Here in Athens we're at the tail end of summer. Temperatures around 25 Celsius. Tomorrow I am taking the train Patras. The Larissa train station is 20 minutes walking from my friend Hara's apartment. I take a train to Kiato, and there change to a bus. About 3 1/2 hours from Athens to Patras.
Sep 26
Yesterday I picked up a rental car at the Flagstaff airport. I had to wait there for 2 1/2 hours, third in line for a returning car.
Sep 27
04.00am
I got up, turned off the gas and the electricity, and left the house at 05.00am.
07.30am
I dropped off the car at the rental car depot in Phoenix .. Long lines for the shuttle buses to the airport. Especially terminal 4. I went to terminal 3, Delta airlines.
Inside it was pretty empty. I checked my bag and now I am waiting at the gate....
11.15
Boarding, a 1 hour flight to Los Angeles. There I have a connecting KLM flight at 13.50.
13.50
The KLM plane is about 30 % occupied. Lots of room to stretch out. We did get a hot meal and breakfast sandwiches.
Sep 28
08.40
We landed at Schiphol airport. No Covid check at Customs! I walked straight through. Aegean airlines had send me an email with a barcode on the PLF form. Their check-in starts at 09.30.
09.30
Checked-in with Aegean airlines. They wanted to see the PLF form (with the barcode), and now I am waiting at the gate for my 12.00 flight to Athens.
16.00
Arrival at Athens airport. They did spot checks for the Covid virus, I was one of the participants. I took the metro to Platia Victoria and from there I walked to my friend Hara's apartment. I got there at 18.00hr.
I had a flu shot 2 days ago. It was free and I have no adverse reaction at all.
I am leaving Flagstaff for Europe on Sunday. Deciding what stays in Flagstaff, what comes with me, and where to put it. I finished packing a full sized suitcase this morning, my rolling computer case is packed, and my backpack is half packed. On Saturday I am picking up a rental car at the Flagstaff airport, leaving Sunday at 05.00am and dropping the car off at Phoenix airport on Sunday morning at 07.30. I am flying with Delta airlines to Los Angeles and from there a KLM flight to Amsterdam. Arriving there at 09.00am. My flight to Athens is with Aegean airlines at 12.00. Hopefully I am allowed to fly to Athens....(corona restrictions).
3 more weeks (barring no Covid changes), and I'll be flying to Greece.Normally I would take a shuttle van from Flagstaff to the Phoenix airport, but they keep changing their reopening date. 3 times so far since May. They are now open on Oct 14. Greyhound bus is going to Phoenix, but only 3 times a day. The first one at 05.00 am (too early for my friends to give me a ride to the Greyhound station), and the other 2 too late. I am using a one-way car rental. Pickup at Flagstaff airport on Sep 26 and drop off at Phoenix airport on Sep 27.
