Home » Cyprus Israel » Cycle to the Summit Part 6 - Athens; through Israel to the Egyptian border

The team find passage to Cyprus on a cargo ship, and spend a memorable New Years Eve drinking Vodka with Russian sailors, whom Ruth later beats in an epic chess match. Finding no connecting services to Egypt at Cyprus, instead the cyclists take a detour through Israel. Passing through spectacular places that are familiar to even the most lapsed Christians amongst us, we take the opportunity to swim in the Dead Sea, and then soldier on through days of horrible headwinds towards the Egyptian border.

Cycle to the Summit Part 6 - Athens; through Israel to the Egyptian border

Toby Hammond
2006-06-25 18:55:13

Displayed times (last time: )

source: http://www.cycletothesummit.org.uk

31 December 2001 - Leaving Pireas on New Years Eve

Some odd things about Pireas on New Years Eve
As we left Pireas (the port part of Athens), kids with triangles were invading shops in the high street, and clanging them and singing (badly) in a festive spirit, until paid to leave - much like trick-or-treating. Meanwhile, a policeman directed traffic, from a sort of white pulpit in the middle of an intersection. As we watched, locals drove up and presented him with gifts (to the detriment of traffic flow). The last few days of the Drachma were most noticeable by euro-currency convertor calculators being sold on every street corner. And in the street market, an entrepreneuring man was doing a brisk trade in crocus bulbs wrapped in tinfoil - selling them from the roof and bonnet of his car.
Time to leave - getting a boat to Cyprus
Don't get me wrong, Pireas is a nice enough town…for a port. But having been waiting there three days, the team was in high spirits when a passage to Cyprus was secured for Monday evening, abord The Ion, - a cargo ship with just a few berths for paying passengers. The Ion is seven decks of clanky metal stairs, 'proper portholes', and everything… As a special honour we are given the Pilot's cabin ("...so where is the 'pilot'??...") We stood on the loading gantry of the ship and watched the sun set over Pireas, and met our fellow passengers. They include a German embassy attachee delivering an armour-plated jeep to Tel-Aviv, a Swedish couple, and a doubtlessly certifiable man known as Mad Mike, of unknown nationality, -but wearing a Wimbledon Cap. He is unable to hold a sensible conversation with; is heard claiming to be a saint, frequently roars with laughter and dances around ship. There are also reports that he howls at night...The steward advised us to lock our cabin door.

...