We spent some of the hottest days of the year in Halkidiki. It was a nice break from the routine and the kids enjoyed it. The water was great this year. The area around Nea Kallikrateia is rural, with endless beaches, beach houses, olive trees, abandoned lots, and tavernas that offer grilled food, eggplants, and zucchini.

The only hiccup was when I took the wrong road to a restaurant and the car got stuck in the sand. I tried digging out but it didn’t work and needed to be towed out. Another car got stuck in the same place the moment I drove out. The driver didn’t see me waving at them to stop. We dug them out, and this time waved harder to prevent a third car from entering the sandy road. That evening we couldn’t reach the restaurant but had an off-road adventure.