Greece

I spent last night in wonderful Thessaloniki, Greece. It's huge, and the people fill outdoor cafes, restaurants, and bars until well after midnight. It's on the sea and the weather is lovely -- hot and sunny at midday, mild and comfortable at night. There are beautiful outdoor promenades and endless mazes of markets and shops. I wish I could have spent a month there.

Now I'm in the three-pronged peninsula of Halkidiki, also in Greece in between Thessaloniki and Turkey. It's long stretches of coastline with beautiful beaches -- some rocky, some sandy -- with big rolling hills and extraordinary views inland. The water is a perfect temperature. And it's a bit after tourist season, so everything's cheap. Tonight, I'll camp on the beach on the east side of the first of the three "fingers."

Stay tuned for the next installment of my overland in Africa story. Scroll down to read the first three parts.