I'm a retard.

Once I got to Tripoli from Athens, I get a call from cousin Nick saying that the clothes I left out on the balcony in Athens were still there. That was all my jocks and a few tshirts and singlets. Need to do some shopping.

Furthermore my iPod went for a bit of a dip in the beach at Astros (waterproof bag my ass), so I'll need to do some more shopping when I get home again (may just wait for the Galaxy 2 smartphone instead, suggestions anyone??). Anyway blogs wont be anywhere near as detailed now because I'll have to type them on a computer instead of whenever I want on the ipod. Maybe a good thing? Either way I didn't come to Europe to waste half my time in an internet cafe.

I've travelled through Tripoli and Astros with the family over the last four days. This morning I left Astros and am back in Athens, staying in the city centre this time. Tripoli is a cute little town about the size of Bendigo, while Astros is a beachside town about half an hour away where the people of Tripoli go during summer, so even smaller.

During my time in with the family in Astros and Tripoli I ate heaps. I was so stuffed with food during those few days, that hunger became a fantastical idea in a far-away make-believe land. Tripoli was a great chance to meet with family from mum's side. I was able to touch base with pretty much everybody. Most are well, but some not so. Yiayia's sister Evridiki is terminally ill and was in a pretty bad way, the family was a wreck. Others were better, like yiayia's other brother George who although bedridden, at 95 still laughs and jokes and flirts with his carer Nadia from his bed. The cousins Theodoros and Despina are on holidays and head to uni once summer is over. Everybody though has been affected by Greece's current political and economical f***ups. It's really messed up everything here.

Also taxis are still on strike in Greece...not holding my breath for a resolution anytime soon.

Around Tripoli, we checked out the 14,000-seat ancient amphitheatre at Epidauros (still holds theatrical festivals today), walked the caves at Kapsia, lunched at a beachside seafood tavern and swam while lunch was being prepared, had a midnight dinner in the town square (standard breakfast - 10am, lunch - 5pm, dinner - 11pm!), enjoyed a freddo cappuccino in Nafplio before reaching Astros.

Astros was pretty chilled out. Spent a lot of time swimming at the beach and eating souvlakia. That's pretty much it there. Stayed at yiayia and pappou's apartment there with the family.

The bus trip back today involved braving the slums of Omonia again, but was much easier since you know what you're dealing with (plus it was late morning, all good). It took a bus from Astros to Athens, a bus into the heart of Omonia, a subway train to Akropoli and a 500m walk to the hotel. About 3 hours travel all up, but very easy. All with my massive noob backpack Freddo hanging on by a thread. Did some shopping and chilled by the hotel pool with the strongest Long Island Iced Tead I have EVER had!

The Royal Olympic Hotel is a 5-star hotel in the centre of Akropoli, I can see the Parthenon from my window. Very nice place. Tonight is dinner in Glyfada with friends, sightseeing/shopping in Syntagma and Plaka tomorrow morning, saying goodbye to family in the arvo tomorrow and then signing off from Greece and saying hello to Croatia!

The first two weeks of the trip have been pretty chilled overall, not many late nights, but more heavy on seeing the sights and catching up with all the family which has been incredible. The Contiki and Top Deck tours around the rest of Europe tours may be a different story..