Internet Deprivation Indeed

Kalamata, Greece

Kalamata is the kind of place you pull in to do a few chores.  It's restful, obliging and friendly - just like Pylos!  It is also a useful base to travel into the Peloponnese Peninsula and visit assorted historic treasure troves.  Better still, it’s a repository of cruising folk (and olives!).  So here we sit, having extended for another day.  Why?  Well, it’s Sunday and even less happens here on a Sunday than any other country we’ve been to.

We’ve also decided that as a general rule we will stay a minimum of 3 nights in a marina.  (It has only taken 6 years to arrive at this float plan condition.)  Our check-in day is about accepting bureaucracy with good grace and humour (Marina, Port Police &/or Customs).  Then we must attend to the duties of setting up for marina life.  The awning, passerelle (our gangplank), electricity, water and trusty bikes are attended to & set up. 

Our next day is filled with chores.  We refuel if we can.  Greece has a system of fuel coming to you, even on the dock, in mini-tankers.  Otherwise, we re-fuel before settling into our berth on Day 1.  We take on water, do the washing, shop for groceries and find a chandler to satisfy an itch for boat bits.  We clean WJ3 inside and out, relishing in having electricity to vacuum (and run the toaster!).  We take time for “loooong” showers and, once presentable (meaning smell ok), eat out at a restaurant.  Isn’t it the simple things that give pleasure?

Another lighthouse on another impossibly rocky cape

That leaves our last day for reading, relaxing and blogging.  If we have internet….. Another of our wee challenges.  Sufficient bandwidth (for our laptops) is rare.  Uploading photos – forget it!  Hence the somewhat ill-mannered bulk posting we’ve done lately – spelling & grammatical errors included!  Post now, sort it out later…  Photos?  Still crashing the system…. 

We thought we had solved our internet dilemma.  In each country we’ve purchased a Vodafaone data dongle and it’s worked well – until now… (Yes, yes, you would think that there would be one system EU wide, but not so. We have a boat full of mobile phones and data dongles from almost every country we’ve visited!!!)  The dongle we purchased in Greece, from a reliable shop-front (not Vodafone), turned out to be HOT!  Now the company won’t touch it or refund our money – yet!!!  The Cap’n is working on solving this issue by being pleasant, persistent and persuasive.  He’s very good at driving people nuts so we’re expecting results soon….

For my birthday?  Noooo, you shouldn't have.....

Lastly, if the local area offers unmissable sightseeing opportunities we might just add on a few extra days, especially if it involves overnight stays.  The Cap'n is not good at leaving his other woman unattended, especially so on anchor.  

 

From:  Pylos, Greece Lat/Long: 36:55.324N 21:42.073E Date/Time: 26/07/13: 0700
To: Kalamata, Greece Lat/Long: 37:01.446N 22:06.327E Date/Time: 26/07/13: 1315
Time Taken: 41nm (6hrs) Distance (this year): 1818nm (289hrs)
Distance Total (since 2008): 12643nm   Weather: SW 3-5kts avg; Hot! Hot! Hot!
Fastest Speed: 6.1kts; very calm so mostly motoring. Fuel is slightly cheaper (perhaps we should consider flying instead?)