Monday 13 June Thiva - Athens

In the morning, after a wholesome breakfast of muesli and fruit provided by our very kind hearted Greek co-ordinator, we left for the centre of Athens. We had to confront the renowned heavy traffic of this city, which fills all lanes as far as the eye can see. The morning’s run was simply a local event around the city centre. We started from the impressive Panathenean Stadium, which is famous for hosting the first modern Olympics in 1896.

Escorted by three police motorbikes that hovered around us, we ran down busy roads. Ahead of us we could see the ancient Acropolis still dominantly overlooking the city. Then we came to some colourful pedestrian walkways, which wound road the base of the Acropolis. A large group of children waved and cheered as we passed.

As we left the walkways to join the road once more, we were accompanied by a dog that happily ran along with us. He seemed to enjoy the idea of the run but somehow he couldn’t negotiate the bends and soon ran in the wrong direction. Along the busy streets onlookers gazed in wonder as we passed, with frequent waves and smiles. A slight incline brought us up to the Parliament of Greece and we ran along its parameters. With smiles and greetings we passed three marching soldiers but their expressions remained stern and unchanged as their duty demands. We turned right down a tree-lined street, which provided some cool shade. To our surprise this road led us back to the Panathenean Stadium where we had begun, thus ending our tour.

In the afternoon we left the city behind us and visited the temple of Poseidon in Sounio along the coast. Standing high on a hill the temple looks right over land and sea. The dryness of the rugged landscape contrasted the fresh glistening blue of the sea down below. Of course we all seized the chance for a swim as soon as we had finished sightseeing. We found a beautiful rocky inlet where two young locals were fishing by the water's edge. The water was crystal-clear and so refreshing.

Before returning to Athens we stopped for a meal in the next town we came too. We enjoyed a variety of dishes whilst looking out over a calm blue sea. That evening, back in the capital, the team prepared for their flight to the island of Cyprus the next morning.

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