Riding out an earthquake on the Ionian Sea!

Last night we experience the weirdest thing we have ever encountered in our motorhome.  We have been staying on a campsite at Glyfa (N7.8363888 E21.1336111) for a few days on the Ionian Sea, just across from the islands of Zakynthos and Kefalonia. 

Sonny, enjoying 5*campsite life in Greece

Last night woke up just after 2.15am and the whole of the motorhome was rocking – it felt like we were on a boat in a bad storm.  We both sat up in bed quickly and shouted, ‘What’s going on!’.  Mel jumped out of bed, swaying from side to side as he made his way to the front.  We looked out of the windows thinking it must be a big storm but there was no wind and it was quiet. Mel went outside and had a good walk around the motorhome and checked it over, he came back in and said he thought there has been some earth tremors.  I quickly jumped on the internet and low and behold there was a report of an earthquake, happened about 1.45am, just of Zakynthos, with further reports to follow - incredible how it got on the internet so quickly   We laid there and experienced a bit more rocking and thought good job we’re not parked up right next to the sea. We eventually got back to sleep and didn’t wake up again until 8.45am.  Mel was straight on the internet checking news reports to see if there was update on the earthquake.  It reported that an earthquake of 6.8 magnitude occurred just before 2am, off the island of Zakynthos, which had triggered a mini tsunami report.  At a depth of 16.6km (10miles) below the sea causing some damage to Zakynthos.  The effects were felt over 8 countries!  A few Tweets from holiday makers said there were no injuries just some structural damage to a few buildings and down near the port.  Greece lies in one of the world’s most earthquake-prone regions and apparently the islands of Zakynthos and Kefalonia (its neighbour) are no strangers to earthquakes.

So, following on from my last blog we left Nafpaktos and crossed the Rio-Antirrio Bridge to Patras.  It has got to be the most expensive toll going – €13.30 to go 2.9 kilometres.  That said it is an impressive bridge and one of the world’s longest multi-span cable-stayed bridges.

Lucky for us we got charged a car rate otherwise we were looking at €20!

Crossing the Rio-Antirrio Bridge - hardly any traffic, must be the costly toll!

We had already blown nearly 3 ½ days budget as we filled up with fuel for €90 (a whopping €1.44 per gallon in Greece, although we have seen it as expensive as €1.55 a gallon - taxes in Greece are very high!), followed by a big shop at Lidl €61 and then the toll for €13.30.

Crossing the bridge, we turned right, avoiding the motorway toll and followed the coastal road.  We had found a place on Park4Night at Alykon Port but when we arrived, I had a bad feeling about it.  What hadn’t helped was that the previous day I heard from Vera (we met her at Alexandrovo, Bulgaria and then again at Kerkini Lake in Greece) that her motorhome had been broken into on a service station in France.  You can park on some of these overnight, although Mel and I never have as we have always heard they are unsafe.  Vera, unfortunately didn’t have a choice as her chosen place to stop (a campsite) was closed and she had been driving a distance and was tired.  The scum bags stole her bag that had her passport, camera and money in.  She called the police who came straight away.  Fortunately, the thieves had dropped the bag with the passport and camera still in but had taken €300.  Now Greece is nothing like France and crime rates are very low with only really reports of pickpockets in Athens and major cities, so it wasn’t that I didn’t feel safe it was just a gut feeling.  So, we moved a bit further round and parked up alongside a German and Dutch motorhome near to a taverna, which unfortunately had closed for the season. Kato Achea (N38.15306 E21.55912).  Being out of season, the area was a bit scruffy but not a bad outlook.

Wild Camping at Kato Achea

We decided the following day we would treat ourselves to a few nights on a campsite (Camping Ionian Beach, Glyfa), plus we needed a washing machine and laundries are few and far between in Greece but most campsites have washing machine.  It is €19 with an ACSI card, although you can’t go on the front 2 rows overlooking the sea unless you want to pay €29 for the privilege.  We had wild camped alongside many beaches over the last few weeks and weren’t prepared to pay an additional €10 a night for the privilege.

The campsite is fantastic, we had to pinch ourselves that we were actually in Greece as most we had seen are very rundown.  This one definitely wasn’t!

One of the two large pools on the campsite

Watching the sun set over Zakynthos (AKA Zante) at the campsite.

Mel is swimming in there somewhere, with the beautiful island of Zakynthos for a backdrop

The morning after the earthquake, we took the scooter out for a ride around the little villages to the most westerly coast of the Peloponnese Cape, Tripití and the small village resort of Arkoúdhi.  It has a lovely sandy bay enclosed by a rocky headland.

Arkoúdh

Arkoúdh

From Arkoúdhi then rode to Chlemoutsi Castle, that looms high above the village of Kástro, and is visible for miles around.  

Chlemoutsi Castle

It is a beautiful preserved Venetian castle built 1220-1223, with its outer and inner enclosure.  The castle functioned right up until the Greek uprising in 1821, having had a turbulent history of being held by the Turks, then the Venetians and then back to the Turks again.

From the top you get fantastic views across to Zakynthos and Kefalonia

Museum Artefacts

Loutra Kyllinis, a little village we passed through, is known for its thermal springs, and we came across this old Roman Bath.  It still has the spring water running through and a rusty old bathing hut to get changed in – obviously not from Roman Times!!  I know it’s supposed to be therapeutic but it just makes you smell of bad eggs!

Old Roman Baths, with thermal springs

It’s been a lovely relax here, although mosquitoes have eaten us alive over the last couple of nights.  The owner of the campsite said he hadn’t known it to be so bad but with the wet weather they had 5 days ago, and then followed by the hot weather has brought them all out and they have certainly enjoyed feasting of us!  Before the earthquake, we had been talking about getting a ferry across to Zakynthos and spending a day or 2 exploring the island.  About 15kms from the campsite is Kyllini, that operate day trips across, but for obvious reasons we have had a change of heart!

We move on tomorrow to the home of the Olympic Games – we better start limbering up!

Sally x