Its all Down Hill

I'm in shape. Yes round is a shape; but I mean more like I'm in fitness shape. I jog about 15 miles a week plus Zumba and Water Aerobics however my upper theighs hurt so bad today its difficult to walk up or down any stair without screeching in pain.

We walked the lenght of Samaria Gorge yesterday. It is Europe's longest deepest and longest gorge. The hike starts at 1230 meters above sea level and ends at the Libyan sea at a small town called Agia Roumeli, the western side of Crete, total lenght of the trail is 18 k. I dont have enough Starbucks coffee to figure out how high the mountain is or how long the trail is in feet or miles.

Now that those technical details are out of the way, let me tell you about this crazy adventure. 

There is a public bus to take you to the start of the gorge. It leaves a bit after 7 am and it's a hour ride up a very steep mountain with crazy switch backs and hairpin turns. If you are able to keep your eyes open you would see herds of mountain goats. Goats in all shape, sizes and colors. One goat was sporting dreadlocks.

After that heart pounds adventure, then the start of the trail, and $5 to get in. You are responsible for your ticket the sign reads. My husband promptly gives me his.

Hundreds, many a thousand other tourist are also starting the trail. If you couldn't get on one of the public buses for $14, there is the private bus option for $39. 

The trail is covered in rocks of all shape and sizes, its steep and all downhill. With some many people starting around the same time, everyone is all bunched up. All Dan and I wanted to do was get around all the cluster of people, many of whom don't share well or play nice with others.  Many parts are a one person lane only and it gets scary with mesh covering the trail to protect the walkers from falling rocks. My personal favorite sign was, "walk quickly, falling rocks."

At first the downhill isn't bad. After a couple of hours, it's really tough on the knees, toes and ankles. As we pass people I wonder how they are going to manage in their flip flops and open toed shoes. Some people are totally serious hikers with boots and huge backpacks.

There are plenty of cute little rest stops along the way with WC. (No, not waffles and  coffee.) The WC's are all holes in the ground and after you use the hole, there is a bucket of water to clean up behind yourself.  Good thing I have anti-baterial wipes...and I used them on my feet. Anyhow.

We keep wallking. And Walking. And Walking. It's taxing on the knees & legs and constantly "putting on the brakes."

No end in sight...what have I've done.

Then a mere fouur and half hour laters, we're done. It was the trail that would never end. And now the wait that never ends begins.

Once you exit the trail, it's 2 k to a small town. From there you buy tickets $10 for the only ferry out of town at 5 pm.  We have 3 hours to wait in a town that has 7 cafes, 2 gift shops and no wifi, no ice cream. I did bring my swim suit, I had planned on rewarding my hiking efforts by soaking the the aqua blue of the Libyan sea however it's windy and cold.  We huddle in a open air cafe watching all the other hikers pass.

5:30 pm and the ferry leaves.  There is more people on the ferry than seats. We're packed. For the price of the ticket, and all the people squeezed on that ferry I know how Greece can pay off their debt with just a couple ferry ride.

6:45 pm we arrive to another town and walk uphill another 1 k to the bus. There are over 10 busses waiting on the ferry. We find ours and seat.

7 pm the busses decied to leave. I suppose the bus drivers are done with their gossip and smoke break.

8:45 we arrive back in town. If the mountain roads we traveled on to get to the gorge were scary, the one back was worse. I kept looking out my window and couldn't even see the road, just the cliff. I shed a little tear in fear. I thought of my mom, my daughters and closed my eyes as I held my husband's hand.

9;04 back in our little apartment/hotel room.  We have a snack for dinner in our room, Neither one of us wants to go out. Both of us are flat out exhausted.

Would do it again.....maybe.