Foggy Forest & Treasure Hunt

10.05.23

It's 3:00 p.m. My feeling is more like late afternoon and it has been like this for the past two hours. The stage today was challenging and here's a little spoiler, we didn't reach the actual destination.

Last night's sleeping place was fine, and we were lucky because it started raining again at night. After about 10 hours of 'sleeping,' we were ready for a new day on the E4 trail. You would think that after 10 hours you'd be rested and refreshed, but it's better to let go of that illusion from the beginning.

The sun, which usually serves as natural motivation, was not reliable today, so we started walking and tried to find something beautiful in the fog that had settled over the valley and mountains. It wasn't difficult because just like the sun, fog creates a special atmosphere. Especially in the mountains, over the meadows and forests, it often seems mystical and mysterious.

This pleasant, calm, and thoughtful atmosphere accompanied us for most of the morning. The effort was not as noticeable, despite the many meters of elevation to be climbed from the beginning. There were also some slight orientation problems that kept us busy due to the wild trail route. At some points, the path was barely discernible, and it felt like being on a treasure hunt. The trail went up and down, through rocky meadows, between bushes, and sometimes along a clearly visible path. The partly more demanding terrain and the necessary attention required to stay on the trail were very varied, exciting, but also particularly strenuous.

The untouched nature that we moved through step by step was once again a sight to behold. We didn't encounter a single soul along the way, but we did come across plenty of beautiful flowers that stretched for kilometers over the green, rocky hills. In the distance, the impressive mountains surprised me once again, something I didn't expect to see here in Greece.

In the afternoon, the sun came out from behind the dense clouds, at least for a short while. Many of the flowers were delighted as well and opened their blossoms, just like us, who had been waiting for it.

With the prospect of a meal at a tavern, we pushed our already tired bodies to the small village 6km before the actual destination, where there should be a tavern. Unfortunately, the steep descent into the village did not pay off, at least not with a good meal. The restaurant was closed, but we had the first friendly moments with encounters with people and a donkey, which personally pleased me, but was only a small consolation for the missing meal.

At this point, I have to take back yesterday's statement that we had too much food, because considering the situation, the supplies were not that plentiful. There was no opportunity for shopping today, and it is also quite uncertain what tomorrow will bring in this regard.

I'm trying not to think about how wonderful a Greek salad or a nice portion of fries would have been. But I am. On such a hike, my thoughts revolve almost constantly around food.

The disappointment was followed by heavy rain, but actually, we were lucky to be in the village, as we could find shelter again at a church. The rain was intense and didn't stop until the evening. It would have been a few more kilometers uphill to reach the actual destination. Approximately 1-2 hours. We had already settled in comfortably and postponed that part until tomorrow.

I didn't have internet reception in the entire village.