To Athens and back!

As 2013 draws to a close, Philippa and Dec find themselves at something of a loose end.

We've transferred the Driftwood Cafe to the capable hands of Joss White and his partner Kayleigh, and picked up the threads of our life in Devizes. We're up to speed with all the local gossip, and back in touch will all our friends and neighbours. The garden and the allotment have enjoyed two years or so of laissez-faire cultivation, so both needed a spot of TLC. After a couple of weeks' effort, they're looking pretty good now. As winter approaches, there's less to do, and plenty of time to do it. So, what now?

As it happens, we have a good friend in Athens who has recently given birth to twins, and this is a great excuse for a visit - temperatures in Greece are high, but not too high at this time of year. Flights and accommodation are pretty cheap too.

But why fly both ways? The route between Athens and Devizes crosses much of mainland Europe, and there is a perfectly good train service - does anyone remember the Orient Express?

The Orient Express no longer runs, and its upstart cousin the Venice-Simplon OE runs luxury trips between London and Venice at eye-watering prices. But you can still get from Athens to Devizes by rail with two short hops on a bus, thanks partly to Dr Beeching and partly to the Greek economy.

Inspired by the gift of "The Man In Seat 61" by Mark Smith (surely not that bloke from The Fall?) and by a fondness for doing things in her own way, Philippa proceeded to tackle the logistics of a trip which will take in Athens, Thessaloniki, Sofia, Bucharest, Budapest, Vienna, Munich, Paris and London - It's all booked, and we'll be blogging our way around.

Stay tuned!

It's a long way.