Day 217 – 223: Mt Parnassus (Greece) to Permet (Albania) - Bike Bimble

May 7, 2025 to May 13, 2025

Day 217 – 223: Mt Parnassus (Greece) to Permet (Albania)

You’d think that riding through a country would be slow enough to see everything. We’d barely got the hang of a few basic words and re-registered how to read Greek characters and, bang, we’ve run out of Greece. One of the drawbacks of the EU for visitors (especially lay abouts like cycle tourists) is the combined visit time. Only 90 days in 180 days. To get through the west (and maybe north) of Europe, we had to move a bit quicker than we wanted through Greece. Another place to add to the never ending list of places to come back (again). Hopefully they don’t forget how to make Greek yoghurt.

A few things about the Greek yoghurt (yes, it has been a highlight). How do they make it so cheap? And how do they make it – we’ve seen very few cows. Lots of other crop farming, some goats and sheep, but few cows. And it turns out you can overdose – for a few days I thought we might have developed lactose intolerance. Unbearable misery.

We’ve wild-camped most of the nights in Greece. One night we got busted by the farmer just on sundown – we’d hid behind a hedge on the edge of his freshly planted field. Turns out he was more than happy for us to stay the night – he gave us a quick tour of the field (cotton plants had just germinated). We can’t speak more than 3 words of Greek; he had about the same in English. The closest we came to was us in (terribly broken) Spanish and him in basic Italian. But it worked, and we were able to turn down the offered wine.

It doesn't look like much, but it came with its own....

Stephen's bike enjoying the view while we looked for the best place for the tent

Since we didn’t have too much time we took the flat road for some of the way to Meteora (really old monasteries on a hill) and then over the pass to Ioannina. The main road now punches through the mountains, so the old route has been effectively abandoned to the tourists – a few motorhomes, motorbikes and more touring cyclists than we saw in the whole of Africa. The first couple we saw (Dutch) we got excited and flagged them down to talk about cycling, their trip (they were on a year-long trip to Asia). We’ve since met a handful of people on their way to Tajikistan and many don’t stop to chat, just wave. We’re back to being normal-ish (we’ll, we think so!).

Thermal baths in Thermopylae. Also the location of the Battle of Thermopylae. A famous battle between the Spartans and the Greeks against the Persian army.

And we have the chain-links! They missed the package to Tanzania, so they got sent to Athens, but didn't get there in time...so were sent on the bus to Ioanannia to be picked up at 9am on a Sunday morning 😳. Now we can change our very worn chainring and chains!

Greece was over all too soon, and we’ve seen a couple of valleys in Albania. So far Albania has ridiculously friendly locals; pretty good food; another currency (but I wonder how long that will last if they reach their goal join the EU); an indecipherable language; some great mountain valleys; great camping and pretty good roads. It seems like the rest of Europe is discovering Albania – some German/Austrian/etc motorhomes but it’s early in the tourist season yet so it’s not too busy.

Castle on the hill Gjirokastër. Minutes before being threatened by the locals...a pack of dogs decided we were sport

Can't complain about the scenery in Albania

Today's ride: 490 km (304 miles)
Total: 10,836 km (6,729 miles)

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