Blood Letting and Head for Athens 17 Sept

Much talk about selling blood and that the price in Thessalonica is higher than Athens, so decide to dash in and sell on the way to Athens. Arrive at hospital soon after 9am. See queue waiting but hope to get in quickly, don't know what's going on at all! Get led in like lamb to slaughter. Wait in anteroom, get into testing department to find I need passport. Out to car using emergency key and back in. They come up with the remarkable news that I'm O+ and that it's good wholesome stuff, but the guy who brought me in wants A so have to wait for O sponsor. One soon arrives and collars Bev and self (NZ birds floating around now).

While I'm waiting I undergo usual nervous reaction, sweating and faint but it passes. They are reluctant to let me be bled but persuaded so Bev and I lie down together – how romantic. Afterwards up to office where we receive 400 Drax (£5) each direct from sponsor for approx half a pint. Brian has moved car so don't find it immediately. Bev, Liz and Barbara all appear and disappear, then I spot the 'Wave' and off to Post Office. Have a hell of a walk to find bougatsa tiri for lunch.

Eventually head for Athens. 24km out of Thessalonica see tomatoes all over the road at road junction. Tractor trailer on its side after fracas with lorry. A lot of the country is flat but with mountains in the distance. On the whole it's pretty desiccated and some of the hills look very barren. South of Katerini we have to pay 40 Drax for 'motorway' toll. The road then runs through gorge to Larissa. Here we decide to go down non-toll road, which is appreciably shorter, but find ourselves on motorway because they don't join as the map would have us believe (another 15 Drax).

While heading for Lamia we again try to get on non-toll road. This time we make a complete balls-up and find ourselves dining in a field south of Lamia. Blackberries again. Farmer and children get friendly and photographed. It's now dark so decide on motorway as it's simpler (20 Drax). Stop at Mobil 'Travel Stop' 20km north of Athens. Attempt to buy 20 litres, end up buying 9.6 gallons! Not sure how that happened. Then what a party getting a map of Athens with the coupons we were given at the border. Go into café for ouzo, then off into the night and sleep in a wooded lay-by off road. Camp bed beside car - very satisfactory.