All the ugly Greek women were sent to Australia

In Athens the women are all beautiful, well dressed and well groomed. What happened here in Oz? We must have been sent the rejects.

The Parthenon at Night

The Greeks don't have much in the way of stuffed Koalas or kangaroo scrotum purses but they do have a nice line of illuminated Parthenons. This can be yours for only 15 euros. Lovely on the mantlepiece.

How to Overtake

This is how one overtakes in Greece. You just push your way between the vehicles in front. It helps if you are driving something big.

Good on you Stratos Vasillikos

In Athens we stayed at the 'Hotel Parthenon' a part of the Aerotel group, an Athens hotel chain (they have 3). In the foyer they have this charming photo of the founder Mr Stratos Vasillikos. Stratos is obviously a well dressed urbane man. I love this photo as I can't think of any person proudly displaying a photo of themselves smoking in a public place. I don't smoke never have and never will, however it pains me to see how smokers are treated with the disdain reserved for child molesters. Good on you Stratos (unfortunately he died in 2002 aged 57, I hope it wasn't lung cancer).

The Mighty Nissan

This is the mighty Nissan that we were driving in. Notice the lack of hubcaps, the same on the cars behind. Very few cars in Athens have hubcaps and most have dents and other minor damage. This car was almost brand new and was pretty straight but this the exception not the norm.

There are no Road Laws in Greece

Two hours after landing in Greece I was in a car with a Frenchman driving, heading out past Patra at a rapid pace. There are no road laws in Greece only guidelines, or so it seems. Anyway out in the country you can get around quite quick.

Athens to Chamonix

I am in Chamonix we came here yesterday from Athens as the weather in Greece was no good for flying and was going to stay like that until thursday. We will be skiing around here for a few days if things go well we may do a day heliskiing in Italy. On friday we fly back to Athens and hopefully heliski Mt Olympus over the weekend. Depends on the weather. If I can find a place that will allow me to plug my camera into the computer I will post some photos. Wait and see there is not much interenet access here. Chamonix is big beautiful and a little scary, huge mountains.

Athens

Arrived in Athens yesterday morning at 7am. 2 Hours later I was in a car with a mad frenchman driving. 180kph in a 120 zone on a two lane road full of semitrailers. We were off to check out a couple of 2300 metre peaks out past Corinth. The mountains were good and we survived. We were supposed to go up to Mt Olympus today in a cessna to see what it is like but unfortunately the weather was against us. I ended up wandering around Athens. Tomorrow if the weather is ok we are taking a chopper up to the mountains we saw yesterday for a few first tracks ever.

Sane kids, mad wife.

Just a catch up to let you know I'm not dead. It's stupid crazy at work I hate sacking people but have had to fire three this week, hate doing can't sleep well afterwards. My trip to Nepal has been cancelled, who would believe that there is no snow in the Himalayas. Well there is snow but there has not been any new snow this season so we are going to Greece instead. We will be the first people to heliski in Greece so it could be interesting. Will post photos etc when I get back. My kids are all fine and driving me mad, my wife is mad and keeping me sane.

Keep your strength up for the long war with islamofacsism. Victory is uncertain but if we don't stand now it will be too late. I just wish I had the time/courage/influence to have organised a support rally outside the Danish Consulate in Melbourne. It's probably too late now but these honest couragous people need our support. Buy Danish if you can.