Getting there - Thursday, September 25
We found astonishingly cheap tickets on United Airlines. The catch is that they were Basic Economy. Basic Economy international tickets allow you a carry-on and a personal item, which put us basically in the same packing situation we always travel with (backpack plus rolling suitcase) but without the option of a free checked bag. This wasn’t really a problem. The United Airlines credit card I used to buy the tickets includes a free checked bag as a perk - I lacked confidence that this “hack” would really work so we just planned to carry everything.
We are facultative carry-on travelers. We do it sometimes, but it gets to be a pain, schlepping a bag to the bathroom and restaurants and every damn where. OTOH, it’s great not to have to wait at the baggage claim at the end. (Lost luggage really isn’t our concern; it does happen, but so rarely as to not be a major reason to decide one way or the other.)
This was a great itinerary. We left from our hometown airport of GSP, sat in Dulles all afternoon, and then flew direct from IAD to Athens. I amused myself watching old Robert Redford movies (Downhill Racer is a great visit to late 1960s Switzerland!).
Even the flight to Athens wasn’t terrible, even if it was completely full. It was only about 8 hours, which is humane. Chris and I had bought the aisle seats, at the very back, in a middle section - our favorite strategy for getting extra space - but that only works when every seat isn’t sold. The man seated between us never once got up. I don’t see how people can do that.
Ryan and Casey et al. arrived in Athens while we were over the Atlantic. They went straight to our fabulous AirBnb, an entire three-storey house right next to the Roman Agora. Athens hotels have been extraordinarily expensive of late, which makes house rentals that much more desirable. Also, this house had a washer and a DRIER, the first one I’d ever encountered in Greece!