Snow poles lined the sides of the road now, the banks of snow gradually grew deeper, but the road surface remained clear and frost free. We arrived at the first snow plough station on this route.

There was also a cafe here and we decided to stop for a snack. We ordered bean soup, bread and soft drinks. I also purchased a few Greek style snack items to take home as gifts; sesame seed and nut bars, sweet and sticky but very nice. When the bill arrived, the soup, although tasty, cost 6 euros per bowl (about �4.00) and bread was extra, which we thought rather expensive. This place is high in the mountains and remote which must increase overheads. It's also a good area for shooting wild boar and other game. There are disputes about blood sports in Greece as in other countries. Several photographs of men with their spoils adorned the mantelpiece.

My husband visited the gents toilets, and emerged looking rather green, without using them. Again, it was a hole in the floor affair, except that many of the previous occupants had a rather poor aim. The price of using the toilets was half a euro or about 34p. That's almost twice the price of the cost of public toilets in London. In future we would rather take a packed lunch.