Oops ! I Did It Again (11/06/11)

Last trip we had a hiccup where we caught the train from Paris to Lyon to pick up our car, only to find we should have caught the train to Lyon Airport instead, which was some distance away. An expensive taxi ride followed to get us to our destination. This trip we went to confirm our bus trip from Delphi to Kalambaka (Meteora) only to find that what the travel books and internet said was a simple trip now involved four different bus routes, three changeovers and a trip of up to 8 hours. Looking us up and down, the man at the Tourist Information desk did not think it was suitable for us. The only alternative, he said, was to catch the 5.30am bus from Delphi to Lividia, a shuttle bus from there to the station, then the 9.50am train from Lividia to Kalambaka. This did not appeal to us either. Our host at our B&B, George, suggested we get a taxi from Delphi to Lividia at the more respectable time of 8.30am but it would be very expensive ..... After weighing the options we decided that was the best way to go, so our 40 min taxi ride got us to the station, we got our ticket and caught the train. Railway tickets have an allocated seat number, but it means nothing - we spent the first three and a half hours standing in the train corridor with our bags until the passenger numbers dropped enough so that we could finally sit down in a compartment for the last 40 min. So hot, hungry and weary we arrived in Kalambaka and caught a taxi to our hotel. Our spirits were lifted by the magnificent views from both our balconies , and further helped by a tasty mixed grill and roast stuffed peppers from the adjacent restaurant - again washed down with a 500ml Mythos beer each. We did our customary evening walk, admiring the scenery and seeing some of the smaller monasteries that do not allow public access. Then - for the first time - rain and accompanying thunderstorms ! Still warm though, so still in shorts we were down to a local taverna for a meal of grilled potato with herb yoghurt, grilled mushrooms with cheese fillings, eggplant with cheese, bacon and mushroom and a Mediterranean salad. Washed down with white wine - because all this walking gives you an appetite. Tomorrow we are off to explore the main monasteries and take in the scenery.