# Greece:Solar panels, satellites, big vans,wifi



## Grizzly

Random thoughts that had not occurred to us until we came to Greece:

If you have a roof mounted solar panel and want to do without an EHU at Greek campsites then be aware that most of them are heavily shaded – many with rattan or palm shelters- and this is an effective solar panel blocker. 

The same applies to the use of roof mounted satellite dishes : they won’t go up and they can’t receive. We could have sold our little attach-anywhere Lidl kit many times over.

Both of the above seem to cause angst for many visitors from our observations !

More seriously, most of the sites we’ve visited – 13 to date- have been relatively uncrowded as it is still early in the season. We’re a low profile van and about 6m long. We’ve not been able to have a complete choice of pitches as we could not manoeuvre into many of them thanks to random shelter support poles and low shade trees. In summer, when the sites are busy, I suspect it becomes a bit of a nightmare trying to find a pitch at all for anything more than a tent ! If we had a taller or longer van and were travelling in peak season then I’d want to ring ahead before arriving at often quite widely spread campsites.

We’ve seen plenty of places where wild camping or camping in taverna car parks looks possible but no-one actually doing it. 

A folding wooden carpenter’s measure or similar would have been handy to assure ourselves that we could get under a shelter without ripping off roof vents. Remember to allow for possible extra height gain given by levelling blocks. 

Free wifi internet access seems to be pretty well taken for granted at campsites and many of the sites have invested in new equipment and aerials. If this matters to you then it might be important in your choice of pitch.

Only 3 more days before we catch the ferry back to Ancona. The van is filthy, scratched in places and we have some stowaway ants despite our best efforts but we’ve had a wonderful time and can recommend this country without reservation.

G


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## Koppersbeat

Grizzly,
Thanks for the info.We are sailing Ancona Patras on June 12.As we have never been to Greece before all info is gratefuly received.Will you have time to do your blog shortly?

I would be interested to know the good and the bad of the 13 campsites you have visited.

Helen


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## Grizzly

We are on the boat this afternoon. and no internet access. I will put a summary together asap.


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## MaxandPaddy

Hi G,
Your trip sounds great!
As we would love to visit Greece in our Motorhome I would love to hear about the places/sites you visited and the ones you would really recommend.
Plus any more handy hints and tips! We have visited Greece lots of times but never in a Motorhome so any advice would be fantastic.
Your comments about pitch sizes is very interesting as we are just short of 26ft and our friends Motorhome is a massive 28'7" so advance booking sounds like a must!
Looking forward to hearing from you on your return.

regards,
Val


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## Snelly

Why arn't we sending you off with a garage full of satellite in a suitcase kits?? :lol:


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## provencal

Arrived at 1130 today on the ferry from Ancona to Patras, having had a thunderstorm overnight and heavy rain this evening.
Just had the same problem with a roof mounted satellite dish being useless because of the tree cover.
We are in Kato-Alissos and have not met another Brit. There is apparently a 24 hr strike in Greece today but the docks and ferries were unaffected.
Hope this rain stops soon. It's dark early and feels cold despite the 24 degrees of the thermometer.


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## Grizzly

provencal said:


> We are in Kato-Alissos and have not met another Brit. There is apparently a 24 hr strike in Greece today but the docks and ferries were unaffected.
> Hope this rain stops soon. It's dark early and feels cold despite the 24 degrees of the thermometer.


Are the Harley-Davidson lot still there ? We left Kato Alissos the day before yesterday for the return ferry and they were arriving in force in Patra for a huge rally. K-A was full of them when we left but we thought they might be moving off. 
We overnighted in a sosta near Fano last night and woke up to 13 deg C and heavy rain this morning. It's now hot and sunny and we are waiting for it to cool to wash the van which is flithy.

Lots of activity on and off the ferry which was heavily searched - and us with it as we got on and then met by an enormous number of police at Ancona who searched us all yet again.

Enjoy your stay: Snelly, you're right about the satellite kits, they'd sell very well ! We thouht it was brilliant and it kept us in touch with the news of volcanoes, elections and new governments.

