I've travelled to
Greece to visit my sis Jojo (Crazy Robster) who lives there. That was about a year ago now, a year and a half or so. Was the first time I'd ever travelled out of Australia before let alone to meet and stay with someone I'd never even met face to face or anything, and all by myself. Some people would call that naive - I called it a leap of faith. Unquestionably the best experience of my entire life!
Because it was so hot there we went to the beaches a lot, something I don't get a chance to do here (and trust me the beaches there ARE picturesque just like they are in magazines and fantasies... only better!). We ate out and got to see some of the local nightlife. Mingled with the sea of tourists, played on the computer, and hooned around in Jojo's car (and her sister's) blasting LP and GC from the speakers. That was hellufun! We shopped, travelled across the countryside to visit rellies and hung out on the sofa watching local TV and laughing at the newscasters and weathermen XD When it was too hot we stayed indoors playing Sims 2 and Resident Evil on PC. Her mum is a world class cook in my opinion and she slaved in the kitchen all day in the heat always with a smile on her face and never complained so much as once. She was an absolute gem and introduced me to a lot of traditional foods that I've since tried recreating here at home (never the same, I miss Mama's cooking!) - Though they tried teaching me some basic Greek I usually only ever said Goodmorning, goodnight, thankyou and I love you in all that time to her parents! Bless her Mama tried speaking English for me - I can't say enough good words about that woman, I can see where Jo gets her beautiful nature from *squeeze hugs for my sis!* And her dad is a great guy too. Always smiling. Great people. Almost everyone over there were just really friendly. 99% easily. And being that English is the nations second language thanks to the tourist trade (as Jo told me) that helped me feel more at ease there too which was nice.
Jo took me to several landmarks and taught me some local history and was a sport posing (doing the Ambassador pose) while I took a stack of photos. She stirred me about taking lots of pictures of rocks and water but again in being the closest water we have in my town is a storm drain she wasn't appreciating it like I was. Made for funny show-and-tell though. Sadly the three weeks I spent there flew by. The day I arrived and the day I left were hard I have to say, hard because I'd never experienced Jetlag before (wow, what a killer!) and hard leaving because they'd all made it so easy to like it there I didn't want to come home. Still makes me heartsick thinking about it but yeah, reccommend it to anyone (yes when the unrest is over).
You know it's surreal to be in another part of the world so far from home and look up at the sky and just marvel at it, I mean it may sound corny or cliche but in my mind then (and even now looking back) it felt so incredible and humbling to see the world outside of the world I'd spent 30 odd years living in; sharing those experiences and being welcommed in to a whole new and different culture and race of people is just... mind blowing. For someone who has travelled a lot maybe this sense of wonderment is lost I think but to me it made me appreciate how minute we really are and just how comparitively massive the planet really is, especially from like 45,000 feet up
(Flying over Bangkok was visually spectacular too and I remember sipping white wine watching the sun rise as we flew on the border of Iran I think it was, a place I'd only ever heard negative things from in the news, but again it was surreal as much as it was gorgeous!)
I've always wanted to see the world. Unfortunately I never applied myself well enough to really get anywhere in life to accomodate that kind of dream. The only way I got to go to Greece was because of my sis and her family's overwhelming generosity - it's not something that happens everyday.
But I remember even as a kid I've always wanted to see the
USA. I don't know why, probably because it IS so big compared to where I live at the *** end of the planet and all (okay, not literally but you know what I mean). I'd love to do the stereotypical things and see the great landmarks over there, do a road trip coast to coast, see an actual real life white Christmas (that would be a spin out) and just submerge myself in that culture for a while. I really wanted to see New Orleans pre-Katrina, but one day maybe, Mount Rushmore, The White House, Disney all that stuff. I'd love to see the mountains and landscape that we don't have here. Besides, I am and always have been a sucker for the Yankee accent... *sigh*
Another place I'd dearly love to see if not live in would be
Ireland. Now that countryside is breathtakingly gorgeous. In my early Pagan days I got heavily into the Celtic Pantheon and traced my ancestry back towards these regions. In my wildest dreams I'd buy a place near the coast and live there writing best sellers and live off the land. That would be the ultimate dream for me (with some minor details omitted of course
) Wales, Scotland, even England, I'd love to see it all.
But if I had a wish to be granted I'd love to go back to Greece to finish seeing the rest of the islands and spend more time with my other family over there.
I know that was like 2 instead of 1 but I think you get the picture anyway.
Out of equal curiosity - where abouts over here are you headed? State wise I mean. I'm in Queensland these days. North-east resident.
