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Having travelled from Thiva, near Athens to Arohova and Delphi, winding westward through the mountains to Nafpacktos and turning north west to Kapsoahi on Lake Taihonia and I am now in Preveza. I left Thiva, near Athens, two weeks ago and travelling across Greece has been quite a challenge; negociating dangerous, fast roads and winding mountain roads and camping in olive groves with my two Greek ponies Joana (the grey) and Ermis (the bay). I have decided to take a horse truck/ferry to Italy as the roads are too dangerous going north to Albania.
2nd July - Eventually after 9 days I have the necessary papers to take the ponies on the ferry to Italy. One needs a lot of patience in Greece, but thank God I got them just before a government workers’ strike! Now I am almost at the port of Igouimenitsa and leave for Italy on Tuesday. Last night, a kind vet provided me with food for the horses. I was also invited by an Italian truck driver for spaghetti cooked on a stove in his very smart and big truck- delicious! I learnt my first word in Italian "Graci" a taste of Italy to come!
The meeting on the road with Panagiotis, the vet WAS one of those divine appointments - as we are both Christians … so we had lots to talk about! (He speaks English). He checked out the ponies (Joana needs to see a dentist) gave me some veterinary supplies and helped me catch the ferry.
July 8 - ITALY, spent last night with a lovley Italian family. We enjoyed Italian pizza and the local wine of the region. They saw us travelling down the main street of town yesterday in the heat of the day and invited me home to their beautiful 17th century Italian house where the ponies are resting and they are helping me with the route through Italy. It is so hot and humid, I thought Italy would be cooler than Greece but it does'nt feel like it. It feels hotter!
July 14 - ITALY west of Bologna, nr Reggia Emilia. Grounded for a week as Italian law requires horses have a Coggins blood test. Also I needed to pay even more in vet fees as it is also law now to have a page in horses passports stating "they are not for human consumption!" I thank God I met a great Scots lady Moira, who invited my ponies to her riding stables and has been helping me with all the bureaucracy, translationing and getting set for the next part of the journey. Once I am legal to travel through italy, as it is 38°C and (over 100°F) here, I am setting my sights on the mountains /Alps!!
Meeting great people is one of the best parts of travelling by horseback! In Italy, people on bicycles would escort me along my way often through a maze of roads, tracks or little villages to where I wanted to get to …..!
Outside the tourist information in Pont St. Martin in northern Italy I met Paolo and Barbara. They invited us to the barn where they kept their horses (Paolo escorting us on his bicycle!) and then home to the family where I had a very welcome shower and pizza!
I really enjoyed northern Italy as we had the opportunity to leave the busy roads and follow tracks through the mountains and the Alps.
1st August – Switzerland - Crossed over Col du Grand Ferret into Switzerland, just down the other side of the mountain from Italy. Now everyone is talking French, so my brain cogs are turning to remember my school French!
When I left Greece I was just getting the hang of some Greek words but oh, Italian is a beautiful sounding language, who can’t help but fall in love with Italy.
Only spent a few days in Switzerland but we felt it! Climbing steeply up and down around Mt. Blanc. On several occasions I had to unload the pack off Joana and drag it up as the climb was too steep and narrow for her to carry it. In the dark we arrived at the Fenetre d’Arpette 2665 metres and camped, rather perched there, in the cold night (thanks for the extra coat Paolo!) before journeying down to Col de Forclaz and up over Col de Balme into France!
France - Met another photographer, John and his wife Anne and tied up the ponies outside their house for breakfast! Futher down the valley near Chamonix I was buying bread and my ponies were enjoying a baguette (“ils aiment le pain francais!”) when a family invited me to lunch, and a shower, while the ponies did a good job mowing their neighbour’s long grass lawn.
A few days later I met up with my long time great friend Ali, with whom I rode through New Zealand. The ponies stayed the first days of their holiday at Francois and Anne Marie’s home.
Next month we travel through France.
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