“If you don’t have confidence, you’ll always find a way not to win”.

Carl Lewis, 10 times Olympic Medalist, Track and Field Events.

May 16, 2019

A couple of days off was prescribed from our usual 12-hour stints working on the boat. We checked out the map and one of the places within reach by car was Ancient Olympia, about 3 hours on what were euphemistically referred to as major roads. We packed an overnight bag, included raincoats because we were heading for the western Peloponnese which is much greener and has more rain, and left after lunch. The drive north west was on a 6-lane highway with toll charges every 30 – 50 km. Cash is still king, although there is an Etag-type system but this would put the toll collectors out of much needed employment. The toll booths are huge constructions (about 8 lanes each way) and are manned 24 hours per day; we were very aware of the lack of off ramps and on ramps. Sometimes it would be 30+ km between them so missing your exit would be a costly mistake.

We headed out to the coast on this magnificent highway then took a coastal route north before heading inland on very secondary roads to the town of Ancient Olympia. Sometimes we had to stop to let an oncoming tourist bus pass by – quite exciting. More embarrassing when the navigator (John) took us down a goat track to a farmers yard! Quite hard to reverse! On arrival at Olympia we were checked into the Pelops Hotel  by a very friendly Australian woman, Susie from Melbourne who had married a lovely Greek man Thoedorus Spiliopoulos and spent her married life helping run the family business. We were within walking distance to the Museum and Ancient archaeological site and enjoyed a good Greek dinner in a local Taverna. Small world story: by chance we were sitting next to a table where a blast from my past happened to be sitting. Brent Henderson (he actually recognised me – not sure if that was good or not!) was at Primary School with me in a very small suburb of Auckland called Beach Haven, and we found we knew many people in common including my cousin, Nicola, who was doing some work for Brent on Great Barrier Island. He was with friends riding motorbikes through Europe and was moving on the next day so it was a very short encounter and a new facebook friend.

After breakfast the following morning we went and explored the ancient site of Olympia including where the Olympic flame has traditionally been lit and begins it’s journey every four years (since 1934). Theodorus, owner of the hotel, had actually been a torch bearer for two Olympic games and there was also a photo of his son carrying the torch for the Greek games in 2004. Quite a moving sight. The remains required a fair bit of imagination and although full of tourists even this early in the season, we felt it was worthwhile and just one of those places you have to see when you get the chance.

We left for Corinth after lunch and took the more scenic route – ie it looked a bit more of a winding road on the map but seemed shorter (he said) so would take about the same time (he said) and would be more scenic (he said). Well that was an understatement. We started off on another 6 lane highway curiously devoid of traffic. After about 15 km it suddenly ended with a huge sign all in Greek – indecipherable to us but with a prominent European Union  logo in one corner. We could see the highway heading away but overgrown with bushes and obviously not in use/or finished. I suspect the EU stopped the funding and that was that. No worries, we proceeded on the old road. It was literally over and around mountainsides, through tiny quaint villages perched on abysses and mostly only single lane with lots of slips and often mirrors on the corner to check for oncoming traffic. Luckily there was not much traffic and our 1100 cc Suzuki Splash managed the mountains but mostly in 2^nd gear. Three hours later (after a stop for lunch where the waiter said “lady we only serve meat” – damm good too) we were back on the 6 lane highway which was no longer boring! We arrived back at the dusty boat yard and felt we were home ……weird.