Dear Mr Blog,

Sorry I missed you (not yesterday, but the day before).

So that was not my best run, in what was presumably an ‘easier run’ I decided to go a few kms off the marked course. Down a big hill into a little and town, got lost did a couple laps, then realising I was off course, had to retrace my steps ….back up the hill (but not before getting a soft drink). Evidently I was not the only one to do that. +7km. I met Sam just before the railroad tracks started, she said they knew that I was off course, so she was glad to see me, and I her, she took a photo to verify.  Then it was on and off the railway (disused) just like the brochure said. Most including me had trouble because not just the ballast but the sleepers were not made for standard size steps, which meant getting any sort of rhythm going was nigh impossible. This was a bit of a shitty day for me, right before the long march. Scenery, volunteers were fantastic. The saving grace was the fact that we were camped on the shores of the Mediterranean- a lovely dip in the sea washed away all my negative thoughts of doing those extra kms and unnecessary metres of ascent, followed by a cool shower and my night clothes! Then as an extra treat, we went to a local restaurant for dinner - the crew of 6 (Sean, Steve and Paul). Could not have faulted it, although the collective We bought them out of sparkling water. Perfect preparation for tomorrow. 

Sleep okay again, given our arrangements. Tomorrow was always going to be a long day.

Tomorrow…

The day of the long march - 78kms 1800m of ascent. The day started a little earlier because we had to catch an almost an hour ferry ride across Mediterranean Sea. Fanta and potato chips courtesy Joe on the ride over, and we were off on the start of our run a little after 9am. Rain at first which had all but stopped in less than a couple than a couple of hours.

I walked the first few stages wanting to preserve myself for the backend of the run (really a walk for me). Trouble keeping any sweet supplements down, so I just concentrated on hard food, and because I wasn’t running was what was needed. I won’t go through all of the checkpoints , but there were a couple of noteworthy call-outs. The monestry- purched atop of a huge valley, almost etched out of the cliff face. Talk about a church with a view. Jesus himself would have been proud of that!

Then, seemingly at the other end of the spectrum there were the churches in the ground - or literally under the ground. Yes I took photos.

Then just kept going through the balance of the checkpoints, but have a little scurry shuffle every now and then.

Finally, after a few hours in the dark, I arrived once again at the sea, but it was to be some 4 odd kilometres before making camp. Then once there, I was warmly welcomed but all and sundry (of those that were awake), but especially my fellow GR8M8S and (one of) our newest friends (10Pound Poms - Paul (our Darren), Sean (our Joe) and Steve (our ‘me’).

Awful sleep but it didn’t matter. We hit the town for brekky this morning and it was glorious absolutely bloody glorious!

Today is our day of rest and it would be hard to find a better place to do it.

AC out

Dear Blogsy,

Today was a much easier day by all accounts, still a little bit of climbing but it was easy dusty roads, nothing technical.

I stopped in one of the villages and bought a can of coke, and yes, it was the best can of coke I have ever bought.  The scenary of the ever changing mountain backdrop was nothing short of spectacular as we wound our way around the contour lines.

The camp site tonight is at the site of a church, (Agios Padeleimonas Church) to tell how old it is though. We are purched on a knoll overlooking a village. A typical village made up of houses with white walls and red terracotta roof times.

Tomorrow is another day and a big downhill to the sea.

AC 

Dear Blog,

Dear Mr Blog,

Today was a good day. The weather was being dubious and playing with us. It gave us a taste of what it could do last night with some heavy rain, fortunately though our tent (no doubt because it was lucky number 13) stayed dry whilst others’ didn’t. Lot’s of lights darting around outside in the rain after we went to bed …yes I did contemplate, albeit momentarily, to go and help, but if the number of dancing lights was anything to go by, they had ample help, so I told myself. So now that the run is done, we pretty much stayed dry except for the sweat from the inside. With the weather commentary done, time now for the run debrief. 2000 odd metres of climbing today. Some really techo stuff, scenery was picture perfect - everything the book said and more!!! Lil’ ol stone churches, stone houses, alleyways and laneways, narrow pathways snaking their way to heaven (or at least the next little church lol), we were following this long black snake about 2 inches in diameter, essentially just a bit of polypipe and a trip hazard!!

The feet were good. The shoulders a little achey - pack too heavy. Need to lighten it up a little, what do I want the least?? Accommodation tonight is 4 star - we are in a camp dormitory of some sort, it was good to get there …2nd (for our bunch of tents). Well tomorrow is another adventure, another day. 

Signing off.

AC