✈️ From PDX to Greece: My Summer Travel Day
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This year’s journey from Portland to Greece might just go down as one of the smoothest, most peaceful travel days I’ve ever had. I think all these years of flying back and forth have finally transformed me into a seasoned expert traveler.
It surprised me how calm I felt that morning — no stress, no frantic last-minute packing, no “did I forget my passport?” panic. Just a quiet confidence and a lot of excitement.
Traveling solo definitely helped. I genuinely love solo travel — everything is easier, faster, and you move at your own pace without coordinating with anyone.
The only downside? You never have someone guaranteed to sit next to you on the plane. Small price to pay for freedom, though.
My mom drove me to the airport, and I told her the next time we’d see each other would be in Greece. (She was flying out a few weeks later.) On the way, we spotted a Trimet train wrapped with Portland Timbers graphics — my favorite MLS team — and I immediately took that as a good omen.
🛄 PDX: Calm, Comfy, and Construction
PDX is still under construction, but thankfully, the airport wasn’t too chaotic.
Security was easy, though I’m fairly certain my bag got flagged for extra inspection because it was full of snacks. (I overpack snacks like it’s a sport. Options are important.)
For the record, my travel outfit was peak comfort: a black tank, black sweatpants, brand new running shoes, and a cozy gray sweatshirt. If “comfy” could be a middle name, I’d claim it — especially on travel days.
I arrived full of excitement and carrying the lightest luggage I’ve ever brought. My Kindle is truly a game-changer.
Once through security, I refilled my water bottle and grabbed my usual Starbucks coffee and hot breakfast sandwich. I found a spot on the floor to stretch, eat, and settle into the travel headspace.
😤 The Boarding Chaos
Then came the moment. The boarding process drama.
I always try to be polite to airline employees — they deal with a lot, and they’re just doing their jobs — but the woman scanning boarding passes really threw me off.
She told me I could only bring one carry-on, so there I was, sitting on the airport floor, unpacking my perfectly organized luggage and shoving everything into my little suitcase.
Only when I was one of the last passengers left did she inform me that the issue was actually just my small purse — and all I had to do was fit it into my backpack.
The way she said it, almost annoyed with me, had me completely flustered. But I made the flight. I boarded with seconds to spare, finished my coffee, put my headphones in, and stared out the window as we began to taxi.
Flying still amazes me — the sheer idea that a massive metal machine lifts us 35,000 feet into the sky and delivers us across the country in hours? Wild. Every single time it feels surreal.
Of course, I picked a window seat. Watching the world shrink and the clouds drift by will never get old.
Once we reached cruising altitude, I pulled out my iPad and started the first season of The Originals. I’m a big Vampire Diaries fan, so finally checking out the spin-off felt right. I never rely solely on airplane entertainment — I always download my own shows “just in case.”
🛬 Denver Layover: Smooth and Snack-Filled
Denver was quick, seamless, and blessedly drama-free.
I grabbed grapes, chips, a Powerade, and a sandwich — my go-to long-haul survival kit. Then it was time to board the flight to Rome.
I had a bulkhead window seat for this one, and my rowmates were great. The guy next to me was actually a pilot, and he showed us his flight-mapping software on his tablet. It was genuinely fascinating. I didn’t use the airplane TV at all and just stuck with The Originals on my iPad.
The meal was… fine. “Edible and tastes okay” is basically my entire criteria for plane food. I had the beef bolognese lasagna, a tiny salad, a roll, and a cheesecake square (which I skipped).
The real MVP, though, was my blow-up footrest. It made my seat feel like a mini recliner — and yes, I am a believer in reclining your seat politely. No sudden jolting back. Just a smooth, respectful lean.
🇮🇹 Landing in Italy: A Jet-Lagged Blur
Landing in Italy for the first time was exciting, even though the airport was absolute chaos.
Being jet-lagged in a big, unfamiliar airport is like trying to solve a puzzle with half your brain asleep. Direct flights from the U.S. to Athens are just so much easier — no customs line shuffle, no extra security, no running around trying to find your gate.
Right after deplaning, I realized I was the only passenger connecting to another flight. Literally the only one.
Everyone else was staying in Italy, so I walked toward the “Connecting Flights” area completely alone, in one of those ten-lane roped switchback lines… just me and my suitcase zigzagging through all that empty space. It was such a hilariously odd moment.
To make things more confusing, I still didn’t have my boarding pass for the flight to Greece because my seat hadn’t been assigned yet. The customs officer expected to see a boarding pass I didn’t have, so I scrambled through my inbox to find the flight confirmation email. He waved me through eventually.
I also had to chug the rest of my water and Powerade because of security, which is another reason connecting in Europe isn’t my favorite. Another hurdle, but I made it.
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✈️ Rome → Athens: Almost Home
I boarded the Rome–Athens flight early and was surprised to see I was the only one in my row — even with a middle-seat assignment. Of course, a delayed flight arrived, and suddenly I wasn’t alone anymore. But at least I got first dibs in the overhead bin right above me.
I was so exhausted that I slept almost the entire flight and woke up just before landing. And that feeling… that moment when you’re descending into Athens… it’s like arriving home.
I walked through the arrivals doors — the best doors in the world — and took my first deep inhale of warm Greek summer air. If I ever smelled Amortentia, it would probably smell like that moment.
🚌 Athens → Peloponnese
I grabbed the airport bus to the Kifisos station, where I got my usual freddo cappuccino and a snack from the café.
Then I boarded the bus heading to the city near my family’s place in the Peloponnese. My uncle and cousin picked me up at midnight, which was super nice after 20+ hours of travel, not having to navigate a taxi to my family’s home outside the city.
We drove to our familiar family home, where I showered off the travel grime and finally collapsed into bed — but not before setting an alarm for 5am so I could watch the Timbers game. Yes, I know I’m kind of insane. And yes, I have zero regrets.
After all of that, I fell asleep hard — happy, exhausted, and happy to be in Greece, my home.
