airport - plakias

[ARGONAUT]

howdy Plakias people----just a quicky ! I get into Iraklion 3am , should I get a taxi from airport to Iraklion bus station then bus to Rethymon then taxi to Plakias - any idea how much taxi reth to plakias cost?

regards   Argonaut

[Rodger]

howdy Plakias people----just a quicky ! I get into Iraklion 3am , should I get a taxi from airport to Iraklion bus station then bus to Rethymon then taxi to Plakias - any idea how much taxi reth to plakias cost?

regards   Argonaut
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=4305\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

The first bus leaves Heraklion at 5.30 so you'd do better to hang around at the airport for a while - there is a 24-hour cafe upstairs.

Your taxi driver will not be at all happy to take you to the bus station as he'll be looking for a fare to one of the coastal resorts.  But after all, it's not your job to make taxi drivers happy.  

Why not take the bus from Rethymno to Plakias as well?  It goes from the same station where you get off the Heraklion bus.

[beachcombers]

howdy Plakias people----just a quicky ! I get into Iraklion 3am , should I get a taxi from airport to Iraklion bus station then bus to Rethymon then taxi to Plakias - any idea how much taxi reth to plakias cost?

regards   Argonaut
[{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Hi Argonaut
We would personally hire a car: looking at your plans to explore south coast and WWII statues etc.

Suggest you contact [a href=\"http://www.ansotravel.com]http://www.ansotravel.com[/url]

This Plakias travel agency has nice deals 3 days car hire Pick up at airport leave at Plakias and Vice Versa.

Drive carefully and suggest to wait till daylight before you start driving.

We are sure you have have a good time.

Regards
Beachcombers

[Mike G]

howdy Plakias people----just a quicky ! I get into Iraklion 3am , should I get a taxi from airport to Iraklion bus station then bus to Rethymon then taxi to Plakias - any idea how much taxi reth to plakias cost?
regards   Argonaut
[{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

For a bus transfer from Heraklion to Plakias, there were several useful posts some time ago. Click [a href=\"http://forums.plakias.co.uk/index.php?PHPSESSID=6df61045ad0fbbdfb9a192173a6d8207&showtopic=298&st=60]here[/url] and look for the post by Noopsy 500 on 15 July 2004 at 10.54am

It takes a long time but is cheap!

Mike

[John R]

Drive carefully and suggest to wait till daylight before you start driving.

Probably good advice if you are unfamiliar with the place.

However I'm looking forward to driving at that time of night (Assuming my car has lights !!) because that horrible main  east/west highway has virtually no traffic on it at that time.

John R

[harribobs]

However I'm looking forward to driving at that time of night (Assuming my car has lights !!) because that horrible main  east/west highway has virtually no traffic on it at that time.

John R
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=4329\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

John

how long does it take you get acustomed to driving on the wrong side?

(i feel just about OK by the spilli turnoff on the national)

[beachcombers]

Drive carefully and suggest to wait till daylight before you start driving.

Probably good advice if you are unfamiliar with the place.

However I'm looking forward to driving at that time of night (Assuming my car has lights !!) because that horrible main  east/west highway has virtually no traffic on it at that time.

John R
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=4329\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Only in emergencies I will do this. I must not think of the car broken down just after curve in the road. It can be very dark and Greek drivers are surely not defensive drivers!

[John R]

[[/quote]

Only in emergencies I will do this. I must not think of the car broken down just after curve in the road. It can be very dark and Greek drivers are surely not defensive drivers!

[/quote]

Famous last words, but I am not at all bothered about the prospect. I've been driving there for 9 years now. I totally agree about Greeks not being defensive drivers but I am an ultra defensive driver - especially over there. I feel I can make a better job of it than some of the transfer taxi drivers that we've been with in the past.

I see you are from Netherlands. Now I once drove through Amsterdam (Beautiful place) on a Sunday afternoon. NEVER NEVER EVER again. If you can deal with drivers in Amsterdam (I did - just) then Crete is very easy indeed.

I am very used to driving hilly, narrow mountainous roads  - in the dark - near to where I live.

