I am about to embark on a road trip to Romania, but first my car inspection sticker has expired and I am required to go to KTEO in Volos, the port city for renewal. Argh, the nightmare of KTEO (meaning of acronym unknown), a dreaded requirement every 2 years for all of us Islanders. The procedure can involve countless details beginning with a 4-hour ferry ride to the mainland.
I immediately call Katarina and Nikos, my friends who repair my car and motorbike, and beg them to intercede. Please, call KTEO and make the arrangements in your rapid-fire Greek. They do and then, alas, on my way driving to the port to load the jeep onboard the Express Skiathos, the Volos-bound ferry, a loud clunking begins over the front right tire. By the time I turn into the port it’s clear I have a flat. What to do? With travel plans in place, I can’t stop now. As the ferry ramp opens-- hell, I just drive on, flat tire and all and call Katerina to pass on the info to KTEO.
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Nightmare stories can transform into tales warm and reassuring and with a happy ending. Thus was the KTEO story, which began to take a positive turn as I rode the ferry from Skopelos to Volos. My kineto rang and a clear female voice informed me in perfect English the good news that first, the car had passed inspection, second, the flat was changed and third, a man would meet me at the port with my car and take me to the tire shop to get my flat tire “vulcanized’ meaning repaired. Several hours later, not one, but 2 friendly men met me with my car at the port, one to speak English, the other to speak Greek if I could. We rode to Greek-speaker’s car (we decided we could do just fine speaking Greek) he jumped out and I followed him to the tire place where I met a man introduced as the “elastiko mastoro” master tire repairman, who fixed the old flat and sold me a new used spare for $20. All budgetary. All human and helpful. While all this transpired, the receptionist invited me into a plush, by tire shop standards, waiting room and offered me a chair and a coffee. When all was done, I hopped into the jeep and drove out to continue my journey. A bad situation ripens into a happy ending. I will reward Katerina and Nikos with a gift of my favorite bottle of Nemean wine.