In every new city, I want to explore on my feet.  Patra, is no different.  I took a walk around the city with no camera, no sketchbook, and no itinerary.  It felt nice to leave everything behind and just let my feet guide me.  Plus, it may have humanized me.  I’ve been playing the role of a tourist for so long, it’s good to step from out from behind the lens of a camera.

On my Balcony in Patra

After my jaunt around the city, it was time for my ferry ride.  A 15 minute walk to the port and 20 minutes later we were leaving for Sami.  Airplane chairs on the ferry, what will they come up with next?  I had to sit in them.  I felt like I entered a parallel universe as Olivia Dunham (Fringe TV reference).  I then proceeded to spend the rest of the journey on the top deck.  It was perfectly sunny with a wonderful breeze.

After my swim in Argostoli, Kefalonia

Immediately after docking in Sami, I hopped on a bus to Argostoli.  The scenery of Kefalonia reminded me faintly of Atascadero, California.  Kefalonia Island has big mountains with faint lines drawn through, roads off in the distance. Buildings are few and far between in the landscape.  Getting off the bus at Argostoli, I immediately grab my bags and yell for a taxi in Greek.  I am such a city girl.

Steps away from the hotel

Driving to the hotel was a tease the entire way.  We passed beach after beach, and I wanted to do was go swimming. Finally we arrived at my hotel, just steps away from the water. I couldn’t wait to get in. After checking in, it was the first thing I did.  I swam around the cove for 2 hours before I started to get tired.  The water was over 30’ deep and I could see straight to the bottom.

St. Theodore Lighthouse – 100 meters away from the hotel

Categories: Central Greece and the Ionian Islands Greece

Tagged as: Argostoli Beach Bus City Girl Ferry Boat Ionian Island Kefalonia Olivia Dunham Patra Sami Swim Taxi

Perriann Hodges

I am not an author. To be quite honest, I always hated English class. I write so I may share my experiences and remember the man I met on a bus who treated me to dinner with his family, paying and booking a hotel only to find out its out of business, fake crying in the Athens airport to get a ticket home, or remember the strangers who looked out for me on a bus. Some live, experience, and are fulfilled by what’s in their backyards. I find there is something truly exhilarating about cramming as many possessions into a bag as possible, only to complain you brought too many. This is my life out of a suitcase, hope you enjoy.