1, July
(,,When I was staying in student's dormitry of Xanthi few weeks ago, I met Dimitri who invited me to
his family's summer house in southern Greece for August, then no answer-mail from him but I tried to call him but)
Luckily he was in Thessaloniki with his parents and could host me. He showed me romantic port with hard political talk, his balcony is above neibour church's roof,Wao.
.Many people tell me "You should make your own family more than traveling alone" though, his interesting friend who is icon artist told me seriously "It's better to have your wife and children and travel together."
.It's 3rd times I've found someone non-CS host in Greece.
(,,to be continued)
2, Jul (Sat.)
I wanted to talk more with interesting student Dimitri but his family couldn't host me another night, so I couldn't concentrate the game of chess with his moving even my horse to teach me chess.
He wanted to lend me some books until I visit to our summer house in August but I can't be sure about 1 month later so I decline books and left him
,,but they introduced me some squat(?) people, so I tried to knock there but a guy appeared the door
"Have you contacted with someone here beforehand?"
---then now it's 10pm,I'm trying to find another CS-host in Thessaloniki mail,
but only an an answer "welcome but tomorrow"---
Mikropolis(cafe? bar? in center of Thessaloniki) was full of people till midnight,
but in computer (free) room was not, sometimes the main guy of there? comes but no talking with me,thanks, I continued to send so many CS-request-mail to Athens or other cities till early morning,,, after all, I can't leave from CS-addiction??---
3,Jul (Sun) ---Oops, the entrance of Mikropolis was alreday locked, nobody left there except me.
At noon, I was scolded by the guy "Here is not hotel, Don't sleep here again."
I rambled lonely Sunday city but still went back and check mail in Mikropolis.
Walked till the edge of city,bus terminal, met CS-host 7pm.
He didn't tell me he has other CS-guests, ususally I want to avoid it but
they were so cool bike travelers with performing puppets.
(,,to be continued)
4, Jul
I continued to send many CS-mails, and as I was waiting confirmation from next host about today
I stayed inside till 7:30pm. It's already one of petterns of my spending day,so
by many reasons,I should change my way.
Although I hadn't asked the host one more night, he repeated to stay tonight but I couldn't stand to extend staying in Thessaloniki by memories that I hadnt written here etc,, and at least I've found CS-host in Athens.
8pm hitchhike, Thanks music teacher/diving teacher Aleks.---a couple drove me and "When you publish your travel book,please write about us." OK,surely I wrote about You here now,even if I've forgotten Your names.---by truck driver till exit of Kozani, around 11pm maybe. Luckily I could reach till there smoothly but,
there is still several km till city,and no one picked me up and no one living there I was fasting again naturally but it's OK, but it's a bit cold to sleep outside,, there was small stall of church like a hut under construction and there was a candle with fire,,I haven't expect that I would sleep with feeling the warmth of it although it's in July,,
5, Jul
---Of course I woke up with tired body, by the way every morning I woke up with tiring body these days even in hosts' couch,,
.Police car came to me and checked my passport, then answered me intentional wrong direction to my question which way is to Kozani city?
.It's morning but was hard to stand (with some walking) for a few hours. Finally Yiannis picked me up till city center and helped to contact with CSer besides treated me hotdog and coffee. Finally I met a CSer who wrote me big welcome mail (but when I called her on the way of hitchhike "I'm not sure hosting,I haven't asked my parents") but even today she still, "I haven't asked it parents." !? So why you don't try to ask now? Please don't write me from the first time "I'll be glad to host you" with many suggestions with me. But still, I didn't have reason to say No to her trip suggestion as Yiannis offered to join it by his drive (He came to Kozani for his job though?)
It was so nice trip to 3 or 4 nice nature spots but, as I couldn't sleep last night normally, so that practically I'm still on the way of my trip since last evening besides since I can imagine this evening's knocking doors, practically it was second part of continuous 3 of my trips, on the contrary hilarious Yiannis "Good place,now I'm like a child!" I couldn't be smiley,,
(,,to be continued)
By exhausting body 5pm, but only by 3 minutes's standing, Aleks who was heading to go to Larisa picked me up (with inviting me to his village near Kozani about later days, I wish it was today?!) so my destination was decided to Larisa, he works as ambulance doctor, so he must have skill of super-sonic driving but his driving was slowly safe as his job often demands him to meet awful traffic accidents. He asked his tonight's host/his cousin about me but the answer was no. 7pm central square in Larisa, I started (not knocking doors but) asking people on the street---
.Most of (young)people answered me "It's difficult." but that's the reason why I try it.
