1393: South to Paleohora

Friday 27th December 2019

After the ritual of a coffee at Fresh and Cool cafe, we set forth for Paleochora / Paleohora.  Again a stunning drive across the mountains.  Although we could see mountain snow from our Kalives parking, we did not pass through any.  Why do I have a yen to head up into the hills and find some?  Guess it will find us soon enough!!

We really felt the benefit of the AndyPandyCar as we did a recce of the dirt track to a parking I’d identified to the the east of Paleochora …at the first soft sand we turned the  AndyPandycar around and headed into the town to check out other spots.  Bingo, a super spot between the town and the new (concrete and charmless) marina.  No-one else here and great views.

View en route.

Lunch and whilst J nanny napped, I walked CO2 to the west and ‘sandy beach’.  Late afternoon we headed up to what was left of the Venetian fort, ransacked by Barbarossa and not rebuilt.  On the descent we stopped for a glass of vino and were entertained by the adjacent table.  Not that I was eves dropping, much!  Evidenty, a British and Dutch lady had teamed up and were renting a room in Chania and were now looking for accommodation in Paleochora.  They had spent the afternoon with a colourful ageing hippy, with an upper crust accent and a Ukranian boat owner who was largely silent… and they all had consumed a LOT of wine.  The hippy acted as broker and offered them a room on the boat … we didn’t quite establish if there was running water, a toilet, let alone a hot shower, for all of EUR7 / night.  The ‘girls’ had to leave to catch their bus back to Chania … we also left, so we will never know if they missed the last one!

Fab parking with amazing views.

Taken from the Venetian castle ruins.  The boat goes along the coast and then to Gavdos Island.  Quite fancied this as a day trip, but 4 hours each way from here and no time on the island.

  1394: Boulder walk

Saturday 28th December 

Drove the track that we’d decided against on arrival with Jez and were very pleased that we had aborted … lots of soft sand areas and loose stones.  

Gorge walk – we had to haul CO2 up big rocks in their harnesses and leads – then faced with what looked like an impenetrable set of rocks, we wisely aborted…and the rain had just started. A young family we met also turned around.  Lunch in PandyAndy charabanc on the beach – local pastries – yummy! 

Later in Paleochora, we met Jane another camping car English lady – supplying her with some clear gaffa tape for an incident with a tree.  Evening saw us supping in Haris’ bar with Jane – really nice noshtimo – and some local wine – with Raki…… Jane navigates her van but not with coordinates!  Could see her eyes glaze over when K was explains about Park4Night etc … did later manage to get her on Maps.Me.

Anidhri Gorge.

Lots of boulders to negotiate …

… and to slide down!

Anidri Beach, where we sat in the car and ate our spinach and cheese and Christmas pastries.

 

1395: Pelekaniotikos Potamos – River Walk

Sunday 29th December

Today an easier river walk – with Corrie mostly on the lead as we didn’t fancy goat’s meat for dinner!  But a lovely riparian roaming…. (K: I hd to ask the meaning of riparian .. J advises associated with a river bank!)

The rain was now relentless and a rising wind with forecast of 33knots during the night – time to move…..to the local harbour with shelter from the sea wall – hunkering down for the evening as the lightning flashed around us – a couple of weeks ago, we were wearing shorts! 

Not as stunning as yesterday up the gorge, but MUCH easier walking.

The river back erosion looked like wood.

Hands up all of you who have worn paper knickers? Jane came to the van in the afternoon bearing gifts – including paper knickers for Katherine!  Very fetching biggusknickers indeed….

1396: Magical Mountain Mystery Tour

Monday 30th December

Our harbour camping soon showed gusts of 70-80 kph! Rock and roll – but not the dancing kind, although Jez was doing a kind of jive!  At 5:00 am, K in pjs did a recce in our pandydandycar – finding a sheltered spot – on the high street!  We decamped both vehicles to outside what looked like the town council offices…..

Instead of a gale force walk, we drove on a magic mystery tour – with us, Jane and her 2 whippets. Churches, villages – some roads almost impassable – lots of 5-point turns – and lunch in a lovely cosy family taverna – with a fire!  We helped advise Jane with a gas issue and a hose nozzle that fell into the pipe of her water tank.  We could set ourselves up as gas consultants.  Amazing how much you learn when something goes wrong!

To ride out the storm, we stayed in town with all blinds closed to not draw attention to ourselves – stealth camping – but nobody complained, luckily. 

View back down to Paleohora … we were originally parked to the left of the harbour, then in the harbour and then on the street going out of the town.

Both ends of the rainbow … lucky.

One of the many small churches on our vague itinerary … we didn’t see them all!