A Lesser Known Greek Island

Mention the Greek Islands to anyone and the names Santorini or Rhodes will inevitably crop up at some point. These are the most popular islands and there are very good reasons for that too. The dramatic landscapes and sunsets in Santorini need no introduction while the Old Town of Rhodes simply oozes medieval charm. But like most trips, I like a change of pace as I travel so I would, where possible, include some less-trodden or low-key places and that was why I did a side trip to Folegandros in between my visits to the two famous but very busy islands.

t-shirt outside a grocery store

Folegandros with less than 700 inhabitants, sits on the southern edge of the cycladics a rocky ridge, about 12km in length and just under 4km at its widest point. The capital is the concealed, cliff-top Hora (chora), one of the most appealing villages - as acknowledged by fellow traveler and long-time resident of Kalymnos - in the Cyclades. The main street flanked by traditional houses, winds happily from leafy square to leafy square. It is a delight to spend an afternoon just wandering around this lovely place.

Dead Vlei

To kick things off, I have chosen to write about a place that I find absolutely out of this world - Dead Vlei. I came across it last year during my Cape to Vic overland camping trip. It did not disappoint and it was one of the high points of my southern Africa adventure.

Dead Vlei or "dead marsh"

Dead Vlei is an old salt pan aptly named for its eerie dead appearance in the central Namib desert - Namibia (my favourite country in southern Africa), which had no water since the river changed its course. The remaining skeletons of the trees, which are believed to be about 900 years old, are now black because the intense sun and the wood does not decompose because it is so dry. It is found among the tallest dunes in the world, reaching some 300 meters. It's a long 70 km drive from the Namib-Naukluft National Park gates to the dunes of Sossusvlei and Dead Vlei. One of the many reasons to go is to experience the sun rise (or sun set) over the huge golden sand dunes of the Namib desert. The skies which are among the clearest on the planet provide striking visions of sunset, sunrise and the stars.