Friday 25 November 2016

car ferry

Crossing by car ferry to Galatas and onwards through the villages of mainland Greece, the road of Pan, the wine road, ancient ruins 



Of the five car ferries which sail this narrow passage this is my favourite, the Kyriaki.   Roll on, roll off.   On the others it is 'back on-drive off'.  Oh my goodness, you should try backing a car into a tiny space under pressure on a cramped little car ferry.  Stress, anxiety and mixing up right and left is what happens when I try to back our long car on to the ferry.  The biggest worry is always that I might actually miss the gang way as I strain to see over my shoulder and end up in the harbour.  



Car Ferry Kyriaki



Here they are parking in reverse.   When the boat is packed there is not much space between the cars.  Fold your wing mirror, close your eyes and obey instructions.  The young lads  give very clear instructions and if you do exactly what they say you'll find your car tucked in nicely and can breathe a sigh of relief.  Getting off is so much easier.  You just have to make sure you use the hand brake properly and don't roll into the car behind you and give them a new front bumper.


View of Poros from Galatas.  Little water taxis in the foreground, the clocktower standing out on the rock above the harbour.




9 comments:

  1. Your very brave.
    I just wouldn't do it
    I'd rather give one of them the keys and say go for it lol

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    1. You can give them the keys and they will park but I'd never dare. I'd be the laughing stock of the island...and theyre always in such a damn hurry, yelling at you to get a move on. Makes it even more fraught. I must admit 9 times out of 10 it is K who is driving. Men just glide on damn it

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  2. For many years I took the ferry between England and France. Only once did I need a new bumper, and the idiot paid me in CASH up front.

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    1. We were gifted with a nice new bumper a few months ago....a young city slicker in a rush. We definitely would have preferred the cash!

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  3. Super photographs. I think the Greek tourist board should be paying you a wage. It looks a stunning place to live.

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    1. Thanks for the ego boost. Photos only show the side I want to show but visitors seem to like the place and come back year after year.

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  4. Interesting to read about the car ferry. My kind of interest in life. I would enjoy the challenge of the car loading, reversing and would be all out there with the men and the boys.

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  5. GOOD ON YOU!! One up for feminism. I have been driving all my life, don't know why I find it so difficult. The stress I think, do it quickly while everyone is yelling in a foreign language and trying not to dent too many other cars.

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    1. Ha ha, I am far from a feminist but I just enjoy this sort of ferry thing you describe. I was brought up on a farm and reversing tractors and trailers from the age of 9! I enjoyed the post very much.

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