Thursday, 26th of July 2012

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oday I ventured down to Spilia beach again to continue my tanning expedition and delve deeper into my book. Unfortunately for me, I once again fell asleep and ended up even more sunburnt than before! Mental note; set some kind of incremental alarm or find a more interesting book! 

The view of Spilia beach on the way down the hill

Local graffiti

Spilia Beach

Spilia beach

Spilia Beach

Spilia Beach

Tonight I was invited to dinner at Zavitsanos taverna with my new Australian friends! A very good friend of mine owns this taverna, Olia (well her family owns it) and she is in fact the very first person I met on this island, we played together when we were little. We have been friends ever since. Zavitsanos taverna is across the way from Laki’s taverna, which on Mondays and Thursdays hosts Tourist night where they provide traditional Greek entertainment of dancing for tourists visiting the island.

 

After dinner the girls and I headed back to our usual hangout, the café over the Stefani for banana daiquiris and more gossip! After the girls went home I went with my old friend to Precious bar in Katomeri, the next town. We again engaged in deep conversation, a trait that I am enjoying about our friendship and mulled over Mojitos and Margaritas. The more I talk to him the more interesting he becomes to me.

Wednesday, 25th of July 2012

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oday I woke up starving and decided it was probably time to put some kind of food in my fridge so I headed up the road to the local grocery store owned by my father’s good friend George. The produce on the island is entirely seasonal and organic and much of it is grown locally on the island. I stocked my hand basket up with apples, peaches, grapes, cucumbers, feta cheese, local honey and Greek yoghurt and headed inside to pay. 

The fresh produce section of the store

As I was walking out I was called to by one of my father’s other friends Tasos, who is from Sydney. He invited me for lunch that day to meet his family. Later in the afternoon I came back and was delighted to meet Michael, Kerry and their two daughters Emma and Lauren- Aussies! It’s funny how excited one becomes to meet one of their own and revel in the instant connection of familiarity. I spent the whole afternoon with them discussing work and life on the island.

Later in the evening Lauren and Emma met me for cocktails and wi-fi at The café over the Stefani. It’s nice to have some new friends!

With every day that passes by on Meganissi I am feeling more and more at home. It's a strange feeling to have as I have often felt that I don't really belong anywhere. I don't want to leave this island. I want the days to slow down and the summer to last. Before leaving Australia I was plagued with many ailments all of which have disappeared since being here. Strange. 

The view from the Stefani lookout 

Tuesday, 24th of July 2012

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oday I again frequented Fanari beach for a short tan and swim and then returned to Spartohori on the 1:00pm bus. I then went for walk down to the bay to see what new additions had been made to the island since I last visited. I love everything about this place. The walk down the hill is scenic as the path down is adorned with Cyprus trees and undergrowth paving the way to the dock where the ferry and numerous boats are moored. My father told me that his primary school class planted the Cyprus trees some 55 years ago!

The walk down to Spillia bay

I spent the rest of the afternoon perched on the beach in a café reading a book and drinking frappe- definitely not a bad way to pass some time. I accidentally fell asleep in the sun and made the trek back up to town feeling slightly sorry for my beetroot self. 

A Map of the Island with a Eucalyptus tree in the background

Traditional fishing boats

Spartochori town on the top of the hill

My future Sunseeker Yacht! 

More traditional fishing boats

The entrance of Spilia bay

Drinking frappe on the shoreline 

The Meganissi ferry

On the way home I decided to visit Lakis taverna to say hello to Ulla, Lakis and their son Spiros. Spiros is an adorable 18 year old boy, who in my eyes, will always be the 12 year old boy who snuck into my house 6 years ago and surprised me with a homemade bow and arrow to my head- cute right?! I stayed there for dinner, and later went to Vathi, the next town, with Spiros on his scooter to meet some more people for drinks.

The crowd is different to a few years ago, and for the first time I was one of the oldest there! Luckily for me, everyone was convinced I was lying about my age and counted me as being 20 years old. I love Greece! 

