Corfu

In September 1990, I spent four days on the island of Corfu while backpacking around Europe. After exploring Italy’s iconic northern cities, Dean Keiller and I decided to visit Greece. Getting there required us to catch a ferry from Brindisi. The cheapest option included a stop in Kerkira on Corfu. As a result, we decided to get off and spend a few days exploring the island.

The ferry departed Brindisi around 10:00pm and arrived in Corfu the following morning around 7:00am. As we’d done in Norway, Dean and I slept a night outdoors on the deck alongside other backpackers. Upon docking in Kerkira, disembarking passengers were besieged by a swarm of touts offering accommodation on the island. We eventually settled on a campground in Karousadhes on the island’s northern coast.

However, upon arriving at the campground, we discovered the price we’d been quoted on the wharf was misleading, to say the least. Additional charges suddenly appeared, including a transport fee and a tent fee. The price we’d been offered was just a basic site fee. The campground was also rather poorly maintained. The following morning, we decided to relocate to the campground in Dassia. which was much closer to the port. Dassia also boasts one of Corfu's most popular white sand beaches.

We made the most of our time on the island by hiring a couple of mopeds. Dean’s haggling skills came to the fore, and he secured us a bargain price for a full day’s hire. We took to the road, ultimately traversing more than half the island. The map above shows the ground we covered. Beach after beach, and bay after bay, were breathtakingly beautiful. I’ll let the images below speak for themselves. 

Note that we aren't wearing helmets. In fact, now that I think about it, we didn't have travel insurance either. What can I say? We enjoyed a classic backpacking experience. Although getting out and about allowed us to see the locals in action. As novice travellers, we were fascinated by the donkeys we encountered everywhere. It really was like something from a black-and-white Hollywood classic.

Highlights from our moped tour included the Canal d’Amour (Channel of Love) in Sidari on the island’s north coast. The coastline is famous for a series of Instagram-worthy channels carved into its white limestone cliffs. Supposedly, any couple who swims together in the waters of Canal d’Amour will remain forever in love. Dean and I certainly fell in love with its crystal-clear waters. It was also the perfect spot for a memorable picnic lunch. Did you notice me in the image that opens this post?

We also made it to Paleokastritsa, famous for its picturesque, white-washed monastery. The monastery of the Most Holy Theotokos is one of the oldest in Corfu, dating back to 1225.  Nearby is the equally impressive Angelokastro, a Byzantine castle situated on a prominent headland overlooking the village and its tranquil harbour.  The image above, sourced from the web, gives you a great sense of its unforgettable location. 

The furthest south we rode was Kato Garouna.  The village located here sits on one of the island's highest points. Not far from the road, you're rewarded with the most stunning view of Corfu's west coast and the Ionian Sea.  Another image taken from the web, above, captures the scene perfectly.

We originally planned to spend two full days on Corfu. However, thanks to a rookie mistake, we ended up spending a third day on the island. In essence, we’d forgotten that Greece was an hour ahead of the rest of Western Europe. As a result, we failed to adjust our watches after docking at Kerkira. We didn't discover our mistake until we arrived at the port on September 22, only to find that the ferry had already sailed. If truth be told, we had an early hint that something was amiss after hearing fellow campers around our tent pack up and leave at what seemed to be an ungodly hour of the morning. Little did we know!

However, all wasn’t lost. We decided to make good use of the extra day and used the campground’s coin-operated washing machine to wash our sleeping bags. It was the first time we’d laundered them since arriving in Europe in May. I’d hate to think what microscopic critters and fungi were living it up inside. Although, as you can see below, we got to enjoy a relaxing afternoon siesta under the olive trees.

The one thing that strikes me about this image is the plastic shopping bags sitting around our tent.  I'd forgotten our regular ritual every time we set up camp. We'd always go shopping for supplies to last us for a few days: bread rolls, salad, tomatoes and cheese for lunch, plus a few tinned goods used to pull together an evening meal. Our pup tent was tiny, so we often left our dry goods outside. When I look back now, our campsite must have looked like a garbage dump to other campers.

One final story about our time in Corfu. Greece has a police division dedicated to looking after visitors and tourists. After our first night camping in Karousadhes, we caught a shuttle van back to the main port to find a new campground. It was here that we encountered the deceptive tout who’d misled us the previous day. I took it upon myself to warn disembarking passengers that he was a crook and a fraud.

Let’s just say our dishonest friend didn’t take too kindly to my impromptu warnings. A scuffle soon broke out. In the ensuing melee, he knocked my spectacles to the ground, breaking the frame. I reported him to the local tourist police. I can still recall being interviewed by a slightly bemused officer in a small white-walled office in Kerkira. I have no idea what came of my complaint. This was the pre-Internet era, so it was almost impossible to follow up once we left the island. Fortunately, I was travelling with a spare pair of spectacles, so all wasn’t lost.

Early in the morning, on September 23, we boarded the ferry for Patras in Greece. What followed next was another unexpected encounter with the volatile Greeks. Follow this link to learn more!