Day 27- Alexandroupoli , Greece to Plataria , Greece

Up mega early today 5.30 ! Trouble was it was pitch black so we had a couple of brews and waited for first light at about 6.00 We both could feel a difference with the temperature this morning, a bit of a nip in the air.
I took some photos of the kit before its packed. Vicki if your reading this the two black bags on the floor are for the clothes for the whole trip including Angie's curling brush and a load of other girlie stuff !
Left the site at 7.30 and took the wrong turning onto the motorway heading for Turkey !! Ten minutes later and a good 20 odd mile we found the exit and turned around, mind you a little more time in Turkey is not a bad idea, on second thoughts I don't think it would go down well at work.
I didn't expect much from to day as its over 400 mile of motorway. That said its a lot more fun than at home on the M6 on a bank holiday. The first third is not to bad with good views to keep the interest up . We noticed that even though we were now in Greece you could still see lots of Mosque's in the little village that we passed. Looking at the history of this part of Greece it has passed between several countries over the centuries and several times it has been under the control of the Turks so I guess this explains it. The second third is dull as hell but the final section is brilliant. I'm not an engineer but how they built it is amazing and it rivals the motorways in the Alps in my opinion. I measured a section at over 70 miles during which we were on a bridge or in a tunnel , and the whole day cost us around 9 euro , no wonder the Greek economy is in the crap !!
Now apart from the final section of motorway with its high speed twist and turns the weather also played its part in making the day a little more interesting. We've ridden in some extremes of weather in the past. Temperatures in the mid 40's two years ago in Croatia and heavy rains that have literally washed the roads away when in the French Pyrenees some four years past. Today found us in the mountains in the middle of nowhere in the centre of a thunderstorm. Now before you think so what just imagine , we are high up in the clouds, the lightning is at eye level as you look across the valley and we could see it leave the cloud and strike far below. You had to have been there to appreciate it. Angie was crapping herself as she had seen a programme that said your safe in a car but not on a bike if lightning struck, I laughed , at least it stopped her falling asleep in the twisty bits !!!
As we began to descend from the mountains the weather slowly improved and by the time we got to sea level the sun was out and we could pack the wet weather gear away. We rode the coast road from Igumentsia for about 5 mile or so and just before the small village of Plataria we found the campsite. The site is fairly small and as it's low season now is fairly quiet. The site is on an old Olive grove that is terraced and runs down to the waters edge. The old olive trees have been left for shade , it really is beautiful. We found room and pitched overlooking the small beach. I think this site must be the second best in the world !
As it was getting late we decided to try the small taverna on the site. It's run by the family that own the site with the cooking done by the site owners mother. All the food is freshly cooked and traditional Greek. I was in my elements . The food was delicious not to mention the wine !
Miles to day - a stormy 440
Hours in the saddle - 8