Travel Into Greece on a Harley-Davidson
By Peter Forwood
Greece on a Harley (23/6/97 - 29/6/97)
Distance 205 km (75604 km to 75809 km)
This is part of the second section of our around the
world trip.
Complete Trip Overview & Map
Coming from Turkey
23/6/97 Number 14 country. Also the end of my Carnet. Coming
from Iran, Turkey wanted the Carnet completed (from Greece no Carnet needed)
and into Greece they gave me six months and stamped my passport. I can still
leave the bike in the country if I go out, so long as I take it out of here
before six months. Straight up everything is more expensive at the Greek islands,
accommodation $US 10 and most food double Turkey prices. It's hard to change
Turkish money to Greek or vice versa as they don't like each other and the
banks won't deal in each others currencies. Changing on the street you lose
about 20% coming into Greece. I changed with someone leaving for Turkey,
best for both of us.
24/6/97 A tour around the Island visiting the underground
water canal and Pythagorus’ home town and onto the outbound ferry to Piraeus.
Thirteen hours later after sleeping deck class in a chair I arrived at 5.30
am.
25/6/97 Straight for the Harley Dealer to park the motorcycle
(saves me worrying about it in Athens). With a few hours to spare before
it opened I spent time washing the motorcycle to have it look a bit good
and ate breakfast. The noise in the engine was instantly diagnosed as a hydraulic
lifter problem probably caused by a faulty cam.
It was thought that the cam may have been faulty from new and will be replaced
under goodwill warranty. The management also advised me that I could leave
the motorcycle at the dealership for the 5 months that I will be away in
Australia and that they will have the motorcycle serviced and ready for my
arrival in November. Even though we had never met it was like arriving at
a friend's place after 25000 km of travel between Harley dealers. Arriving
out of the blue without an appointment in the morning and by 5 pm that afternoon
I could leave confident the motorcycle would be repaired and looked after
during my absence.
26/6/97 All there was to do now was arrange a flight home
and wait to leave. The earliest and cheapest flight was on the 29/6/97 and
it was a matter of filling in time now waiting to depart. I also booked my
return ticket to Greece to arrive on the 20/11/97 to start the third trip.
You can either move onto planning
the third six month trip or go to the first country of the next trip
Greece