It’s funny what you want from a holiday and what you get. I wanted to be an adventurer. An explorer. I wanted to prove that I could do a holiday all by myself, that I wasn’t scared. I wanted to make memories to cherish for a lifetime. I wanted to connect to Greek culture. I wanted to make new friends.
While I’ve proved I can have fun by myself, that I am an adventurer, that I am an explorer. While I’ve made lasting memories for life and connections to Greek culture. While I’ve done all this, I haven’t managed to make any friends out here despite talking to lots of people. It’s a strange world we live in. Seven billion plus people and the possibilities of connection are non existent. And who can you blame? Because it is not just the Greeks, it is everyone: British, American, Australian, French, Canadians. Hard to believe that people meet new people in their lives nowadays.
For centuries, humans have been living together. Connecting. Why is it all so difficult now?
Early rise and shine and then I hit the beach for a walk. Followed by a sit down to admire the seascape. Saw the same couple I’ve been seeing over the past few days. Her, short with blonde hair and okay looking. Him, tall with brown hair and looked like the kind of person I wouldn’t want to talk to. Like a lot of couples I see.
I said goodbye to my hotel owner while his daughter was playing with pine cones. I told him I worked at Kew gardens. He shook my hand and told me if I needed anything any time to call him. He was a nice guy and really appreciated that I spoke to him with phrases in Greek.
Rush shopping in Naxos and admiration of the Portara and the breakwater I climbed. I talked myself into getting a Harry Potter book in Greek and working on the language. I don’t know why. I don’t know any Greek people in London that I talk to. My Greek university lecturer friend, I haven’t spoken to him for about six years and only drop him messages very infrequently.
Ferry ride looking out at the sea. Talked to an American Speech and language researcher from Florida about languages, research and Greece. Then acclimatising to the hotel and having a lunch of meatballs, tomato sauce and rice at Christiana restaurant.
Afterwards I hung out in the local beach and then walked to Santa Maria and back as I’ve quite fancied a walk in the Greek countryside and I’m in quite a nice spot. Saw another few beaches on the way, along with a lighthouse and a conservation wetlands area.
Got back to the hotel to have a shave and a hot shower. It’s a luxury to do this in the day for me. One of the things I love about holidays is trying the new combinations of shower gel and shampoo. The body was was Karthapos organic honey, rosemary and orange. I could feel my hair getting thicker as I put it on, with that rosemary. The shampoo? Grapefruit and lime with Karthapos organic honey. The brand is ‘My Roots’. Amazing stuff.
Dinner at Christiana again. Chicken souvlaki with cucumber, olive and tomato salad. With chocolate souffle and vanilla ice cream. First chocolate souffle of my life which was interesting, but not something to eat again. When I ordered the dessert by reading the Greek out loud, the male waiter was really impressed. Chatted to the young woman waiter about my holiday and the differences between Agios Prokopios and here (Ambelas).
Phone call with my girlfriend at the end of the day and watching some Instagram videos.
