Παρασκευή, 28. Αυγούστου 2026
Σταυρός, Θεσσαλονίκης 🇬🇷
Our annual family holiday in Greece has finally begun: One week in Σταυρός (Stavros), on the East coast of the Θεσσαλονίκη (Thessaloniki) area – followed by a second week on Θάσος (Thassos). Before any of that however: An overnight journey to Gatwick, a delayed flight, and my (rather enthusiastic) reintroduction to Greek driving.
The holiday began at midnight, with Dad driving us down to Gatwick for our 05:45 flight to Thessaloniki. We made better time than expected and arrived around an hour early, leaving us with time to fill, which we did so in Starbucks before we could check in.
Then, at three in the morning, the word every traveller dreads appeared on the departures board: Delayed. The new departure time was 07:00. Four hours to wait.
At 05:55, the gate information finally appeared and we were relieved simply to be moving again. Once everyone was aboard, however, we were told that departure would actually be at 07:40. That meant another half-hour sitting on the aircraft while Gatwick remained (annoyingly) visible through the windows.
When we eventually left, the flight itself was pleasant enough, although very bumpy and uncomfortable until we reached Munich. Finally, at 12:36 Greek time (10:36 UK time), we landed safely in Thessaloniki. The waiting was over: Our first family holiday to Greece in about 3 or 4 years, had begun.
Then they handed me the car keys…
I drove us east from Thessaloniki towards Stavros and made what I shall generously describe as a “quick adjustment” from British driving, to the more agressive and fast-paced local style of driving. Mum’s commentary began almost immediately.
“Oh God, he’s overtaking.” (Well, what else is a dual carriageway for?)
Admittedly, the overtaking did not end when the dual carriageway did. If somebody insists on driving slowly along a single-carriageway road… options present themselves. One manoeuvre took the indicated speed to almost 140km/h in a 90km/h limit. That speed looks considerably less defensible now that I have written it down. I was keeping up with the local drivers, that’s all!
By the time we reached Stavros, I had also driven the wrong way along a one-way street. And as for priority at some of those junctions: Whose right of way is it? Mine, of course!
I had been in the country for barely an hour and already, I told myself, I was driving like a Greek.
Once we had found our apartment and settled in, the pace of the day finally began to change. We made it to the beach, had lunch at the thoroughly Mediterranean hour of five o’clock, and cooled off with a swim in the pool.
Later, Mum and I wandered into town to find the supermarket and inspect the possibilities for our evening meal. Back at the apartment, there was time for another swim and a drink on the balcony before we headed out for dinner.
We did not have far to go. Stratis sits at the end of our road, beside the main roundabout in the centre of Stavros, and it became the setting for our first evening meal of the holiday. I chose meatballs in tomato sauce with chips; A simple, filling meal and exactly what I needed after a journey that had begun the previous night.
And so ended our first day in Greece: Gatwick delays, a bumpy flight, some questionable driving, the beach, the pool, a drink on the balcony, and finally a proper meal.
It had been a very long day.
I would sleep well.
Καληνύχτα,
Φ.Χ.
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