Twists, Turns, and New Friends: Finding Moments that Matter Across Northern Greece

Kalamata

So, as I mentioned, things don’t always go to plan. The van was supposed to just need a new clutch, a quick two day fix. Soon enough, though, I got the call: turns out it wasn’t going to be a two day job after all. They’d found more issues with the gearbox, meaning we’d be in Kalamata for longer than expected. Here we go again…

A week later, we finally got the van back, feeling that sigh of relief that everything was sorted. Or so we thought. We managed to drive about 60 km toward Corinth before a familiar noise returned. Pulling over, I was surprised to find oil on some metal parts underneath. Another call to the garage, and we were told to head back the next day. Lucky for us, we knew a great beach spot in Kalamata where we could park up for the night. A bit stressed and exhausted, we were approached by a very smiley face asking if we fancied a beer. The timing couldn’t have been better.

Meeting Eyal

Our new friend Eyal, from Israel, sat with us by the sea, a welcome distraction from the stress of the day. We’re not always tuned into the news out here, but we knew things were difficult back home for him. Hearing his stories reminded us how small our own challenges were in comparison. Here was someone who would eventually return to a situation we could hardly imagine, yet he was so open, kind, and easygoing. Despite our efforts to convince him to keep travelling, he felt the need to return.

Meeting Eyal felt like one of those rare, timely connections that traveling brings, the kind of connection that puts things in perspective and stays with you long after parting ways. We’ll remember him as an inspiring, kind-hearted soul who, even in uncertain times, saw the best in others and brought out the best in us.

The next day, we returned the van to the garage, where the mechanics confirmed that their recent work was fine. When I mentioned the noise, the mechanic just shrugged, which didn’t exactly inspire confidence, but we decided to carry on. Back at the beach, we found Eyal had caught a lion fish and was cooking it up for us. He even gave us a turn in the small sailing boat he’d built and travelled with, which was incredible. What began as a stressful situation turned into a meaningful, eye opening few days with one of the kindest people we’ve met on the road.

The Drive

After a relaxing morning sailing, we had to hit the road, Thessaloniki was still a long way away, and we wanted to make a few stops along the way. The drive would take us across 1,000 km, which is more than we usually attempt in a few days, but needs must! One thing that shocked us was the toll costs, which set us back over 100 euros for the first 6 hours of driving. One of our stops was Meteora.

Meteora

This majestic place is a must see if you’re in northern Greece. The monasteries perched atop giant rock formations are straight out of a storybook. It’s a place where your imagination runs wild with scenes of dragons and mystical tales. We hiked around the monasteries and up to “Sunset Rock” one evening to watch the day fade to night. Honestly, it’s one of the most breathtaking, magical places we’ve been to.

Larissa

After a few days in Meteora, we still had some time before our friends arrived in Thessaloniki, so we stopped in Larissa, a lively town along our route. After living on a tight budget in the van for the last few months (especially with all the breakdowns), Larissa felt like a nice chance to unwind. I treated myself to a haircut, and we spent the evening soaking up the town’s energy and enjoying a few drinks. It was refreshing to be around people in a lively setting, a reminder of how good a simple evening in town can feel.

Thessaloniki

The night before our friends arrived, we decided to drive closer to the city. The road was a bit intense, but eventually, we found a lovely beach spot with a view of Mount Olympus looming in the distance, a perfect backdrop for sunset. We even met another English couple who had bought their van from the same place I used to work. Small world!

When our friends arrived, it felt like such a treat to see familiar faces. For the first time in months, we booked a B&B by choice, not out of necessity! Despite some less than ideal weather, it was great to spend a week catching up and exploring Thessaloniki together.

Next time, we’ll be on our last stretch of Greek roads, passing through two peninsulas on our way to Turkey. Stay tuned!