After I continued it on the bridge for an hour, police group came to me and kicked me out there.
10:30pm, finally a student and friends helped me to inquire their unversity's squat place but the answer was It's full today. but they guided me to the gathering of people who is discussing about strike etc,,
I asked these people but they tried to help me by offering me hotel's room for free, so I explained them it's misunderstanding and tried to leave there but they persuaded me friendlily that no one is bothered by me, so finally I decided exceptional case to accept their big hospitality, but after all the hotel asked me fee, so I left there but,,,
(,,to be continued)
6, Jul
Larisa
---woke up 11am, but soon it became sunset time. I just had been talking with Marina or resting in home. Surely most greatest host I could meet in Greece but they can't host tonight,,,again to gathering in square,Petros asked people about me,but no response, but I didn't repeated asking people on the street again, just I tried to go out city by walk with trying hitcthike but it's already dark, no car stopped me, but I was still drunken by satisfaction by yesterday's many memories with good luck. Almost 1am, I asked hosting to bikeshop's man who is still repairing a bike,but he indicated a park normally,,,Yes,it's not only because of Greece but also because of the season not hard to sleep outside, so it's hard to find host from random houses.
After all, I slept better couch of closed cafe---
(,,to be continued)
7, Jul
---Got up before 6am by sunlight and noise of the road but I didn't leave there till the worker of cafe comes,she was shocked when she noticed me, Sorry for making her disgusting start of the day.
. Morning is ideal for hitchhike. A guy drove me a little and "Fing my name by facebook." Sorry I don't use facebook.
.7am, the driver whom I hitchhiked already knew me (saw me in central square'gathering but didn't talked me?) besides he's a CSer, drove me to Metola.
All the while he narrated how he studys
Esperanto even by summer courses in foreign country.
His blog about me ,,but Oh, Greek is all Greek to me!?
.Then I slept on the bench for 3 hours,,,
.In afternoon,Too hot for sightseeing in Meteola but an Israeli travaeler Daniel who loves island and sea picked me up by his scooter.
Then I repeated sitting down and walking, after hitchhike to Trikala, in the park for 2 hours,,
7pm, I met a CSer and chat in cafe.
After 9pm, hitchhike, stood for 2.5 hours, when I gave up, a guy and girls picked me up to Karditsa,
then just rambled city center,almost hadn't asked people to host me (people seemed to busy to enjoy summer night,so),,when I was napping at square a guy came and gave me some pieces of pizza,Oh,,, finally I slept outside couch of closed cafe again.
(,,to be continued)
8, Jul
Morning park was full of wild peacocks out of fence !?
.Started hitchhike edge of city after 7am
---many car but everybody ignores me, soon it became hot and strong sun, it makes me tired and sleepy soon (besides 2 nights outside sleeping so) slept for a while under the bush then continued to stand, 10am finally an old guy drove me but only for 5km, continued with trying not faint---
Later I noticed but I was dreaming a bit by standing alone in the heat at same spot all day, in front of a house with a yard with a tap water but gate was open. An grandmother appeared on the balcony so I asked to borrow a tap, then repeating drinking and bathing it from the head often, it's no use to change the spot, anyway people don't stop at all.When I was remembering I haven't eaten today an grandmother came from door and gave me a food with something words, although with sitting nearby hot car road,it was memorably tasty soft boiled vegetables,Thank you! but still situation was the same, Oh today I was burnt skin so much even more than swimming at the beach!? finally a car stopped but to the other way, he wanted to help me but could help to let me know it's already 5pm! an grandmother hadn't been at balcony,maybe in siesta time? I couldn't stop to look back to balcony and started to think to ask her to host me tonight? Then she was there again but behind the curtain,, I nearly gave up and look back but a car was stopping finally at 6m. Soon an grandmother shouted me something with waving hand even with throwing kisses, Thank you for supporting me from inside house but even sharing hitchhike with me for all day!
---Wild driver was friendly but makes rolling cigarets often,even on the highway with overtaking cars by handling wheels by legs, and also opens big map to show where we are now on highway!?
---He was heading to Athens, dropped me off at closest exit to Livadeia,,,but still 35km more,and sunset, chickens don't stop,,finally a car drove me till suburb of Livadeia,,,but I didn't knw it was still 6km more, walking like down the slope near mountains but without streetlamp and sidewalk but every car drives so fast, big frustration---
finally I met my CS-host 0am.
(,,to be continued)
9, 10, 11, 12, Lavideia
Host's favorite radio
My favorite group's new song
(,,to be continued)
