Giorgios the taxi driver that Maria arranged to take us to Meteora picks us up at 10.00am from our hotel.  He's a very friendly chap and is happy to take us the 400km round trip.  He has visited many times before but hasn't been for a while so he will enjoy the trip also.

After all the faffing around trying to find organised tours to Meteora it is such a relief to now be going - I just don't care about the expense.  Today the sun is shining so we don't ask for anything more!

The drive further into mainland Greece is fantastic.  Although my passion has always been the Greek Islands I can feel a yearning to explore mainland Greece about to erupt within!  The landscape is so rich and verdant - the rain is clearly a contributing factor to its beauty.

After a couple of hours driving the landscape begins to change.  In the distance I can see what I think is Meteora.  Like a child on a school trip I point and ask  Giorgios if the rocky outcrop in the distance is Meteora - he tells me that it is.  Words can't describe the feeling and the realisation that this trip that had been at the top of my bucket list was minutes away.  We approach the village of Kalambaka before making our ascent.  Can you imagine what it must be like to live in shadow of Meteora?  

You can already see how photogenic Meteora is.  As we begin the gradual climb upwards, an amazing view is offered to us around every bend.  Giorgios stops on the side of the road for our first photo opportunity - teasing us with a view of our first monastery!

The first monastery we visit is the Holy Monastery of Grand Meteoron.  Just a 'few' steps to climb before we reach the entrance.  I had been a bit apprehensive before coming to Meteora, thinking that my vertigo would throw one of its spanners in the wheel but so far it isn't too bad.  Although I had come prepared, dressed modestly in long sleeves and covered legs I had to wear one of the wrap around skirts available - trousers on ladies not allowed.

The Grand Monastery serves as the main museum for tourists visiting Meteora.  Points of interest are the wine cellar where we see a representation of shelves fully stocked with wine barrels, a kitchen with an array of antique utensils featuring a bread oven and in the refectory you can imagine the monks gathering to eat their (what I imagine is meagre) meals.  In the sacristy is a grizzly collection of the skulls of former monks that habited the monastery.

The amazing views from the terrace are spectacular however, as I move towards the outer fence for a photograph I have to clutch onto anything within arms reach to stop the vertigo eebiejeebies!

From the perimeter fence I can see the next monastery we are going to visit - the Monastery of Varlaam.  It looks like access is by way of a narrow bridge suspended between two rocks.  We also see a little cable car running from the monastery.  My knees are now knocking quite loudly at the very thought!  I may just sit this one out.

Anyway, all of that vertigo stuff aside - I pay a visit to the ladies facilities.  You need strong leg muscles to squat over this thing without splashing your clothes!  Tres difficile for ladies!

Before we leave we buy a couple of jars of Meteora honey which is a lovely dark brown - I can't wait to taste it!  We meet Giorgios back at the car and we hop back in for the short drive to the Monastery of Varlaam.  I tell Giorgios that I am concerned about walking across the bridge and he reassures me that it is fine.  And do you know what - it was - it looks far worse from above and was not a problem crossing at all.

We cross the stone bridge and begin climbing the 195 steps into the monastery taking in the view of neighbouring monasteries and the landscape was we go.

We are presented with an attractive courtyard with wonderful vistas.

The church hosts some wonderful frescoes.

Not to mention more amazing views!  The little cable car shuttles back and forth to the monastery.

Here is a link to further information on the Varlaam Monastery.

http://www.sacred-destinations.com/greece/meteora-varlaam-monastery

Giorgios has also been into the monastery and I'm glad he's enjoying this trip with us.  Giorgios take us to another point down the road from where there are the most magnificent views we have seen yet.  Unfortunately my jelly legs won't allow me walk out onto the rock that overhangs the cliff edge.

What an amazing trip this has been.  After all the trials and tribulations of trying to get here we finally made it.  I hope to come back another time and visit more of the monasteries and maybe stay in Kalambaka.

The views back through the Thessalian landscape hypnotise us especially after such an exhausting day.

Well after a shower and a change we're ready to head out down to the Marina again.  The weather has certainly improved and we take the opportunity to watch the sunset over the Sivotan islands.

This evening we eat at restaurant Parasole that does fabulous pizza's which we can see being made through the open window of the restaurant

Great end to a fabulous day!

We awake to another grey and overcast day. No rain as of yet - but we know that its coming!

