Let's just start with this:
I have toured Athens' sketchiest neighbourhoods and I hope I never EVER see them again. NO BUENO! Chiu Yee and I took the x9 to Kifissos Station where coach buses (like Greyhound terminals) were parked for destinations to the Peloponnese (Yes, Pylos is in here). We bought our tickets and waited in a restaurant since we were an hour early.
Because I waited for Chiu Yee, whose flight came in at 10:30, we decided to take the bus to Kalamata and then take a taxi to Pylos (which is about an hour away). No sweat.
At the terminal, I wished REAL BADLY that my brother was there because he would have knocked the teeth of this guy I'm about to talk about... Or rather, 'lui en clocker une dans tete.'
A gypsy, I presume, came up to me and tried selling me an iphone that was already FUNCTIONNING. I fought this guy nail and tooth -- "No thank you." "No thank you.""No thank you.""No thank you.""No thank you.""No thank you.""No thank you."
NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NONOOOOOOOOOOOOO.
He then tried selling me a watch, put it on the table in my hand.... NOOOOOOOOO.
I was so scared and this jackass had sunglasses on and was yelling to me in Greek. As much as I was horrified, and kept saying NO, and he finally left.
An old woman tried to sell me kleenex' and signed to me that she was poor.... and then a kid did the same. Get the hell away and get me the f@*k out of here!
FINALLY the bus came and we were finally on our way to Kalamata.
I managed to catch a glimpse of the Isthmus (Google it!). Then, outside of Corinth, I spotted the AcroCorinth (Google it!) on the top of one of the Greek Rockies. Yes, this 'hills' are just as high as our beloved Rockies... Oh, Canada! <3
We had to take a detour because they had closed off the highway from Sparta onwards --- that led us into the backroads.
Backroads here = SWITCHBACKS. I swear to god, I sat in the very front seat and I had the side window; The friggin cliff and a tiny guard rail is inches from the bus!! I felt like I was in an episode from Ice Road Truckers: Himalayas. Good GOD. EXHILARATING but MORTIFYING.
Once we got to Kalamata, we both discovered that we took it for granted that there were English signs in Athens, because NO ONE UNDERSTAND A LICK OF ENGLISH IN KALAMATA!!!! haha, you know you're in a foreign country when...!!!
Anyway, we see a huge sign reading 'TAXI'. Ok cool. We walked over and a bunch of old geezers are staring at us and congregating around us. The girl with me is clearly not a talker and didnt look like she was gonna say something because she kept looking at ME. Oh boy. Ok.
I say: taxi?
They say "TAXI!!"
I say "Pylos?"
One says, "65 euros."
I say "That's fine."
(I guess they had no clue what that meant because I spent the next 10 minutes just staring at them in silence...)
So finally, "I say Pylos????"
The guy says '60 euros."
I give him 2 thumbs up and "yeah, that's good!"
He says, "GOOD?"
(God, YES!! BUENO FOR FRIG'S SAKE)
I say "GOOD!!!!"
A guy steps up and he seemed very nice and polite and take the girl's luggage first and put it in the trunk. Then he sees mine and I swear, I think he swore lol, because mine was bigger and larger and he then took the girl's bag first and put mine in first, and then crammed hers afterwards..
The taxi driver CRUISED down to Pylos and in no time, we got to the hotel. No sweat.
May I mention that the scenery is OUT OF THIS WORLD!
But, more details to come :)
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