| PITFALLS
- SUN |
| Greece
has a wonderful climate all year round but care should
be taken to avoid over exposure to the sun. In July and
August, temperatures can go up above 40°C for days at a
time. Children should have adequate skin protection at
all times and it is not advisable to take small children
to the beach between the hours of 11 and 3pm. When out
of the house during the midday hours, it is always
advisable to have plenty of water with you. As Greece is
also known for traffic jams and road delays you should
always have plenty of water in the car particularly if
you are traveling with small children. |
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| DRIVING |
Greece
has one of the highest road mortality rates in Europe.
Greeks drive very fast on roads that, with the exception
of the new highways, are not of the same standard as
most of Europe. Improvements have been made but certain
national roads are poorly maintained and lack central
barriers. You should also be prepared for a lack of
patience on the part of other drivers who have a
tendency to rev up behind you in order to make you move
over and let them pass even when driving in heavy
traffic
(that said, the same lack of courtesy seems to be
prevalent in most European cities these days!!).
Drivers should also be
careful of road conditions when the road surface is wet.
The intense heat in the summer can melt
the tar and take the grip away from the road surface.
Consequently on the days that it does rain, roads are
very slippery. This together with the fact that Greek
drivers are unused to driving in the rain means that one
should be extra cautious. You should also beware of
potholes in the road after heavy rain (flash flooding
caused by torrential rain after thunderstorms is common
in Greece); some of these are very deep and when filled
with rain, are not immediately obvious to the driver. If
you are not careful they can cause serious accidents,
particularly to motorcyclists.
For more detailed
information on driving as a means of transport in Greece
click here. |
| |
| EARTHQUAKES |
Greece,
like many Southern European countries is prone to
earthquakes. The majority of these are small tremors and
go unnoticed. However, once every so often, the force of
the earthquake is stronger and can be felt, sometimes
for miles from the epicentre. The vast majority of Greek
houses and apartment buildings have been built in
accordance with strict regulations relating to
earthquakes and can withstand very large shocks. Those
that sustain damage are invariably those that were built
over twenty years' ago. There is nothing that one can do
to avoid an earthquake but it is advisable to be
informed and to observe certain ground rules - as with
any natural disaster it is important to be prepared and
to have the following items in your home:
- Basic first aid kit
- Bottled water
- Canned or preserved
food and can opener
- Portable radio with
batteries
- Photocopies of
passport and ID
- Any essential
medication
|
Additional points to
prepare for a major earthquake:
- Discuss with your
family where to meet
- Know in advance the
evacuation plan for your children's school
- Register your family
with your Embassy
- Stay calm
- Crawl under a sturdy
table or stand under a doorframe
- Keep away from
windows
- Do not use elevators
- If outside, get away
from buildings into an open area
- Avoid driving and
using the phone so as to leave both available for
emergency services
- After the earthquake
turn off gas to prevent fires
It is accepted that
after an earthquake, the danger of a greater tremor is
over after 48 hours - only then can scientists say
with certainty that the quake was the primary one and
not a build up to an even bigger one. You should be
aware, however, that after a major earthquake,
aftershocks from the same fault could go on for months.
This is normal and should not cause concern. There is no
doubt that earthquakes are unnerving especially for
those who have never experienced one before, but if you
stay calm it is unlikely that you will come to great
harm. |
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| INSECTS
& SNAKES |
|
Insects and snakes will
not cause you problems in Greece if you follow a few
basic guidelines.
Mosquitoes are a
nuisance in the summer but all major supermarkets sell a
variety of devices and repellants to keep them at bay at
night. If you do get bitten by insects, you can buy
antihistamine creams such as Phenergan or Fenistil over
the counter at pharmacies to stop the itching. The same
creams can be used for jellyfish stings etc and fenistil
gel is also recommended for slight sunburn.
Scorpions are not
unheard of in Greece but their sting is not fatal.
However, it is very painful and you should seek medical
attention if you are unlucky and one of the rare people
to be stung.
The vast majority of
European snakes are not dangerous in any way to humans
and, in fact, keep down the numbers of rodents. Even the
venomous species (the viper family) are not as toxic as
those in the States and Australia. Most snakes will
avoid confrontation, so, if you do sight one, leave it
well alone. It is best to consider all snakes as
poisonous and to avoid areas where snakes may be found -
under rocks, stony hillsides, vines etc. If you are
unfortunate enough to be bitten, do not try to suck out
the venom or apply tourniquets but keep the arm or leg
immobilised and seek medical treatment immediately.
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