We head down for breakfast which again is a great feast.  The Danes have their maps spread out across the tables planning their drive to Meteora - obviously much braver than I!   

Today we decide to do a bit more exploring of the area and take a left out of the hotel and head towards Zavia beach.  We don't take the path down to the beach but  carry on on the road above it.  

Wild cyclamen are growing everywhere and we pass villas with gardens that have trees that are abundant with fruit including pomegranates.

We don't pass anyone else on the road except groups of cats languishing close to a rubbish bin and also a gang of dogs trotting down the middle of the road as if a daily routine.  I imagine them like a group of old men gathering together to stroll to the local kafenio where they will catch up on all the latest gossip!

The weather certainly isn't beach weather so that isn't an option.  We walk to Isabella travel agency again to see if there is any update on the Meteora trip.  No excursions are running - we'd also fancied the day trip to Albania but that is out too.  All she can offer us for the week we are there is a night out in Parga - not really what I'm looking for!

We take another walk around the Marina which isn't very big.  A gentleman standing in the doorway of one of the quayside taverna's catches our eye.  He is wearing a captains hat and tells us that his name is Vangelis and his restaurant cooks the best kleftiko in town.  Well lets see if it lives up to his claim - we will come back later.  For now we decide to catch the bus to Igoumenitsa.  It's a bit of a long shot but as it's a port I expect it to be busier than Sivota and possibly there are travel agencies there with trips to Meteora.  Besides it's now pouring down with rain again so at least by bus we get to see some of the local area and keep dry!

There are lovely views of the coastline from the bus.  Igoumonitsa itself has nothing really to offer - particularly in the rain.  After a scout around we don't find any travel agencies so haul off our festival ponchos and go to a local cafe for hot chocolate whilst we wait for the return bus.  Enough is enough.  We are going to have to bite the bullet and visit Meteora by taxi!

 At the bus station buses are waiting to begin their journeys to Thesalonika, Ionnina and Athens - what a thought to be able to jump on a bus and travel further across Greece - another ambition yet to be realised!  The bus we catch is fully of school kids returning to their villages.  The rain has not yet relented.  

We decide to take Vangelis at his word and go to sample the best Kleftiko in Sivota at restaurant Trehantiri.  The food is great and the service fabulous and the klefiko was one of the best. Vangelis spends most of his time trying to attract the tourists in - one of the things that I don't like about the more touristy islands of Greece but I have no complaints.  The marina is quite lively in the evenings (for out of season standards) and a lovely place to eat.

When we return to the hotel we ask Maria to book the taxi for us.  To hell with the expense - tomorrow we are off to Meteora!!

We were out for the count after an exhausting day of travelling.  We knew that the forecast was for rain for the first few days here - we had been checking the week before we left England.  It was raining - not spitting but heavily raining!

We needed to go back to the travel agency but we'd heard good things about the breakfast at the Albatros so we shower and get dressed and go down for breakfast.

For a small hotel the selection is good - yoghurt and fruit, hotdog sausages, bacon and scrambled egg, a selection of cold meats and cheese, an array of bakery products, juices and tea/coffee.

Everyone seems to be languishing over breakfast. The rain beats down into the pool sending three wooden ducks bouncing around in circles. No rush - the rain is enough to keep most of the guests confined to the hotel.

We decide to go out and face it - this is no way to spend your first day on holiday. We had brought some festival ponchos left behind in Peters hotel after Creamfields - I knew they'd come in handy! I changed into shorts as they'd be easier to dry than trousers and off we went taking a slightly different route down to the centre if Sivota. We came out close to Isabela travel agency so made this our first port of call. The lady recognises us and says that she will phone another agent to see if they have any bookings for Meteora. We wait in a anticipation.

Unfortunately nobody has booked this trip - even from Parga. Anyway she says that she will phone our hotel if any they take any bookings - she does suggest that we hire a car but I tell her that I wouldn't drive in Greece if my life depended upon in it!

Back out into the rain - we head down to the marina. It feels as though the weather is trying to brighten up a little - but then we realise that we've just tempted fate! Just as we bring the cameras out from under our ponchos the sky begins to turn an ominous yellow - the yellow that thunder clouds are made of!

We had been watching the waves crashing against the south side of Agios Nicolaos  - one if the three small Sivotan islands just off the coastline.  Above the islands we could see clouds rolling towards us.

The wind began to pick up and lightening streaked across the sky. Before we knew it the rain began to pelt down and there was nowhere close by to shelter.

