Wednesday 1st May 1985
Arrived Pireaus, parted from Sheila, who I'd spent most of the voyage with, including a trip through my secret entrance into the castle at Rhodes (See Sunday 13th January), which struck me as a beautiful place that I hope to return to for a length of time. There was hassle when we docked at Rhodes with them calling out small groups of people to collect passports by number (like 'Bingo!'). Met Lynn off the boat and we caught the train to Victoria Square & booked once more into Joys (I was remembered from before). At Pireaus metro stn, I advised Lynn to buy a ticket from a machine, she pressed a button with what I thought was station names in Greek and what should appear but a cup of coffee with milk & sugar!!!! Spent the night chatting with a couple of Danes - good people.
Thursday 2nd May 1985
Awoke in a room with Lynn & 2 beautiful French girls, went into town, bought Dire Straits ticket for Monday and Magic Bus ticket for Tuesday - looks like I'll arrive in London without a penny - c'est la vie.
Friday 3rd May 1985
Cashed my last remaining traveller's cheque, which I'd got quite attached to over the 9 months it had stayed with me, then climbed Lycabettus Hill, the largest hill in Athens (at least twice the height of the Acropolis). The view from the top was magnificent, a panorama of the whole of Athens. In the evening I searched for a cinema with 'The Killing Fields' on, but after a long and frustrating search I discovered they were on strike. Said 'adieu' to my two Danish friends - met (them) at 'Joys' bar).
Saturday 4th May 1985
Woke at 6.10am and saw Lynn down to her bus stop, bus was delayed so we sat in Syntagma Squ(are) for a couple of hours. In pm I got the metro to the stadium where Dire Straits play and sunbathed most of the pm, this evening I'll squander a few more precious drachmas (precious!!?!) - amended, scarce drachmas on the Killing Fields - watched anti-fascist Greek dancing instead.
Sunday 5th May 1985
Went down to the Acropolis thinking it would be free (on) Sundays - no such luck, swarms of tourists though - yuk, back to Joys for dinner. Listened to Weather Report on German George's walkman then Mercedes arrived, we got stoned then I went to the flicks and watched 'The Killing Fields', a powerful film that I thought deserved a second viewing - was at the cinema from 4.45 - 10pm then back to hotel for a beer, more blow, listened to Bob Marley then retired. My trip is drawing to a close in a good way.
Monday 6th May 1985
Quiet day but great night, took metro out to the stadium (in Pireaus) at around 5pm, drank the remains of the whiskey Lynn left me and after sitting on the quayside for an hour or so I entered the arena, running the gauntlet of hundreds of Greek police who seemed to outnumber the audience. It was a spectacular venue and Dire Straits rose to the occasion, they played just the right mixture of old and new tracks - Romeo and Juliet, Tunnel of love, Private investigations*. I thought I had bought a ticket for a seat but when I got inside I realised that there was standing room in front of the stage. After the band had played a few tracks I was able to get within about 10 people from the stage. After a great set they did 2 encores, 'Solid Rock'* was the second, to which I and those around boogied like mad, finished (with) the theme from local hero**. I found 30 drachs on the ground on the way out, which paid for my metro back to town. I collected my rucksack from the hotel at 11.45pm and moved to the basement of a multi-storey car park (no funds from another night of "Joy"! Apart from a visit from a cat in the small hours it wasn't a bad night's kip.
* This link is to a You Tube video of this song.
** Once upon a time in the West.
Tuesday 7th May 1985
2nd and longest stage of (my) return journey started today. I had coffee in the car park, got provisions then boarded the Magic Bus bound for London. It's difficult to distinguish the days as sleep can only be grabbed intermittently during relatively flat, straight stretches of road. My watch now says Wed. 9.25pm, I'm in Italy & have just misappropriated 2 bars of chocolate from a service station, hope to be in London tomorrow pm.
Thursday 9th May 1985
First customs hassle between France & Luxembourg - fucking French searched (us) on exit & now, 15yds further on, the Luxembourgers are holding us up.
Final dash to Zeebrugge completed, comfy boat boarded at 10 to 4, departed 5 to 4! When we got to Dover we found that the one person to miss the boat was the Magic Bus courier! Got through customs ok after making some reverse charges calls for assistance. Courier caught a freighter and arrived an hour later. Coach took us to Victoria - arrived 10.30pm. I tried to ring Janet without success so I found ½ a discarded tube ticket and bluffed my way past the inspector at Paddington. Rang mum collect again and accepted the ticket and £1 she'd bought for me in Bath. Caught the train to Bristol, fell asleep on route (and) had the luck I needed: when I boarded the train I asked a bloke sat beside me if the train was going to Temple Meads, even though I knew it was. It was a good move because when the train docked in Bristol I was sound asleep! Luckily he woke me and I scrambled off the train, thanking him on my way! Mum & Jack were waiting the other side of the barrier and I was driven home eating a butty with a glass of milk en route.
It was good to get home again after 8½ months of work and travel covering 9 countries (England, France, Italy, Greece, Israel, Yugoslavia, Switzerland, Luxembourg and Belgium), and putting me in touch with some wonderful people - a letter from Ian was waiting for me upon my return.
Two weeks have gone by now since my return. Mum's cooking has brought me up to full strength and I'm now ready to revisit old friends around the country before making plans for my next trip abroad!