09.11 - Day 299 - Skala Oropou to Orio (Evia), GRE

Saturday 9th November - Skala Oropou - Orio (Evia), Greece (Day 299)

Chris joins us in the morning to play tour guide which begins with a car ferry ride from Skala Oropou to Eretria on the island of Evia. He and I brave the refreshing wind on top deck, whilst Kate and the kids prefer the sheltered view inside. 

Kate pops to the bathroom and comes back to find the kids tucking into mandarins from some (thankfully kind) old lady sitting nearby, so much for not taking sweets from strangers. Turns out she grew them on her own property, no pesticides, and has brought some with her today to give to a friend. 

This is also when Chris explains the cheats guide to how to say thank you in Greek. You quickly say ‘A Ferrets Toe’ and apparently it’s close enough. 

After collecting some baked goods we wind our way along the coastal road in convoy, boys in one car, girls in the other (Sienna pleased as punch to sit in the front) to a small pebble beach in Taminei with trees nestled at the back of the beach separating the dusty track-come-car-park. 

Sienna and Seb play, collecting dozens of tiny sea snails and building them a home in one of Max’s dumper trucks, Chris kindly brought for the kids to play with, while Kate, Chris and I catch up some more on the intervening 16 years. 

Just to explore more we pile into the cars driving slowly up and over the mountains, through swathes of blackened shrubs and trees the result of three fires in three consecutive summers. Chris also pointed out a murmuration of starlings dancing in the sky (Chris had set up a tour guiding service before Covid hit). 

We end up stopping at Agii Apostoli. Here on the sand, Sienna and Seb again play novelty with some of Max’s toys allowing us three adults a beer on the beach. As the sun starts to dip Seb is brave enough to take a dip before a well earned hot chocolate treat for the kids. 

Let’s not forget the stray cat that arrives on Sienna’s lap. Sienna and Seb oh-ing and ah-ing at every domestic or stray cat, even those sat on the lip of bins. 

Chris leaves us to head back to Skala Oropou (though we will hopefully see him, Annita and Max in Delphi next weekend) as we turn north 40 minutes, picking up groceries en route to Orio Cozy Apartment where low door frames will be a source of either pain and annoyance or a bad back.