John R

[John R]

John

how long does it take you get acustomed to driving on the wrong side?

(i feel just about OK by the spilli turnoff on the national)
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=4331\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

I get used to it amost immediately.  It is a bit like getting used to both of our cars back here. Each very different but I adapt immediately to whichever one I'm in. I have to be more careful back at home when I might tend to go to the right if not careful. I always seem to be very conscious of the situation when on the right - which seriously is not a bad thing - never getting into "autopilot" mode like back at home. Having a LH drive car is a big advantage in keeping one aware.

The only thing I have problems with is occasionally getting into the incorrect side of the car. I've been know to sit there and wonder whose pinched the steering wheel.

[Noopsy]

The only thing I have problems with is occasionally getting into the incorrect side of the car. I've been know to sit there and wonder whose pinched the steering wheel.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=4352\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

  Nice one!

[beachcombers]

The only thing I have problems with is occasionally getting into the incorrect side of the car. I've been know to sit there and wonder whose pinched the steering wheel.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=4352\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

  Nice one!
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=4356\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Experience from the opposite site:
Direction L/R handle is opposite from window wiper handle. :

It took my 3 weeks to get used to it!  
And 2 weeks to get back to the continental system.

Most likely due to no dense traffic in NZ

[harribobs]

The only thing I have problems with is occasionally getting into the incorrect side of the car. I've been know to sit there and wonder whose pinched the steering wheel.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=4352\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

I enjoy watching mandy walk round to the drivers side and then panic when she sees the steering wheel!

i did NOT enjoy driving in belgium in my (RH drive) car, i won't do that again

[John R]

i did NOT enjoy driving in belgium in my (RH drive) car, i won't do that again
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=4364\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Me too - one reason for us not visiting our mutual friends. We experienced Belgium drivers at the same hol as my other recent reference to Amsterdam drivers. Drivers in that part of the world are nuts and make Creten drivers seem very tame. (Still quite wild though).
I vowed I would never drive abroad again after that experience but have since found Crete ok if you are careful and defensive.

John R

[LoukaFran]

 Belgian drivers,....you mean us ? We live in a very crowdy country -  we do not drive on the hard shoulder, we have have traffic lights and have to stop for every orange or red light, speeding is monitored by cameras and we do not overtake other cars when there is a full white line, drinking and driving is out of the question.... I do have to say I (Fran) would never want to drive in Brussels. If you are refering to the situation there, as in a lot of cities, I totally agree. Have you ever tried to drive trough Athens ? A nightmare !

[beachcombers]

[

Only in emergencies I will do this. I must not think of the car broken down just after curve in the road. It can be very dark and Greek drivers are surely not defensive drivers!

[/quote]

Famous last words, but I am not at all bothered about the prospect. I've been driving there for 9 years now. I totally agree about Greeks not being defensive drivers but I am an ultra defensive driver - especially over there. I feel I can make a better job of it than some of the transfer taxi drivers that we've been with in the past.

I see you are from Netherlands. Now I once drove through Amsterdam (Beautiful place) on a Sunday afternoon. NEVER NEVER EVER again. If you can deal with drivers in Amsterdam (I did - just) then Crete is very easy indeed.

I am very used to driving hilly, narrow mountainous roads  - in the dark - near to where I live.

John R
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=4342\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]
[/quote]


Hi John R,
In general driving in Greece (Did you ever try Athens - Patras taxi ride? You certainly wish you had hired a car) is a nightmare. Crete is pretty relaxed compared to surroundings of Athens.
The Greek are completely changing as soon as they are behind a steering wheel.
This and the uncertain road conditions makes defensive driving a must.

An Athens based friend of mine told me the following joke:
As soon as Greek would be occupied again, they would give the enemy free cars!
It was expected that the occupation would be over in a few weeks time.

The Brits have of course an additional handicap RH driving.

Amsterdam is a difficult city to drive in and local drivers sort of own the streets there and bikers apparently donot have to follow any trafic rules or lights.

It is of course making a large difference in case you drive the same road every day.
I as well feel much safer driving myself the to be driven by a lunatic Greek taxidriver
Regards
Beachcombers