Monday, 23rd of July 2012

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oday I went to Fanari beach, one of the most beautiful beaches on the island. The only goal I had for myself on this trip was to get a tan so Fanari beach seemed like the perfect place to make this happen. I braved the thirty-something heat and trotted down to a small bus stop located a few metres from my house. Apparently there is a bus that goes to Fanari beach at 10:45 and returns at 1:00pm. At 11:10 the bus arrived (rolling my eyes at myself, should have known better, Greek standard time). Along the way the bus picked up a group of small children who were also on their way to the beach. Seven young, dark skinned, sun bleached children jumped aboard, unaccompanied. They would not have been any older than 10 or 11 years old. I love that about this island. Children are allowed to be children. They are allowed to explore the outdoors without fear of kidnapping or corruption, they are not cooped up inside addicted to video games or mobile phones and they grow up respecting their parents and their elders. A different sight to that of the city.  

The Bus stop and bus timetable

The road to my house

On the beach is a café adorned with palm leaves and beautiful outdoor seating. I took up residence here for a period of time to get some time out of the sun and enjoy a frappe. This café also happens to be the local gathering place for the majority of youth on the island. Everybody knows everybody so to walk into a place where no one knows you causes quite a stir.

‘Confidence’ I muttered to myself.

‘Confidence, you can do this without making a fool of yourself’.

Easier said than done perhaps but I strutted into the café and immediately sat down as coolly as possible at the nearest table and casually reclined into the yellow directors chair. I could feel their eyes burning into the back of me, not with malice but with curiosity, but they burnt none the less.

Tan Insurance 

Fanari Beach

Fanari Beach

Later in the afternoon a friend of mine joined me at the beach. I have known him going on eleven years, but this was the first time I have sat down with him to have a proper conversation. Our conversations revolved around politics, work, travel and the ideas of love and a higher power, slightly deep for a beach conversation I suppose, but an interesting perspective on Greek values and way of life. This conversation left me contemplating my past relationships and current situations and as the wind from the motorbike blew away the salt from my skin I knew something was about to change.  

catch up!

S

everal days...

Okay, so I’ve had a few issues keeping up with writing every day so please forgive me for grouping the last few days together!

A man just asked me if I was an artist, I told him that I was a writer. Blatant lie, but why couldn’t I be a writer? Does one need to be published in order to announce themselves as writers? Perhaps. But I'm on holiday so I've decided anything goes and on that note, enjoy a back catalogue of blog entries! 

Greece: Day Two

S

 aturday, 21^st July 2012

Today I travelled from Athens to Meganisi. I set my alarm for 4:30am to be ready to catch a taxi to the bus depo at 5:30am. It seems as though I had already lost track of time as I set my alarm for ‘weekdays only’ forgetting it was Saturday, and was woken up by the hotel concierge telling me that my taxi had arrived. I quickly threw all my things into my suitcase and left he hotel feeling slightly less put together as I would have liked. Oh well. The taxi took me quite quickly to the bus station, 140km per hour- quickly… with no fitted seatbelts. Oh well.

Kiffisus bus station is a maze, and if you ask anyone for directions they are sure to lead you astray and even if you don’t want directions, they will give them to you anyway. I arrived at 6:00am to ensure that I bought a ticket for the 7:00am bus. I arrived to wait in a line for 45 minutes, as the ticket office was not open yet. By the time I got to the counter the tickets were all sold and I had to put my name on the list. As the bus was about to depart my name was called from the office. I bought my ticket, 33.50  and climbed aboard the coach to search for a seat. There were no seats and I was told to sit on the floor. On the floor?! My mind was screaming ‘occupational health and safety hazard!’ oh well! What can I do? I parked myself in the aisle and prepared to spend the next 6 hours folded into a space on the stairs.

Not sure if you are getting this so far but I’m a bit of a control freak. Ok… lets not kid, a lot of a control freak. I have spreadsheets for everything I find disorganisation severely stressful. Greece has quickly pushed me into the ocean of disorganisation and I’m finding myself saying ‘oh well’ a lot and really forcing myself to just ‘go with it’.

