Evalynn and I spent 3 weeks in Greece, visiting Athens, Thessaloniki and Chios, a very invigorating trip that has us really anxious to get back to full time, international travel. It’s crazy that we saw Jethro Tull in concert and that didn’t even make it into the conversation. But, believe me, it WAS a highlight!
One of the coolest things to happen was that we got to meet our mentors in Location Independence. I cannot emphasize this enough… surround yourself with people who have achieved what you want in life. Maybe you’ll meet them somewhere exotic one day.
What was the most surprising thing about Greece?
Eva: The student revolts.
Ehren: How affordable it was. Generally staying in Europe can be very expensive, but with the relative price of the Euro and the affordability of restaurants, it really allowed us to have a comfortable vacation.
What would you change about this trip?
Eva: I wish we could’ve stayed longer. I’d rather slow travel. There are so many small towns and islands and so much history, it’s overwhelming.
Ehren: I agree. I would’ve loved to stay longer and explore more.
Scale of 1-10, how easy is it for a US Citizen visiting for the first time to communicate and find the things you need?
Eva: 8.5. Tourism is so high in Greece and the economy is so low that communicating with people is really easy. They seem proud to teach you their language too.
Ehren: 8, only because transportation was unpredictable. Student protests affecting cabs/uber and transportation strikes really made it uncertain you could arrive on time for scheduled events/tours.
How long would you optimally stay there (+/- how long we stayed)?
Eva: I think Greece can be a 3 month stay, easily, there’s so much to do.
Ehren: I’d definitely give it 3 months. The Schengen Visa only allows 90 days, and I think that would be both optimal and plenty.
Could you move/live here?
Eva: I could. But there’s other places in Europe I’d rather stay. I love it and if I had incentive to move there, I would.
Ehren: Absolutely. The food is good, the cost is right, the people are friendly and there’s lotsa places by the sea.
What did you learn about travel?
Eva: We learned that when a labor strike effects the busses in the city of Athens, it doesn’t effect the trains and national transit.
Ehren: I wasn’t made for travelling by scooter. We rented one on the island of Chios, the first time either of us had ridden on one. While it was a fantastic way to see an island where the top speed was 70kmph (42mph), it was still not very comfortable and we feel fortunate that we didn’t get hurt.
Anything else you want to add?
Eva: The Athens monument pass was a great value. I didn’t think we’d be able to do it all in one day, but we did. Definitely bring a bottle of water for the Acropolis, no shade, no vendors. Special thanks to Filippos for an amazing photography tour.
Ehren: Do the FREE booze boats in Thessaloniki! Meteora was probably the greatest tour we took; very beautiful scenery. We both highly recommend Nico Tattoo Crew in Thessaloniki. And ALWAYS find a rooftop bar, especially in Athens.
Quick Fire Favorites:
Restaurant:
Eva: The garden of Thermaikos, Thessaloniki
Ehren: Katouni Ledadika Ike, Thessaloniki
Hang out Joint:
Eva: Klio Booze Boat, Thessaloniki
Ehren: The Hoppy Pub, Thessaloniki
Best Shopping:
Eva: The Hellenic Capital Market, Thessaloniki
Ehren: Baloo toy store, Thessaloniki
Point of Interest:
Eva: Roussanou Monastery, Meteora
Ehren: The Acropolis, Athens, particularly from the rooftop bars
Most Interesting Person/Couple:
Eva: Christos Tsintsaris, our tattoo guy
Ehren: Norm Bour & Kathleen Plumley, our Location Independent mentors