The yachts in the marina began to bob violently and bells clang. This is about to become we a full on storm - very exciting! Eventually we are able to take shelter under the wooden canopy of a nearby restaurant.

I remember reading about a tornado that had hit the area a few months earlier - this us an area used to unpredictable weather patterns.

To see a storm like this come in so quickly was exhilarating. Not what you expect for a Greek holiday but exhilarating non the less! And what else can you do under these circumstance? Make the most of it!

The thunder just seemed to bounce between the mountains echoing loudly over Sivota village.

We've been looking forward to this trip for some time.  I'd set my sights in Sivota after seeing an aerial photograph of Sivota and its surrounding islands a few years ago.  It takes a lot to drag me away from the islands but this is a trip I've really been looking forward to.

I had hoped to be away for my birthday in the 3rd week if September but it didn't work out as planned - not to worry - we know we are fortunate to have a second holiday in Greece this year.

One advantage of going a little later is that we walked into Manchester airport and straight to the check in desk and are through security in 10 minutes - excellent!

The flight is great - Just over 3 hours and non eventful - just as I like it! Great views if Venice - I love it when the captain gives you updates throughout the journey.  Thomson airlines have gone all no frills so no more Aldo Zilli inflight meals or in flight entertainment - except the screen that gives you flight updates!

As we approach Preveza airport we fly over Lefkada and can clearly identify the long causeway joining this 'island' to the mainland.

We were out if the airport in no time. We had booked (very expensive) airport transfers with Suntransfers. A private taxi was waiting for us just outside the doors.

The driver exchanged a single word - 'give' as he took my suitcase. The journey started OK. At 7.30pm night was already beginning to descend. The road out of Preveza is a good single lane tarmac road and an open license for fast driving - and fast driving it was! Luckily I couldn't see the speedometer but Peter could and later told me in the safety of the hotel that at times he was driving at 156 kilometres per hour. Which according to Google is 96.93 miles per hour!  We have a 90 kilometre journey to our hotel - our hotel us closer to Albania than it us to the airport and this driver doesn't want to hang around!

Now on a three lane motorway 96.93 miles an hour is pushing it but we're talking hairpin bends and unexpected creatures laying in the middle of the road. 

After passing through Parga and as the taxi began to ascend the road towards Sivota, the drivers full beam picks up a body in the middle of the road - later to be identified as a fox.  'Fox' he shouts as it springs up and runs into the hedgerow and then he givesd out a large belly laugh.  Peter and I laugh too though I think out of sheer relief and mild hysteria.

Within minutes of this, the cars' full beam hits a larger animal wandering along the side of the road.  The young bull looks startled as the driver hits the brakes.  Again he finds this hilarious and says 'Fox - little problem.  This - big problem!'  We also find it hilarious and hysteria sets in again!

As we begin to descend the mountain we see a cluster of lights over to our right.  'Corfu' our driver chirps up.  It looks so close.

Soon after we are off the main road and driving through a village that must be Sivota.  We arrive at the Albatros Hotel and with a handshake and a thank you our driver is gone.

The hotel is lovely - small and friendly and spotlessly clean as we'd expected via Tripadvisor.  It looks very new - the room has a large balcony with side pool view and a lovely modern bathroom - a nice treat in Greece.

We quickly unpack and head down to the bar for a cup of tea, a club sandwich and a mojito. 

Next we go out to explore. It's 9.30pm, the streets are empty and all we can hear is the chorus cicada's in the distance.

We have no idea where we are but decide to take a right towards the village - at least there were signs of life an hour ago.  Sivota is small  and a few sumermarkets, tavernas and bars line the main road.  This then leads to a small marina packed full of yachts and fishing boats.

After a short meander we deccide to call in at Isabela travel agency to check out the availability of tours.  As we are only here for a week we want to make sure we book onto the Meteora trip and also the trip to Albania.

Our hopes were soon to be dashed.  It is the end of the season, the weather is about to  turn bad and nobody has booked places on the trip to Meteora so far - nor to Albania.  Disappointment begins to engulf me from the feet up but my brain is still thinking through some alternatives.  The lady in Isabela is as helpful as se can be but she asks us to come back in the morning and she will check if there have been any new bookings.

Off we traipse, calling in at the supermarket for water and a small kettle for the room (and teabags).

Tomorrow we will see whar options we have!