Two men joined me in my spot on the stairs. Leonardis and Giorgios, Leo and George. Neither spoke much English but with my limited Greek and their limited English we managed to find our way through discussions around politics and how good it is to live in Australia. Is seems that many Greeks are trying to find a way out of Greece in pursuit of jobs and a better life. Unemployment of under 25 year olds is sitting at 27% and tourism country wide is down a minimum of 30%. Its sad seeing the effects of the financial crisis first hand, petrol prices are steadfast at 1.75 and many shops have been forced to close.

The bus from Athens to Lefkada

The bus ride to Lefkada is very beautiful as the road weaves it way around the edge of the ocean. To get to Lefkada the bus crosses the channel between Southern and Northern Greece. The Rio- Antillio Bridge, a huge feat in bridge construction, crosses this channel. This bridge was completed sometime in 2003 and ceased the operation of the car ferries that previously operated between the two towns.

The Rio-Antillio Bridge

I arrived in Lefkada at 12:30pm and jumped into a taxi to take me to Nidri where I caught the ferry to Meganisi. I love Nidri! It’s a small town nestled along the coast of Lefkas and gateway to some of the most beautiful Ionion islands including the Onasis island, Skorpios and island from the movie Captain Corelli’s Mandolin, Kefalonia. I enjoyed a toasted sandwich and frappe as I sat and waited for the 2:00pm ferry. As I was walking onto the ferry I could hear a scooter behind me incessantly tooting it’s horn, I turned to look and it was Lakis. A good friend of my father’s and father to three of my good friends. I was now cool by association and rode the ferry for free! Score!

After in excess of 24 hours transit I finally arrived at my house Meganisi. Half the village came to greet me on my arrival and I was bombarded with the following same questions:

How is your father?

How is your uncle?

How long are you here for

Are you alone?

Wait… Aren’t you married?

The dreaded question; how do you explain to an 80 something year old women that you ended your marriage. They come from a generation where you make a choice and you stick to it. Divorce was unheard of in their time. Oh well, smile and bear it. 

More to come.... Konstantina xx

Greece: Day One

Melbourne girl in the Mediterranean. 

I’ve finally done it. I’ve managed to pull myself together enough to make it to Greece alone. I knew that it was possible, deep down inside I knew I could do it alone, but actually doing it, I feel is a feat in itself. You may read this and think, Tina, you are ridiculous, its not that hard to travel overseas alone, especially when it’s a trip you have done five times before; well, that’s at least what the voice inside has been saying all along. But for me this trip isn’t just about taking a well-deserved holiday, it’s more to prove to myself that I’m ok with being alone. An expensive test perhaps, but knowing that I can look after myself and enjoy my own company is priceless.

In 2006 I came to Greece with my father for the summer. We stayed on our island for almost four months. When I think about a time in my life when I was sublimely happy my mind immediately goes back to those four glorious summer months. During my time there I kept a journal, a journal that essentially turned into a play-by-play 12,000-word document of observations and random thought. I read this journal often. Some of the entries are filled with nonsense but it’s a keepsake that I treasure. So I’ve decided to take up keeping a journal again, but this time I will share it.

So… here goes- entry number one.

It’s Friday the 20^th of July and I have just arrived in Athens. I am currently sitting in the hotel bar outside on the warm summer’s deck drinking frappe and I am exhausted. I am staying in the Sofitel hotel at the Athens airport as I was sternly told to avoid the city centre due to the unrest that lies with the Greek people as a result of political and financial issues the country is currently facing.

So far Greece is as I remember it, but I am sheltered by the airport confines. The news is showing me footage of protests in Syntegma Square, where parliament house is located. I have visited this square many times before; in fact this square is at the head of Ermou; my favourite shopping district in Athens.

My heart is heavy with what is happening in the city. It’s a sad feeling to see a place I remember so well torn apart by the same people who built it. Anyway, I’m sure I will have more to add to that topic.

In the morning I will catch a bus to Lefkada to then catch a ferry that will take me to Meganisi, the island where my family is from, and my version of paradise. The bus ride will be an excruciating six hour drive to add on top of my already 24 hour travel count.

As I have switched to my Greek persona I will not sign off as benny, instead I will sign off as Konstantina, as this is the only name I'm going to hear for the next 5 weeks!

<3 Konstantina!

Motivation.

Motivation is a term we so often use to explain our mental state. “Oh I am just not motivated to go to the gym” but what is motivation and why do we so heavily rely on it to govern what we do or do not do.

