So.. why pause the road trip???  Well, obviously the quick 5 days in Stockholm was for an exciting and important reason!  One of the ever-clever family members was graduating with a Doctorate in Neurochemistry - Biggest congrats Linda!  Of course.. as per usual - I LOVED the time and catch up in Sweden!  My cousins- Marten and Jonas (Linda's husband) - were as cool, humorous and fun as ever - even Fred loved Sweden and my family (but of course!) he he

Thus after this wee interlude.. the road trip was back on!

Back to Istanbul.. - great catch up with Murat (an ever enthusiastic and excited / exciting Turk.. showing us THE happening local area in Instanbul!)  Whether or not he knew it.. perfect host and ambassador for his country!

One last night in Instanbul.. and Hasty was frisky-!  Again keen  to gallop the open roads.  So onwards to Greece we travelled!

KAVALA

We were actually attempting to reach 2nd largest city in Greece, Thessanoliki.. but the coastal road and scenic route drew us off course and thus we camped for 2 days by this little village on the Agean sea!  Wonderful!  Already loving the Greek people and their casual dress, attitude and smiling, laughing lifestyle!  Reminded a little of laid-back, friendly Aussies actually (not that I'd ever be biased) :)

PELION PENINSULA

Down to another sea-side village at the base of Mt Pelio - where Greek mythology states the Centaur (half horse/man) for education - literature / war strategy / tactics etc.. taught Heracles, Archilles and a few others.  It was also here, that during an innocent Greek Mythology party there was a discussion about which of the 3 Greek Goddesses were the most beautiful... and so the first beauty competition was held.  Can't quite remember if Helen won.. however, irrespective of the winner - it was this event which apparently lead to Helen being so significant and thus the catalyst for the Trojan War. 

We loved the mountainous countryside, with lush green growth, tumbling streams along the road side and the brightest yellow flowers I have ever seen!  (Or should I say that I, Liza, loved the yellow flowers!... apparently each corner we turned, I would pipe up with "Oh look at those yellow flowers"... "Oh, wow - these flowers are soooo yelllow!"..... "My God - more yellow flowers!".... "Gee, I like these yellow flowers!")  Understandably - everyone in the car took this opportunity to give me a hard time and since then it has been a running joke!  Yellow flowers Liza and her blue sky!

A planned quick stop in Volos and we were to travel onwards to Meteora!  Mmmm - and why is Liza using these words, 'planned', 'were to travel'???  Well, on the way out of town we had decided to quickly pop into the supermarket, buy some water, fruit etc for the trip.  Parking (as ever) was going to be tricky.. but 'ahaaa!' - this supermarket had an underground carpark.  Walle, who was our ever-thinking driver stopped before we drove in and asked "Do you think we have to pay for parking here?"  We all chided 'no - it's a supermarket!'.  As we drove under the 2.05 meter clearance ceiling of the carpark and heard that awful bang, clunk and scraping sound combined with the car being strongly jolted - we realised that the question to be asked should have been "Do you think we will fit under???!!!!".  Walle tried to reverse, but the clunking and scraping got worse!  Everyone (well at least Liza - and Dad a wee bit) were shouting different things and the order to stop!!!! was made.  Hand brake on, we thought we were wedged.. but a split second later and we heard another crash as the final roof rack bracket gave out and the whole roof rack fell off the back of the car and thudded onto the driverway behind us.  Quick reaction!!!  All four of us jumped out and heaved the too-many-tonne, heavy roof rack off the driveway and out of the way for the growing car queue behind us!   

On this note.. it must be said - Dad was a God-send!  In so so many ways.  Dad remained calm and positive for Liza (after she was a wee bit upset) and, of course, his usual handy-man skills can never be under-estimated!  After not being able to buy replacement brackets (because these were bought in the Emirates - probably American and every shop, adventure store in Greece had various European roof racks / brackets)  Dad was able to locate several panel-beating shops and identify which ones had the right welding equipment, vice etc etc.  So after a day at the panel beaters / car workshop, Dad became best-mates with the mechanic and had straightened, welded and reproduced as-good-as-new brackets.   

METEORA

What an awesome majestic landscape!  400meter high volcanic pinnacles with monasteries built on top!  (How they built up there.. we don't know!)  Of course, these volcanic pinnacles and mounds were even more breathtaking with such lush green vines, ferns, trees surrounding them!  Yet again.. Dad was speechless!  His famous description, "awesome" with the funny Swedish / Aussie accent was superseded!  It now became "This is awesome.. majestic!"  and he carried on about one particular wonderful shaped mountainous rock with such sparkly eyes and enthusiasm, we decided to call it 'Bo's mountain'. 

Thus, amongst other things, Greece will be remembered for Liza's yellow flowers, Dad's mountain and Walle's driving and classic comments.