G
Edit: one more thought which might be useful. We met one Brit at K-A who had his passenger side wing mirror heavily covered with fluorescent tape. I thought he'd broken it but it was a sensible solution to let approaching drivers- on the narrow Greek roads- know that you have £300 worth of wing mirror sticking out at the side of the van.


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## provencal

Sorry not to have replied earlier. Water pump problems took over. Now fixed thanks to the excellent service of this campsite. They arranged for someone to bring a replacement from the other side of Patras and the cost was surpisingly only 30 euros. We have stayed here for a few days to sort out the problem. I hadn't realised how essential the water pump is and now have a spare.

The Harley lot are still here and I was told there were about 20 thousand expected. They seem to be visiting all areas and are going back on Tuesday. Many different groups have been at this campsite.
The weather is excellent now after the heavy rain. We went to the cafe in wellies on Friday evening. Everything seems to be good value and diesel is around 1.27 euro.

We stayed at the sosta in Ancona and were bothered by gypsy children begging. Suddenly they all left and it was an excellent stay for 10 euro + 20% VAT in an idyllic setting.

B


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## Grizzly

provencal said:


> Now fixed thanks to the excellent service of this campsite.


Glad all is OK and hope you enjoy a trouble free trip from now on.

Did you meet the supremo at Kato Alissos who has lived in Croydon for several years ? When he brought the basket of bread etc at the restaurant it was our first experience of Greek dining and I did not see the knives and forks hidden among the bread. I asked for a knife and fork and, deadpan, he said I should eat my anchovies with my fingers. We were given a large glass of ouzo on leaving- another first for me- so have hazy recollections of the rest of the evening.



> We stayed at the sosta in Ancona and were bothered by gypsy children begging. Suddenly they all left and it was an excellent stay for 10 euro + 20% VAT in an idyllic setting.
> B


Did you go up onto the top area - through the gates ? I hope the man in charge has had words with the children and sent them packing ?

G


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## Grizzly

Koppersbeat said:


> Grizzly,
> I would be interested to know the good and the bad of the 13 campsites you have visited.
> Helen


I've just put this in a separate post in the Greece Touring section Helen. We'll be home in a week so, if there is anything I can add, let me know. Enjoy your trip.

If you have time to learn a little Greek before you go it will make a huge difference- just "hello", goodbye"," thanks "and "please "will go down well and people are very helpful when you ask them to expand your vocabulary.

G

Edit:Two other points that have occurred to me:

Watch "sell-by" dates on things you buy, especially from rural minimarkets and campsite shops- though bigger supermarkets are not immune. We've had several fresh things that were seriously out of date !

If you are over 65 then show your passport at historical sites and museums etc and you are entitled to a half price or discounted ticket.


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## provencal

Hi Grizzly,
The kids at the sosta were with their parents in about six vans and they left during the afternoon. The man in charge didn't appear until evening. Yes it was up top within the gated area.
We are at Mani beach now at the first Internet opportunity since Kato Allisos. Been wilding quite a lot. Peejay's sites very useful.

Brian


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## provencal

*Gas refill near Patras*

Due to leave Patras for Ancona on Friday 11the June (tomorrow) and currently at Kato Alissos. Met Peejay at Diakofto Beach and we were disappointed at being unable to use rack railway today because of strike.

Talked to a Frenchman who we'd met before about our gas shortage problem. We have a one Calor and one French Butogaz bottle and can thus use the unavailable one as a reserve in each country. Unfortunately the Butogaz had run out and we were concerned about the amount of Calor left.

Our French friend came to the rescue with the location of a company in the area who could refill bottles with the continental fitting. Took a while to find it using his detailed verbal directions but we got there.

It is a few Km from Kato Alissos and our Satnav gave N38.1039, E021.6351 as its coordinates. They were very obliging and weigh the bottle to avoid overfilling. They don't speak anything but Greek but recognised the need and gave the solution in a very professional way. The company is called Petrogaz or very similar.

Seemed like a useful bit of information to share.

Brian


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