greece

Hi to whoever's reading this! (If anyone!)

Adi is an interesting humourous Romanian artist and well travelled enough already - I met him at Katelios sea turtle project - definitely worth checking out his blog. Adi's website is full of colourful magical pictures and paintings of his own - go see for yourself and say 'hello' at http://adrian-borda.blog.com or see http://adrian-borda .com too

Anyways, I have to be off now (back at home with family!)

Merry Christmas & Happy new Year to all

Am going to Argostoli to pick up a CD full of pics... so watch this space...!!

I've had several adventures since I've been here, a rather significant beach party, 3 days on a 'secret' beach, a wasp sting with a twist, and 3 beautiful storms of late. The last 2 were solely electrical storms at night and they were AMAZING!

The campsite I'm staying in is like being at one with nature (no we're not all getting naked!) as the shower has no roof so you can watch the swaying trees and blue skies above while you shower. The only mirror (that I hardly ever use) on the campsite reflects the backdrop of Mount Aenus (don't laugh!). It is breathtaking.

Well, the beach party, hmmm.... fuelled with a bit of homemade sangria, I loudly encouraged everyone at dinner to eat up quickly so we could get started sooner!! We eventually got the fire wood down to a remote corner so no one could see or hear us (it's illegal here to have fires and righlty so - says the hypocrit ) and 30 people later we find ourselves warming our posteriors in the warm heat of the fire having near-skinny dipped for a lot of the night! (And swallowed plenty of sea water too - uuurgh!). I also got hit on by a 44 year old Italian called Pepe (well, Joseph)from Napoli, but he kind of looked 55, was extremely sleazy, needless to say there was definitlely nothing going on there!!

I'll leave the 3 day beach story for a more creative time and when I have more money for the Internet.

I will keep in touch, if anyone ever reads all this now?!!

Take care

C

New words:
Italian:
zbatto les war-va (phonetic)- I'm beating eggs
andiamo (phonetic) - let's go (it may be wrong due to badmemory!)
Alora - so
Greek:
Di Ganis - how are you
Efharisto poli - thank you very much
Afto einai - this is it (in agreement)
Poso kani - how much is it
Pos einai - where is it
I tooaleta - the toilets

Highly useful stuff, n'est-ce pas?!

XX

Feeling a bit down. It's a week and a few days into travelling, it's probably due to the fact that I haven't had much sleep!! Too many 'up-all-nights', nevermind late nights!

I've learnt how to do henna tattoosand am boasting a rather impressive design on my wrist, might I add?!! I'm also painting pebbles with the other volunteers and the tourists are going mad for them! Well just about...

Life's a bit weird right now... Paulo Coelho has something to do with this and an artist I met...but that's a story not for these pages.

I hope everyone is OK and keeping up their blogs! Not likr me, eh?!

Take care

I have just read one of the most interesting novels of our times; Captain Corelli's Mandolin by Louis de Bernieres...

I really felt for Pelagia. de Bernieres' capturing of her relationship with her father, with Corelli, with the environment around her was enrapturing.

De Bernieres, I would suggest, has the ability to delve into a diversity of issues with great depth. The war with Carlo and Francesco was so poignant, it brought me to tears. And what Carlo did for Corelli, faced with the Nazi's...

De Bernieres made a lot of sharp insights into dictators, what they are like, what brings them to their decisions. I learnt a few things from this book.

You really could grasp what Kefalonia was like in those days. De Berniere has a profound appreciation of the surroundings, i.e. the coast of Kefalonia, that guy up Mt Aenus, the character of the pine marten...

I could go on! But this is just a short few words to say I enjoyed my journey through a harrowing war, one family, 2 or 3 soldiers and a goat.

Kalispera x
(Good Evening in Greek!)

Take care to all,

C