Did we happen to mention that the taxis were on strike in Athens? The strike was due to end the day after we returned from the cruise. Getting to the boat was easy...a bus picked us up at a hotel. Getting back from the boat was our own personal problem. They packed us up and wished us farewell...but not before our newly purchased SECOND suitcase from the Athens Carrefour busted completely open? Thirty minutes, several yards of packing tape, and one pair of scissors later, we set off on our walk.
The walk meant going from the outer post area of the port back to the Piraeus metro station. My guess is that it was just under 1 mile. For two adults with no baggage, this would have posed no problem and in fact could have been quite pleasant. For a family of five, at the end of three weeks abroad, hauling five heavy backpacks, two suitcases--one of them broken--and a duffle bag of dirty clothes, this was the walk from hell. We had known this was coming and had warned the kids to find and keep a firm hold on their bootstraps. It was indeed a hellish walk, but everyone maintained a patient if stoic attitude and we survived it plus the 20 minute metro ride plus the 1/2 mile walk from the metro to the hotel with only minimal threats of death. I think the whole journey took us about 2 hours...that was totally spent walking or riding. Ugh. Indeed, taxis started running at 5 PM that evening...
That picture of me downing the beer at God's Cafe in the "A Final Night In Athens" post is immediately following this trek. Hence the look on my face in that picture.
Off the boat, but not yet cognizant of our exploded bag.
Trudging. Hank gets the award for stepping up and hauling more than his appointed allotment.
Jack is leaning on the piece of sheeeeeeeeeeet suitcase from Carrefour.
That suitcase will forever be referred to as the "sheetbox," drawing from our best attempts at a Turkish accent.
In fact, about 1/2 way to the port metro station, the bag (which I was hauling) was becoming noticeably more difficult to drag. I thought it was just my worsening attitude, but no, it was plastic wheel failure.
Back we go to the Athens Carrefour, which was, mercifully, only about 4 blocks from our hotel. We are, for better or worse, rather familiar with this "Walmart of the European World" as one is located about 10 minutes from our house in Doha. The Athens version, however, was practically English-free.
Did we mention that Carrefoure is a French company? Enough said.
We started with one black suitcase and five backpacks.
We left with one black suitcase, three blue suitcases, and five backpacks.
You know, traveling teaches you a lot...about some expected and some unexpected things...
This is the pile of garbage we left in the hotel room.
Our expat friends, along with this shenanigan, have thus taught us the value of leaving home with "nested" suitcases--one with your clothes inside a larger, empty one.
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