Kefalonia and back again.

[Dan Bloom]

Hi All,

I thought I should post something as this trip was the reason for getting me back into bikes and therefore a GS! (I appolagise for the spelling grammer etc!)

Reason for trip, my younger brother decided to get married on kefalonia so last year in the pub I thought it would be a good idea to rent a bike and ride there. Ended up buying a 1200 bandit then moving on to a 02 GSA brought from tommyboy off this site!

Day 1, Finished work on the wednesday got home finished packing, jumped on the bike with Niki (girlfriend) and hit the road. Had a tunnel booked for 9pm but hit loads of standing traffic on m25 then rain and cold so late for train! Arrived in france late and headed for a formular one in st omer, checked in about midnight wet and cold.

Day 2, Much better dry with a side wind and headed south on toll roads. Long day but ended up in a campsite in Annecy. Most of France in a day, happy with that!

Day 3, Mont Blanc tunnel into Italy stopped in a resterant for food and had to cook my own sausages! wish I could speak Italian. Headed on to a campsite outside Parma.

Day 4, On the road again and ended up in a campsite near Termoli. boring day on the toll roads apart from. . .Dropped the bike in a petrol station!! no damage on the bike but put a dent in the pump!

Day 5, Last leg down to Brindisi to catch a ferry to kefalonia. All fine but the Italians and the Greeks have no idea about ques. ferry boarding was very funny! absolute maddness.

Arrived on kefalonia to meet family drink loads and eat BBQs. (ps wedding went great)

The Return Trip.

Will post tomorrow!

 

[Deleted account Cooperman]

The organisational skills of the Greeks together with the ignorance of the Italians makes an interesting concoction on the ferries

 

[Popeye]

Very nice and compact Dan - looking forward to the return leg.

Lets see some pics of the wedding, the Greeks do like a good party.

 

[Deleted Member I]

Is my browers broken or are there no pictures on this report

 

[Dan Bloom]

The trip home

Hi again,

We had five days on the island to relax and soak up the sun and wine, caught the friday ferry from kefalonia back to brindisi. As with the way out there was no organisation at all at the port. To check in you had to walk back into the town to find the booking office to pay tax etc then just wait for the boat to arrive and wait till someone shouted at you!

Day 11, Arrive at brindisi and start to head north. We had next to no sleep on any of the ferry trips so decided to head for a hotel for a good nights kip. Ended up in a town called Trani, fantastic place but not cheep, had pizza and wine and a early night.

Day 12, Headed off to the hills! Great riding a bit like mini alps but with out all the tourists. Ended up in a campsite at a national park right in the middle of a fireman convention! Niki was very happy until they closed all the resturants and we had to walk 2 miles to get some food, but a nice american chap gave us a lift back to the tent.

Day 13, More fantastic riding on great roads, passing old towns and villages all stuck onto the sides of the hills. great weather no traffic just great! found a great campsite outside Gubbio.

Day 14, Headed into Gubbio for a bit of breakfast and shocked the hell out of my girlfriend by getting down on one nee and asking her to marry me. she say YES! Then decided to cover some ground and head north for the lakes, made it as far as Milan before the heavens opened. Camping in the rain is no fun.

Day 15, Woke up to more rain and after breakfast decided to break camp wet and try and ride out of the rain. It didnt work so stayed the night in a hotel in menaggio on lake como. Rained all night! but we had a chance to dry our stuff out.

Day 16, Sunshine at last! Made our way over into Switzerland and up the gottard pass, very nice! But watch out all sat naav users, had a falling out with zumo and ended up in the gottard tunnel heading back the way we came from! nothing for it but to head over the pass again, good job its a nice ride. Went on to do the sustenpass interesting ride up inside a cloud but the other side was great, stayed in a lovly village near Giswill.

Day 17, Managed to get back into France with out using motorways, lots of wrong turns but a great way to see the country, then onto Nancy for another campsite.

Day 18, Picked up the toll roads and headed north, long day but lots of miles. found a great campsite in Guiness that we have used before, had a great cup of Tea made by a great couple in a caravan.

Day 19, Off to the tunnel and ride home thinking about the next trip!

Thats all folks but will try to add pics when Niki comes home to show me how to use the computer.

 

[Hairnet600]

congrats to you and soon to be missus

how long does the crossing take?

mate flew from wa aye land on sunday to kef and we been talking about riding to greece as he wants to visit aprilia on the way past

ta

PICS!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Dan Bloom]

Will try to put up pics soon, the crossing was about 12 hours over night. would suggest a cabin if you can afford it but dont bother with the seat option. cost about 220 euros for two with a bike return (not)sleeping on seats.

Hope this helps!