#102 Citius, altius, fortius - Being there is everything!

March 31 - April 1, 2022: Patras, Olympia

F. After three wonderful and exciting days on Lefkada with Denise, Philipp, Marieke, and Janneke, our paths separated in Marantochori in the morning. Denise and Philipp stayed in their Airbnb to work, and the two girls from the Netherlands and we set off to take the ferry to Patras. Jenny and I wanted to do some shopping before heading to Patras, and the two girls wanted to visit an auto repair shop because the battery warning light had been flashing repeatedly in the last two days.

While shopping at a small pet store (no, we didn't get a pet, but our litter for our composting toilet was empty), we once again noticed how friendly and open the Greeks are here in western Greece. The salesperson struck up a conversation after the purchase and was interested in our origin, our favorite football club, and why we are traveling in Greece during this cold season and not in summer. The last question sounded a little annoyed, and we promised that we would come back in summer. Our road wound through the mountains and along the coast towards Patras. The weather was a bit cloudy, so the view of the many small islands and bays was not always visible.

Just as we were finishing lunch, we received a message from the two Dutch girls that they were now definitely unable to continue because their car wouldn't start after a break. Apparently, they had decided against a quick visit to the workshop and were now stranded at a gas station about 15 minutes ahead of us. Shortly after, we spotted their camouflage-colored VW van and stopped briefly to inquire about their well-being. They had already called the ADAC (German breakdown assistance) and a tow truck was on its way, but it would surely take another one to two hours. However, Jenny and I didn't want to just drive on without at least a little help, so we decided to take Marieke with our car to the nearest workshop. 5 minutes later, the mechanic at the next workshop was informed about the problem and went to the van with jumper cables and a battery. He connected the new battery to the VW van's battery, and the car started again. The two girls then drove to the workshop together with the mechanic, and Jenny and I went to the ferry to Patras. (In the end, they got a new alternator.)

Unfortunately, our onward journey was temporarily blocked on the way because one of the bridges over the River Evinos, which we were supposed to take, was closed due to construction work. Apparently, I must have looked quite dumbfounded because it didn't take a minute for some Greek in a car to pull up next to us and offer to lead us to the next bridge. As I mentioned above in the text, the Greeks here are very attentive and kind to us. Compared to the last two ferries we took, the ferry to Patras is rather unspectacular and small. The bridge across the strait, which we could have taken (the ferry was cheaper than the toll on the bridge), is much more exciting.

We spent the night at a small deserted beach near Lechaina. During the night, there was a lot of wind (50-70km/h), and our car looked like it had been powdered in the morning. While cleaning the windows, another Greek approached me, apparently taking a break here. We got into a little conversation about diesel prices and the weather. On the way to Olympia, we briefly stopped at a hot spring. However, it turned out to be a disappointment because it turned out to be a sulfur spring, and it was no longer possible to sit anywhere in the water.

The second disappointment then occurred in Olympia. When we arrived at the ticket office at 3 p.m., the ticket seller kindly told us that the entire site would still be open for another 30 minutes. So we decided not to buy a ticket and instead explore the archaeological site a bit from the outside. It is completely fenced off, and the fallen columns and walls can be seen quite well. Unfortunately, there is nothing more than fallen stones here, as only games were held here from 700 BC to approximately 300 AD, and the site was only rediscovered by chance in the 19th century due to heavy rains. The large sports arena now consists only of a large grass oval, in the middle of which the starting and finishing line can still be seen. In the first Olympic Games, there was only one discipline here, the stadium race, which is comparable to today's sprint disciplines.

*For all those who don't know Latin: The title in German: Faster, higher, further.

Day 168 - Total tour 12,844 km

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