2020 - Covid year
This year (2020) is being very hectic when coronavirus has come and due to it, almost all travel activities must be stopped throughout Europe. We had bought flight tickets but just a day and a half before departure decided to cancel our journey. We gathered from continually changing situations it wouldn't be reasonable to leave home because it wasn't clear enough we could return after the end of the holiday. And it turned out it was a good and wise decision, for several days later all countries closed borders and if we are in Crete there was any opinion how to get home. Almost all flights were cancelled and also bus transport didn't work and if we (at last) go home from Athens by foot (which is an absurdity, of course) we will end on the borders of Greece - neighbouring countries closed their territory for foreigners.
Our departure should be on Saturday, at 14/03 and on Thursday's noon before it we had agreed to cancel the flight. In the evening that day, I tried to contact the airline company (Aegean Airlines, AA) to ask it if they refund some money but on the company website mentioned phone number didn't work, they said the number called is inaccessible, and we said good-bye to the money for the tickets. However, on Friday eve I received the next email from AA they apologized the flight had to be cancelled and if I wish the money will be refunded. So, it looked like a victory!! Of course, I contacted the company I would like to get my money back but without any response. Thus, it was our second goodbye money... BUT: for one-two days later another email (from AA) came and they wrote if we register on the website and fill in a form of a request we will obtain a voucher usable for the next booking of a flight then. It was such a half-victory but much better than nothing, we will see what will happen... And later really "something happened"!! They sent us an email with a number of a voucher which we may use later (for the next 18 months) for booking another flight!! And in the same money amount. The good message, and now - I wish if it really works later...
In our itinerary, there was a repeated trek from the village of Imbros to the gorge of Sfakiano and instead to descent to Sfakia and the sea as well as it used to be done we would like to explore a possibility if an old kalderimi (which could be found higher in the forest above the chapel of Agios Pavlos) is heading for the former village of Kali Lakkoi, and if so to join above it an old connection between plains of Niátos and Anopoli (for myself, I call this way like The Loraine's trail by the authoress of the best book guide to Cretan mountains whom I met here for the first time years ago). And along this trail to get to Anopoli and here, there was a point of the decision what to do later - according to the actual state of snowdrifts in the mountain we could either ascent through the Lagou ravine and above the place called Angathopoi try to climb the Kakovoli ridge, or as an alternative for bad snow conditions to use higher crossing across the Aradhena gorge and keeping this route (marked for not so long time ago) to reach the place called Kroussia. This place is at the end of a dirt road from the village of Agios Ioannis on the west side of Anopoli but the best connection between this site and the village for walkers is via a marked footpath out of the road. In the village, more opportunities present themselves - there are two good lookout points (Papakefála and Kako Poros) and also the old kalderimi to Sellouda is a nice trip. The last section of the trek should be along the coastal branch of the E4 route toward Sfakia and by bus to Chania and home. The holiday should be shorter than usual - only for 11 days including journeys from/to home. I was looking forward to seeing many spring flowers but as it is so (with the CV-disease) I'm curious when this plan could be realized. I suppose this year not yet (I'm afraid).
However, in my head, there is an idea for the next and very challenging trek (which can be done in good conditions, Sep or Oct seems to be the best) which can start in Sfakia again, and then Anopoli, Lagou and the highest peak of Levka Ori - Páchnes, and from it down southward into the valley and to climb from it two summits - Exo Tourloti and Zaranokefála and try if it is possible to hike along the range above Anopoli as far as Kriaris in the ravine of Lagou in which way the circle should be closed. I describe it here because I suppose it could be one of the most challenging treks in Levka Ori and - maybe - somebody would like to measure his potency to execute it.
