Adventures with Aimile

  We collected stickers to illustrate our travels - can't wait to get some more... When Jacky and I started to talk seriously about doing a road trip to the UK and back in Aimile, reaction was split into two camps. The larger was "you both need a check-up from the neck-up". To, "what a wonderful adventure". Worryingly, there were several "professionals" in the first group. Well, would I do it again? Definitely. The 2CV is not a "Grand Touring "car, but there are other ways to do a road trip. I don't think "comfort" was in the original design brief along with driving across a ploughed field with a basket of eggs, but I'm 6 foot and there is plenty of space for me. Although Jacky might dispute that, after having my elbows in her ribs on the twistier bits of road and while negotiating roundabouts. Some cars give me odd aches and pains - the Land Rover Discovery, being one of the worst, but not the Deux Chevaux. The seats are

We were away for fifty days and on the road for about half of that time, with an intensive trip during the last ten days, from Paris, where we stayed with friends, across France, through Switzerland, then down the Dalmation coast into Albania, cutting across the mountains to Ioanina and on to Pireaus. The last day was a long, long drive, through heavy rain – we’ve not had much on this trip – to catch the last ferry to Syros before the boats went on strike. After twenty-five different beds along the way, Chris was determined to sleep in his own bed that night. I was planning to lie low for a few days but got ‘busted’ in Pireaus as one of my volunteers had the same ferry in mind.    There’s a quotation about travel that I can’t remember exactly, but it states that for any journey to be worthwhile, the distance travelled inwardly must match that travelled outwardly. This trip started as a bit of a whim – my travel companion had already planned the journey but wasn’t keen to do it alon

  Our highest point in the Swiss Alps - a magical location for mid-morning coffee... and Mary from Ireland followed our route to get a spot-on guess. Most guesses for the cost of our fuel were way over the top. So congratulations go to Mark from the UK for his very close estimate. We actually spent only 585 Euros on fuel - which was spectacular engine efficiency from a forty year old car! Since Mark is already a regular visitor to Syros, we are also awarding him a five night stay in our Kini Cat Cottage and breakfast with our volunteers - plus a few cats probably. Well done to both of you and a big thank you to everyone who joined the competition and those who gave us hospitality along the route - the cats of Syros are the beneficiaries. Watch this blog for a summary of the trip in a few days time...

  Final kilometres from the port of Syros to the Black Pig - the scenic route! 8555 And our lucky winner with the closest guess is Mary from Ireland, who can enjoy five nights with breakfast in our Kini Cat Cottage in Syros, Plus a meal with local wine in the pretty waterfront taverna - 'Two Cicadas on the Tamarisk Tree' and a two night stopover in Athens, with port and airport transfers. Maybe a ride in Aimile too... Our thanks to the sponsors Syros Cats The Black Pig Astraeus Holidays Katerina Kafetsi at Two Cicadas on the Tamarisk Tree