Well I lived in Thesaloniki for a year a decade ago, and yes Halkidiki/Chalkidiki is quite nice. I dont have any experience of planning/farming regs etc, but I did find any dealings with officialdom very long winded and frustrating.
like england and the rest of the eu then then ?
did you find the welcome extends to ex pats as well as tourists ?
any idea where i may be able to hire a small but sturdy boat(i am quite responsible ,sort of ) for a couple of weeks when i go back exploring (sept )as i think the best way to explore torinos will be by coast hugging ,rather than a hotel and radial exploration .
i find greek (all) roads scary and i wont cover enough areas on foot in the time i have available .
Sorry no idea about the boats, and wouldn't know about Ex-pats. I was a sort of student, most of the guys were ok, until we started chatting up their women!
If you know anybody that has Saga Magazine. in this month's there is a nice article about a guy who converted an old Olive press on one of the Islands. Top of a hill, no road access, or electric, completely mad!
Joined: 15 Jan 2005 Posts: 7184 Location: South Kent
Posted: Mon Jul 10, 06 6:43 pm Post subject:
dpack wrote:
any idea where i may be able to hire a small but sturdy boat(i am quite responsible ,sort of ) for a couple of weeks when i go back exploring (sept )...
September is probably the most helpful bit. End of the season but not quite out of season.
Problem is that the sort of boat you are after is rather unlikely to be offered to tourists.
I wondered about "flotilla sailing holidays" - but that probably wouldn't give you enough flexibility. (Unless you happen to have some RYA paperwork... )
You aren't going to want to hire anything as big as a caique...
ISTR that decent Greek maps (and charts) were more easily bought in London than Greece.
I think your best bet is to use the net (or even the Rough Guide) to find email (or phone) for specific town tourist offices, town halls, maybe even harbourmasters. And ask them.
Its possible that you might be able to hire something from, for example, a windsurf or sailing school (their safety boat?) or a water ski outfit (their pride and joy).
I fear 'self-drive hire' may be tricky. Just think of insurance. But hiring a boat + man (or boy) may be fairly easy, if not as cheap as some years ago.
If its anything like motorcycle hire in Greece, you might expect a low standard of maintenance (certainly by the end of the season), and a request for a hefty deposit or even your passport...
Joined: 15 Jan 2005 Posts: 7184 Location: South Kent
Posted: Mon Jul 10, 06 7:28 pm Post subject:
dpack wrote:
i recon a cabin boy wouldnt suit .
ooh er mrs
I'm thinking that hiring a boat + even a nominal "driver" (a bit like a minicab) is the sort of thing that the fishermen, etc, would take to a lot more easily than seeing someone setting of in *their* boat without any supervision.
It would also be a way to get a lot more local knowledge.
I rather wonder whether you might be best looking for, and asking after, an expat-run water-borne operation... (less emotional attatchment to the boat).
buy a canoe seems simple enough for even me .
i dont need big fast or clever just better than walking when the sea is there ,flat and near everywhere .
i like canoes more than bicycles (ugh hills )so until my feet hit dust i will keep my options open .
ta so far ,any more advice is welcomed
dougal
Joined: 15 Jan 2005 Posts: 7184 Location: South Kent
Posted: Mon Jul 10, 06 7:49 pm Post subject:
Don't expect the Aegean to be completely flat come September. It gets *very* breezy.
thats ok ,but i will be sensible
pulled up to see out wild weather is no great hardship
i need independant mobility , the environment i will live with
if i must feed the fish ...nice way to go
so far etc famous last wo...
apart from water a pretty gentle environment judging by the flora .
fun though , i really appreciate the help .
im taking my fly net closest i could find to deet but i still dont need a cabin boy
dougal
Joined: 15 Jan 2005 Posts: 7184 Location: South Kent
Posted: Mon Aug 21, 06 8:37 pm Post subject: Re: greece
dpack wrote:
hi there , i have a cunning plan .
does anyone know about chalkidiki
mediumsized smallholdings
rules ,regs,n pitfalls ...
No one mentioned fires.
Dpack you're better off wherever you are right now.
i saw that ,
add fire breaks to cunning plan
im a bit worried for them but the locals are used to it
43 degrees +pine forrest =wild fires most years this is a bad one though .