Now, I feel I must state here that I am the number one culprit for the latter statement and of late it seems that the lack of motivation is to blame for every issue I encounter. To be fair, I’ll list a few of the topics for which I have had no motivation to achieve.

1.     Doing anything I’m ‘supposed’ to do

2.     Washing my car

3.     Doing washing

4.     Walking up the stairs

5.     Studying

6.     Writing this blog

7.     Eating right

8.     Going to the gym

I could easily keep going, but to ensure that my readers do no lose all faith in my abilities, I will stop.

Okay. So this is what I know about motivation- it’s made up of two aspects, Intrinsic and Extrinsic, which refer to where one’s motivation is sourced and how it is driven. Intrinsic motivation is motivation that exists within an individual and is driven by an interest or enjoyment in the task itself where as Extrinsic motivation is driven by external motivators and refers to the performance of an activity to achieve an outcome. So based on that I can see that it is my extrinsic motivation that is waning and it is this that I need to strengthen. But how does one reignite motivation to achieve set goals?  

I often find myself ‘falling off the wagon’ and losing site of goals that I set for myself, however I usually only fall of said wagon when it comes to health and fitness but I always manage to pull myself together and start over. But I have to admit; I am becoming weary of continuously starting over. Lets take my trip to Greece as an example. I am a planner; I will plan the shit out of things. I am a classic reflector and basically have a spreadsheet for everything. I easily practice the Sic Sigma methodology and when stress and confusion arise I am quick to employ the use of a pros and cons list. So I carefully calculated the weeks until my trip to Greece and planned a method to achieve my ideal bikini body. I was doing extremely well and managed to spread the word and spark a fitness frenzy among my friends. I maintained this habit for months and then all of a sudden, nothing. I just stopped. I blamed it on a cold that I justified was the reason I could no longer attend the gym and by the time the sickness passed I had lost all motivation. Its now 16 days until I depart for my summer adventure and I am in a worse place than I was when I started.

So its here that I investigate the reasoning behind motivation, because mine is fickle and has led me astray.

I’m currently sitting in my usual coffee shop, taking a sneaky flexi day off work (thanks work) to take control of all that is stressing me out and ready myself for my upcoming weeks of excitement and change. I have decided to create my own methodology for reigniting my extrinsic motivation.

Step one. Identify goals. What is it that I need to achieve in the coming 16 days, once I identify the necessities and I can plan (ha plan) a way to achieve these goals. Okay, so for the purpose of this post I am going to focus on the goal that is concerning me the most- health and fitness. I’ll admit I have, of late, been putting my body through absolute torture and basically indulging in everything I am not supposed to. Crap, the admission of self-infliction.

My health and fitness goals include the following

1.     No alcohol. Yes, here it is for all to see! My best friend has this month decided to partake in dry July, I have essentially lost my drinking buddy so this goal should be easier to achieve than normal. The benefits of my abstinence from alcohol include; the elimination of useless calories which equal excess kilos, deeper pockets, better absorption of vitamins and nutrients and assistance with my next goal…

2.     No sugar. The white devil. Sugar has become my heroin and my addiction to this substance is doing absolutely nothing for my liver or waistline, so sugar my evil friend you are out!

3.     Caffeine. I am eliminating caffeine to give my liver a bit of a break. Our livers are responsible for the elimination of toxins from the body and also the metabolism of fat. If our livers spend too much time working on toxins then little time is spent on metabolising fat and I don’t know about everyone else but I want my liver to spend a hell of a lot of time metabolising fat.

4.     Following on from caffeine is smoking. A habit I have picked up of late, and one that is not only affecting my bank account but also my health, so smoking you are out.

5.      The gym. The gym was my happy place, a place I attended without second thought or qualm. So to restore our relationship I will visit my boyfriend every day for the next 16 days to give my body the kick it needs, starting today.

So there we have it, five extremely difficult goals for me to adhere to for at least the next sixteen days. I’m not going to lie, this is going to be difficult and it’s going to be absolute hell, but in search of better things it must be done. And for those of you around me during this time, I apologise in advance.

<3 benny.