Day 8 - Monday 16.05.25: M&A are off on an adventure….by car!
- M&A
- Jun 17
- 5 min read

Alex was picking us up at 8.30am to take us up to the Oceanis Hotel to collect the ‘manual’ car that we’ve hired for just the one day. Paperwork sorted we were taken to inspect the car and shown the controls. We got in the car, started the ignition and off we went. Now that’s what should have happened. What did happen was that I got into the drivers seat and tried to start the car only for the damn thing not to start, despite numerous attempts. In the end Maice got in and started it on the first attempt! Apparently you have to put your foot down on the clutch to engage and start the engine. Yes well, in my defence when you’re used to an automatic you forget these basic things of driving a manual. So off we went back down the hill and stopped at the apartments so that I could change my shoes. Remembering to engage with the clutch this time we set off for our adventures , me driving Maice navigating!
We’ve decided we’re going north, stopping off at different villages and resorts along the way and our first stop was Sami located just along the coast through the mountain pass, which according to the iMap App is along one straight road. Although we knew we were on the right at one point we thought we could possibly be going in the wrong direction when in fact we were on the right road and we were going in the right direction, it was all very confusing. The more north you travel in Kefalonia the more mountainous it becomes and the roads are very windy and bendy to such an extent that our little manual car was struggling to get out of 2nd gear!

We eventually arrived in Sami, parked outside the pharmacy on the main promenade and walked from one end of the promenade to the other eventually returning to the first cafe we saw which had nice comfy chairs in which to enjoy our morning frappes. Sami was not only a port but seems to be where all the yachting fraternity gather as the marina’s (there were at least three) were full of yachts of differing sizes, some extremely expensive! As ports go its buzzing; the promenade is full of cafes and tavernas, there’s people milling around everywhere, there are lots of shops, its got a totally different vibe to that of quiet little Poros down the coast. Kefalonia was used in the film Captain Corelli’s Mandolin (lovely film) and Sami was partially rebuilt to represent its pre-earthquake state. After our frappes we wandered around the town and just before we were leaving Maice decides she needs the loo and as there are no public conveniences we went into the bakery, bought a doughnut and Maice used their facilities. At this point I didn’t need the loo, although in hindsight a) I should have gone in order to get our moneys worth for buying the doughnut and b) as soon as we left Sami I needed the loo!
Road signs seem to be few and far between so when we left Sami we had a fifty fifty chance of taking the correct road and of course we took the wrong one and ended up heading back to Poros so turned around and put Satnav on to help us on our way. We were now destined for Asos on the west coast and had to drive through Aghia Effima, to get there. It seemed like a lovely little resort but as we drove through along the promenade we got the feeling we’d missed a turning somewhere and were not on the right road, and how right we were. We knew we’d gone wrong when the road ended at a hotel! We needed Satnav again who told us to turn back and take a right turn in 500 yards! Back on the road again our next stop was Asos. We drove there almost in 2nd gear and once or twice we even managed to get into 3rd gear! We seemed to be travelling further than what the distance should have been to Asos when there was the village road sign…..we had arrived, in Fiskardo! So how had we missed the sign for Asos, neither of us saw one which was most disconcerting. Anyway thankfully we were here as my bladder was now ready to explode!

We parked in the car park and made our way down to the harbour which was lovely although it seemed to be a bit overrun with boats full of day trippers. We enjoyed a lovely little lunch in the harbour, sat right on the edge of the water and shared a Greek salad sandwich that came with chips, a small carafe of wine small and a small bottle of water. It was actually rather delicious. Today we’ve challenged ourselves to talk to someone new and lo-and-behold along came Ian and Sally who are on a day cruise from Lefkada. Bless them, they’re both in their early seventies and getting married in a few months down in Cornwall. Apparently when they were both twelve and fourteen they were childhood sweethearts, then went their separate ways, he purchased a Ford Capri in 1976 then sold it later on, then many years later he saw it being driven around town and wanted to know who had bought it and he found out it was Sally. So after both being previously married and both had two children each they found each other and are soon to be Mr & Mrs Ford Capri!

Up this end of the island the weather is totally different from Poros. Here it was cloudy and windy although it was still hot. We wandered around Fiskardo and to cool down we bought ourselves an ice-cream, it was lovely. We finally set off to Asos where we saw a signpost and believe that the reason we didn’t see the sign on the way was due to there being a coach parked at such an angle that one cannot see it when approaching from the other direction. The descent into Asos was down a very steep road full of hairpin bends. It was a small resort and also another place where Captain Corelli Mandolin was filmed. We had a cooling drink and headed back up the mountain, in 2nd gear!

We stopped off at the ‘discount’ supermarket where we stocked up on water, wine, and crisps then just after Sami we stopped at the olive oil and local honey stall and purchased a few items. Just before Poros we stopped at a petrol station and topped up with petrol where your petrol is served for you. It was a little lad who topped us up and for his services we gave him €1, he was well chuffed.
Back at the apartments we dropped all our purchases off before safely delivering the car back to Alex at the Oceanis Hotel and walked down the hill. After our day out we were having a night in, supper al-fresco on the balcony and continuing with our rummy tournament. Yesterday Maice was leading by 300 now after tonight’s games she is leading by over 600! She keeps on getting the jokers, every time! It’s definitely who sits in what chair, although we do alternate each day!
We were so getting bitten to pieces we decided to retire indoors. It was now 10.45pm and it had been a long but enjoyable day. What’s in store for us tomorrow! Frappe at the Remetzo, the bakery, sun-beds and supper. Lovely.
Καληνύχτα ….Μ&Α χχ


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