Krista Keuneke and her family on their dream trip. Photos provided.

BethAnne Brink-Cox
Guest Columnist

Editor’s Note: This article was published in the February issue of GLO, a publication of The Papers Inc.

Have you seen movies that instantly make you want to travel to the location depicted? Mention the countries of Greece and Turkey, and something will come to mind, right?

Krista Keuneke, of Fort Wayne, said it clearly, “I’ve wanted to visit Greece for as long as I can remember. My dad lived in Greece for a couple years as a child, and I always loved hearing his stories. My grandfather was an engineer doing work for the Air Force and traveled often, bringing his family with him. Because of this, he lived in five different countries throughout his childhood, often switching schools and making new friends. Out of all his adventures, Greece was always his favorite.”

When her dad turned 70 last summer, Keuneke and her brothers decided to take him back!

Krista Keuneke on dream trip. Photo provided.

And Keuneke was well prepared for this trip: “I spent hours and hours planning this trip! Although my dad shared a lot, I had very limited knowledge of all Greece has to offer. I read endless blog posts, listened to podcasts, and even read a couple Greek-themed books. The more I learned, the more excited I got. There are SO many amazing places in Greece; the hardest part was just trying to fit it all in!” She continued, “The original plan was to keep it simple … just my two brothers and my dad. However, a few weeks before the trip, my uncle (dad’s brother) and cousin decided to join us. A perfect family trip!”

Their first stop was Athens, where they spent the day checking out the ruins and visiting the neighborhood where her dad lived in 1967. Then they boarded their 4-day cruise of a few of the beautiful Greeks islands: Mykonos, Kusadasi (Turkey), Patmos, Rhodes, Heroklion, and Santorini. After the cruise, they rented cars and explored Greece on their own, staying at Airbnbs. They started with a night in Nafplio (the most adorable little seaside town in the Peloponnese), then a night in Monemvasia, two nights in Zakynthos (an island on the west coast), two nights in Meteora, and then one final night in Athens before the trek home.

“My favorite part of the trip was exploring the small seaside towns,” Keuneke said. “We rented scooters and just rode up and down the beautiful coastlines, stopping at random beaches and beach clubs along the way. Greeks have a very laid-back lifestyle that I could get used to! The people are so kind, and the food is AMAZING! Let me tell you, feta in the United States is nothing compared to the real thing. Honestly, Greece was all I hoped it would be and more. I just wish I could have stayed longer!”

“Something I didn’t anticipate — but probably should have – was how much of our trip would be spent driving,” she said. “When planning a trip like this, it is easy to overdo it. We tried to pack so much into our days and see so many things, that we were wiped out in the evenings. I am so happy that we were able to see so many amazing things, but I wish we would have had a little more time to relax and even enjoy some night life.”

What made this trip so memorable was that Keuneke got to do it with her family.

“It was pretty amazing to be able to take my dad back to the place of his fondest childhood memories and then make new ones of our own,” she reflected. “It’s an experience I’ll never forget!”

When asked if she will return to Greece one day, she said: “As much as I would LOVE to go back to Greece, I am a wanderlust. I’m sure I got that from my dad. I’ve been to 15 countries myself, and still have so many on my bucket list! I think next up will be a trip to Ireland with my husband.”