The room here at the Arion is quite nice - modern and clean.  We are up on the roof level - or as I like to call it the Penthouse!

I can imagine in full season it is quite noisy when guests are out on the roof terrace in the evening.  Great views though!

We catch the metro from Monistiraki to the airport - a really pleasant journey.  

This has been an amazing trip. The sea has been freezing and the wind a bit of a nightmare but that is a very small price to pay for the amazing display of spring flowers which have absolutely blown me away.

Until next year...............................

We woke up early to finish packing.  Pension Morfeus has been a fabulous place to stay both location wise, hospitality wise and definitely has the best ever bathroom for a pension.  We give Pension Morfeus 5 Stars!

Maria comes to say goodbye to us and she gives us a gift.  It is wrapped in tissue paper.  When we open it later we discover a prettily decorated piece of Sifnian pottery - we are absolutely delighted with it and touched at the thought!

We have a bit of time before we need to go to the ferry so we do a bit of last minute shopping in the pottery shops and then go for breakfast on the beach. 

It is time to go.  Amongst the small group of travellers leaving Sifnos is the elderly Greek man who gives a friendly greeting.  Through gesticulation and the odd word it transpires that he is from Athens and had been visiting the mining museum in Milos.  This was my opportunity to say how wonderful Milos was further to our conversation the other day.  

Today is our last full day on Sifnos.  There is still so much more to see but decide to catch the bus to Apollonia - all destinations depart from Apollonia. We plan to take the bus onwards to Hironissos - just a round trip as the bus only runs twice a day.  The same group is at the bus stop again where us, the Dutch, the Americans and the Greeks discuss which islands we have been to and where our onward trip is headed to.  The elderly Greek man with much gesticulation asks us which is best Milos or Sifnos.  We had visited Milos the previous and although a lovely island, I felt that Sifnos has more character.  The Americans agreed with us emphatically.  He looked a bit disappointed and then I wish I'd bitten my tongue thinking that this may be his home island.

All photographs of the bus trip to Hironissos is taken from the moving a moving vehicle.  The landscape is spectacular - green, unspoilt, deserted - words don't do it justice - not mine anyway!

We get off the bus at Artemonos where we are early enough to still want breakfast.  We have tea and toast in the pretty square with the fabulous bakery.

We take a slow walk back to Apollonia via Pano Petali where we stop to take more photographs along the way.

When we arrive at Apollonia we head to the jewellery shops just off the main square.  I see some silver charms that I like and buy a couple for my bracelet.  The young lady attaches the charms to my bracelet for me and whilst we're waiting we chat to her and her brother.  We tell them about Peter's experience with the snake at the Kastro.  She tells us that he was very lucky because the snakes are very dangerous and only two days earlier a tourist had been bitten and had be taken to hospital in Athens by helicopter.  She also tells us that their father had been bitten by a snake a few years ago and he was very ill in hospital for nearly two weeks.  The brother tells us that when he was a baby, one day his mum came into their house to find a scorpion on him.  I'm a bit creeped out by this now and Peter despite his encounter appears blase and says that this is very common in Egypt too. Peter tells them about the snake stones they use in his fathers village for snake and scorpion bites.  I am told that the stones are from a snakes head but internet research provides several other alternative theories.  I have made clear to Peter that if I ever get bitten by a snake or scorpion in Egypt not to go running off in search for the old snake stones - just get me a helicopter to the nearest hospital!

We tell them about the snake - I'm not going to let this one drop am I!  Maria tells us that there are 4 types of snake on the island and the grey one is very dangerous - the yellow one less so.  She tells Peter he is very lucky to not get bitten!

Tonight we are having our final meal on the island at Absinthe in Kamares.  It has excellent reviews and is well located overlooking the bay.  We are the first customers of the evening so get a window seat however, where the restaurant would usually be open to the skies, the plastic sheets are down to prevent the wind from pelting sand into the restaurant.  The wind is even stronger now.

The menu is very extensive and "inspired from the famed Greek Smyrneian cuisine of Asia Minor with a dash of Central Asian spice and texture."

http://absinthe-sifnos.gr/en/absinthe.html

To start we have Lahmatzun which we are told has Lebanese origins.  It is spicy minced meat topped with warm yogurt on pitta.  I then have clay baked lamb with apples and mixed white and wild rice with raisins and Peter has the shark.  The meal is finished with ice cream with confiture and complimentary spoon fruit.