Letter home part 3

Part 3
They let one of those Mutant Turtles paint one of the ceilings in there. He must have been tall. There is also a modern art exhibition, and one painting looked like Eric Idle on the cross. I started singing, “Always look on the bright…”, good advice at all times, one thinks. I got the giggles and had to quickly split an infinitive and leave.

google image

Heading South, I made Naples. If ever a city deserved Maradonna, and vice versa, then this was it. I came to the conclusion that Fiat must design their cars with a toot of the horn every other rotation of the wheel, and I am being polite. I passed through Pompeii (Ooh, aah, missus) and on to Salerno where I had my only tumble. Shaken but not stirred, I was embarrassed. I continued between the Appinines till I reached Brindisi. A gay guy saw me and licked his lips. He followed me in his car. My nodding did not seem to have much effect. I felt concerned as I had no escape. Eventually, he became bored.

google image

Another ferry to Corfu where it was possible to go on a day trip to Albania. I wanted to spend my birthday 
there, but it took 3 days to get a visa. The year before I as I Cuba, but it was not to be. I spent my 39^th birthday alone. For some reason I became emotional, and I had ot even looked in the mirror.

Heading North East I made it over some very steep mountains. A truck was passing and I grabbed the rear of it for a ride. This caused great amusement to other motorists and the driver. He had a good attitude. As we were climbing steeply, his speed was slow enough for me. After an hour and a half he waved to say ‘goodbye’. I thanked him immensely. I hope his kindness is rewarded.

Thessaloniki  looks great on posters: the castle from various angles.  Trouble is there is nothing else. The architecture in Greece, with a few notable exceptions, has got to be the most boring in the world. Every town has the same style of houses, exactly the same down to the shutters on the windows.

google image

I have never been a believer in luck but it played on my side throughout the trip. I had no wet weather clothes, it did not rain, I had no map, I did not get lost and the only bike breakdowns happened near towns.  The back wheel  totally collapsed and had to be replaced along with the gears. I had only 18; I never could find the 21^st anyway.

I had got everything organised for my entry into Turkey. All the Drachma had been changed and my dream of visiting Istanbul was to be realised, or so I thought.