My thinking became a bit catastrophic after I snuggled down last night. I imagined being crushed by tanks on manoeuvres (no sign of any tanks), trampled by stampeding cattle (no sign of any cattle), or being suffocated by someone with murderous intent (no sign, but kept checking).
Quite a bit of dew and condensation when I woke to the sound of birdsong. I emerged from my cocoon and enjoyed laying on the grass under the sun as my sleeping bag did the same to dry out, but without the enjoyment.
Just as I was getting ready to hit the road to Kavala again, some children playing nearby brought their father to me. I thought I was going to be in trouble for camping in his field. Not at all. He brought me decorated hard boiled eggs, bread, panettone, stuffed vine leaves (which I did not know at this time – just the wisdom of years), meat and cheese. Quite a feast!
There is example after example of the kindness of strangers. Later in the day a little girl in a cafe asked me how I was in English and I thanked her and told her I was fine – for this, her father paid for my Pepsi Cola and the family waved cheerfully as they left.
It turned out to be quite an arduous day. My arms were sore with sunburn, my backpack felt too heavy, and the road was dusty, long and winding (maybe The Beatles had been along here sometime?). It is May Day, and many of the cars are adorned with flowers. Women were making garlands, and carts drawn by horses and tractors were similarly festooned, young and old alike in high spirits.
Cars were filled with families and so lifts were scarce. I picked up 3 lifts. The last one took me to within 60km of Kavala. The landscape was quite wild and remote. Another night of sleeping under the stars.
Tomorrow night finds me on the other side of a town built like an amphitheatre at the foot of the Rhodope mountains in Western Thrace.
Psychologist on the Move 