Now that's what you call rain!!!

6.55pm Saturday. Pramanta, Greece

Yesterday saw one fantastic storm up here in the mountains. It started at about 3pm with just a few very large spots of rain and a few low rumbles of thunder. Then about an hour later all hell let loose on us with strong wind and an absolute deluge of rain for about two hours, took out the electricity supply and threatened to tear the sun shading Tarpaulin from it’s wires!



Look what I found in a Greek Waterfall !



Earlier in the day I had enjoyed a leisurely hike to a waterfall with two new friends, Angel and Christos, which is about 300ft high and just over 2km from our camp site. After the hike it was an absolute joy to stand under the plummeting torrent of water to cool off. We must have spent about an hour there before the walk back and had only been in camp a short time before the storm hit us. Mila frightened the life out of us all as she had headed off up the mountain on her own to sketch and had not yet returned. Poor Alex looked really worried and we were just about to organise a search party when she walks in as cool as anything  as though she had just been down to the corner shop !!!

Anyway with no electricity not only  was it impossible to run the presentations but we wondered if we would get any dinner; but we needn’t have worried the Pramanta Refuge staff were well used to such inconveniences and another superb dinner was served up, hot, on time and with ample quantities of everything. The evening was then passed in the best of HU traditions with beer, tsopovo and lots of great talking with friends old and new. In fact it was almost a disappointment when a generator was brought in and lights and power were restored.

At about 11pm Dimitris announced that two of the presentation would go ahead as the generator had enough power to run the projector, computer and sound system, but by then some of us had  drunk enough Tsopouro to not really care one way or the other… no names but one of the guilty parties is typing this blog… And so to bed, not so much to sleep as to pass out unconscious!



Wow! and another...



Today, as you might guess started rather  slowly! Another wonderful breakfast from the ever smiling staff delivered on time in spite of the tribulation of last night and I was set for the day. Taz had said she would like to see the waterfall and Joel opted for one of the ride outs. So off I went once more on the 5km to the waterfall with Taz. We spotted a group of 4 some way ahead of us who turned out to be some Greek  people that we had already and we had a lovely time with them at the falls before they headed off and left us to enjoy the total peace of the beautiful, remote location. I though when we got back to camp that it was to be the end of my exertions for the day, however Alex and Mila had other ideas.

I had mentioned to Mila on Friday that I would like to walk up the mountain behind the camp where she had been when the storm had struck. They took me at my word and 4pm saw us heading out of the back of the camp site to start the climb. I use the term “climb” loosely as it was not a true rock climb but certainly steeper and far tougher than a mere hike. Indeed parts of it were a scramble over quite loose, small rocks, whilst the last part was certainly a “climb” to reach the very top of the rock pinnacle and boy what a view from the top! We looked right across the camp site although most of the tents were hidden from view by the trees which provide such welcome shelter from the heat of the sun. The three of us sat right on the top taking photos, looking in awe at the scenery and just talking, it was quite a special moment for me as I had never before climbed to such an amazing place.



You may not spot me but

 I'm up there somewhare!



It was then that reality struck… I had to now get down again ! Getting down from mountains is never as easy as one thinks, yes it is all down hill but it if you slip or trip the consequences can be far worse than on the way up! So it was slowly, slowly on the way back. Alex had offered to give me push on the way up if I needed it and repeated his kind offer on the way down ; I declined!!!

What we hadn’t realised whilst at the very top was that we had been spotted from the camp site and many people it seems were taking photos of us; I haven’t managed to get hold of one yet but would really like too. I sit here back by my tent and look up at the needle and can still hardly believe that I have been right to the top of it; another memory that will stay with me for a long, long time!

By the time we returned to camp the electricity had been restored much to Dimitris relief so everything was back to normal and the evenings presentations started early with a talk in Greek about first aid before dinner; and what a dinner!  Babis and his team had once more done us proud with barbecued Souvlaki. Two Chicken, Two Pork and a huge spicy sausage served up with as lovely fresh salad and tzatziki  as you could eat; add an ice cold beer or two and we were in heaven!

Now this is getting a bit serious



The camp site from the top !





Alex and Mila don't really need a mountain, they are on a permanent High !



The evenings presentations were mainly in Greek so I spent the evening chatting quietly with new friends…a great way to end a memorable first Greek Horizons.

It’s now 7.30am Sunday morning and first of the early risers have already departed. Breakfast will be up shortly and then we wait to see just what the day brings. There has been yet another change to my plans as Taz, Joel and I have had a very kind offer of a house on Chios, one of the Greek Islands just off the Turkish coast to use for as long as we wish over the winter… So tomorrow we will probably head south towards Chios to meet up with Angel and Christos next weekend, then being so close the Turkey it would be a little foolish not to tour at least part of it before we once again turn north