Today the sky is overcast. The narrow road with few traffic goes along the coast with repeated beautiful views.
I meet a couple from New-Zealand. They want to cross Europe by bike and are on their way from Cyprus to Kopenhagen. I give them the maps that I don't need any more and get a map of north Peleponnes which I didn't have yet. It was later very useful for me.
After a while the road goes away from the coast uphill into the mountains. If this continues I can't reach my destination today.
But after the incline I enjoy driving long time downhill.
20 km in front of the bridge to Patras I meet another long distance cycling couple. They come from France and want to take the ferry from Patras to Italy and then return home.
At the toll station of the bridge a man shows the path for pedestrians and cyclists to me. He asks where I come from. When I tell him that I'm coming from Germany he says "Merkel" and points to his empty pockets. But he ist laughing and lets me pass.
On the bridge it is stormy, I can only go slowly. At the end are only stairs for pedestrians. Carefully I can manage to take the loaden bike down.
Then I continue towards Platani, about 8 km north of the bridge with a heavy incline on the last 2 km.
But nothing is as described. I make a call to Gelsenkirchen on the mobile phone and find out that the house is not at Platani but at Platanovrisi, about 30 km to the southwest. They would already wait for me.
Of course the address was correctly written, but I read it carelessly.
So I go on again. It goes through the big city of Patras and I have to ask for the way several times, because there are no signs or I don't see them. It also begins to rain, so I cover the baggage again.
Meanwhile it has gotten dark, and I have to switch on the lights. Because there is a long incline again, I am very slow and the light is dim. I don't feel safe on the dark road.
Fortunately the turnoff to Halandritsa is easy to find. I was told to stop after 4 km at a gas station and make another call. But there is no service. Furthermore there come two load barking and aggressive dogs towards me so that I try to escape uphill. I don't want to be bitten once more after I experienced dog biting a few weeks before.
So I go faster, and the dogs stay back. Beside me stops a car. It is the friend of my Greek friend who lives in the house and takes care of it. He is a pastor and drives ahead of me to the house. I would never have found the way by myself in the dark.
I get a kind welcome although the people don't know me. The pastor's wife speaks English, so we can talk together.
After the shower I get an excellent dinner, two portions of pasta with chicken, so that afterwards I barely can go in an upright position. It is a very beautiful house with nice views to three sides, even at night.
Tomorrow after breakfast I want to continue my trip and expect to arrive at my destination.