating toasted sandwiches together in a Gastouni snack bar, we returned to our separate campsites. M wrote a letter to Mum to go with the diaries for November and December, while Barry fixed the CD player on the new shelf over the door and wired it into the 12-volt system at the outside light switch. Not a good idea, as it turned out, but he managed to get everything working again except the CD player.

A fine dry day for a longer ride on Alf. We called on our woodworker in Gastouni to order a small stool/coffee table, made to measure, and he also did us 2 slimmer air vent covers. In Amaliada we left the CD player for repair at an electrician's we'd noticed behind the Panemporiki supermarket. On to Pirgos, where we walked round the town (largely rebuilt since the end of the war when it was burnt down in a battle between the controlling Nazi collaborators and the Resistance). We sent Mum's letter, rang CAK again to order a pair of 71 cm legs for the dining table (the alternative being 66 cm) to be posted to Onion Beach, and lunched well at a new Goody's in the central square. (The menu was exactly as it was in all their branches 2 years ago, so we knew exactly what to have: Texas Double, Club Sandwiches and chips.)

Shopping in Lidl, we were greeted by Horst and Trudy (the thin Germans), who no longer winter at Ionion as they've had a permanent home built at Duneida, on the coast near Amaliada. They told us another Lidi is to open in Amaliada in the autumn. We called on Mick & Flo as we returned to share this exciting news and Flo's freshly baked cake and arranged an outing in Rosie to Patras on Thursday. Surely Praktiker will have a tenon saw and a dozen other things to keep our growing DIY projects going?

Alf needed a wash after his outings and Rosie too was cleaned inside and out. We cleared the decks ready to drive to Patras tomorrow and measured and listed the various items we wanted from Praktiker.

Later an exciting film on Star-channel, Sylvester Stallone in 'Cliffhanger', reminded us of a very rare visit to the cinema in Huddersfield and we enjoyed the climbing sequences again. It became colder, a bitter night.

Mick & Flo walked round early for the excursion to Patras. We might have gone on the motorbikes at a warmer time of year but today there was frost and frozen puddles - an unusual sight even in January.

First stop Gastouni, for the bakery, the market and to collect our stool/table from the woodworker, very solidly made in pine. Then 40 miles along the New Nat Rd to Patras and Praktiker's car park with its lovely sea view, where we'd parked on arrival 3 weeks ago. After coffee we invaded Praktiker, each armed with a long list, and ran into Hans shopping with lists for himself and the Fligos family. We found various DIY bits including the much needed saw and treated ourselves to a low wattage Moulinex toaster, to save moving the new hob cover every morning. We also spotted 2 roll-ends, 4m x 1m each, of carpet in a plain rich burgundy, just the colour of the new settee covering we'd ordered, and returned to Rosie to make lunch and measure her floors.

Deciding one roll would refurbish the living end (the most worn), we returned to buy it, price 18,000 dr. The salesman, realising he'd probably be left with the second piece, offered both for 25,000 dr (under £50), a smart move and a real bargain, tempting us to take the lot and lay it all through. We rounded the day off with a visit to the AB supermarket and a pot of tea before driving back, arriving after dark, headlights quite a novelty.

105 miles.

A fine day for dhobi and DIY. We took out all the old grey carpet oddments, revealing pale pink nylon beneath. Margaret swept, Barry measured and cut and laid the new carpet in the bedroom and toilet, Margaret swept again. It looks beautiful, rich and warm, with a deep pile, and scotchguarded too. Barry also gave the new shelves and worktops another coat of varnish, along with a first coat for the stool-table.

The electricity supply was on and off all day, apparently a problem in Glifa, which was in darkness in the evening. At least we have battery back-up.

Amaliada market day on Allf, who keeps up well with Mick's Honda since his overhaul. We collected the music centre, working well after replacement of a chip in the power supply (for £15, much cheaper than a new one), and exchanged the mobile phone charger, which hadn't worked, for one that did. Round the market, of course, then all into the chicken grill for lunch.

Back at Ionion, M made 6 lbs of marmalade with some of the fruit from Jimmy and Barry refitted the new shelves, their coat of varnish dry.

Later we watched the second Demi Moore film borrowed from Mick, 'GI Jane', which was certainly more interesting than 'Striptease'.

Barry installed the repaired CD-tape-radio, fixing it to the new shelf over the door and wiring a mains socket for it. M made lemon meringue and Bakewell pies with more of Jimmy's lemons. After lunch, a walk with the kite to Aginara and coffee with Mick & Flo.

In the evening Barry went out to ring Eve at the card phone in Glyfa and found Alf's headlight had been replaced upside down, meaning it pointed skywards, and higher still when dipped!

A fine day to join Mick & Flo on the motorbikes. In Gastouni we posted Jim's birthday card and found our CTC application form had arrived, along with a list of their travel information. Then to Pirgos, walking round the many shops in search of carpet joining tape to finish our recarpeting, eventually found in the AB, along with a better double socket for over the door, allowing us to fit a lamp by the CD player.

We took the Stevens to Goody's for lunch, sitting outside in the warmest sunshine so far this year, before shopping at Lidl and Dia for a few essentials. Alf stalled a couple of times on the New Nat Road but Barry could find nothing wrong with the sparking plug or electrics when we got home. (Peppas later suggested it was a fill of poor grade petrol.)