Month: June 2022

Facing the storm

It’s been my birthday in March 2022 when Tino and I did an offroad tour that led us to the top of a Greek mountain on Peleponnese. That evening it had been storming like crazy and on the next day, the storm was still at full power.

I’m waking up and Rosinante is still swaying like a drunken sailor staggering home, stumbling to her knees now and then. Before I went to bed yesterday, I didn’t pop up Rosinante’s roof. I wouldn’t have enjoyed the additional noise and the worrying about the tent fabric torn apart like an old sail while the wind is hitting Rosinantes broadside. It’s six o’clock and the sun is about to rise. After checking my phone for no special reason, I decide to go out to watch the sunrise. I’m thinking about turning my phone off at night to make it easier for me not to check it just to check it. But I quickly push away that thought while having the feeling, that I’ll change that in some not-so-far-away future. After getting my winter clothes on, I’m opening Rosinante’s rear hatch. Instead of the familiar sound of the pneumatic springs pushing the hatch up, I’m just hearing the wind blowing. There are small patches of snow and I’m thinking if they have been there yesterday. Jumping out of the hatch feels a bit like exiting a spaceship. Even though I’m wearing my winter cap, the wind is screaming in my ears. After pulling on my hood, the noise got reduced to something like a mild screaming with the potential to rise to a roar. Feeling the cold on my face, I start the walk to a nearby place where I’ll have a better view. I’m passing by a big steel barrel filled with solid ice. Hitting it with a stone just blasts small pieces of the ice. I’m reaching the viewpoint and the wind hits me so hard into my face, that my hood gets jerked from my head. I put it back on and after adding the hood of my jacket, I’m tightening its straps. The view is fantastic: the sun just got up and her warm and orange light is illuminating different layers of mountains, clouds and the fog hanging between the mountains. The wind is roaring into my face, pushing tears out of my eyes and letting my cold nose run, but I can’t stop watching the scenery with wide-open eyes. While running over my face the once warm tears feel like they are freezing to ice. The wind gets even stronger and I’ve to lean myself into him to not get pushed back. It’s so beautiful, powerful and somehow weird, that I start laughing and whimpering at the same time.

Seen from the present, this morning feels like the start of some powerful but beautiful changes hitting me in the weeks after that morning.

Visiting an alien plant planet

I didn’t know that there is an habitable planet and especially that he is so special and close to earth but at the end of March 2022 I visited him.

I’m driving down from the main road onto the dirt road that is supposed to lead me to the place were I will meet Tino again. Weeks ago we’ve met for the first time and by coincidence in Croatia on a abandoned military base. We got along very well and so we’ve met again in Albania and did some offroading and now I’m on the last kilometers to the spot he’s been living for some days in Greece.

The wind is blowing fiercely around and against Rosinante. Despite her 3,3 tons of weight, she’s tottering when a heavy wind gust hits her broadside. We are entering a small village which is located on a hillside that ends in the ocean. The street is getting more and more narrow and right next to a small chapel there is a car blocking the street. Because the last one hundred meters have been extremely narrow and steep, it would be troublesome to go reverse. I’m honking a few times, but nobody comes. So I’m taking my winter cap and wind blocking jacket and go out into the wind. The wind is loud in my ears and there is nobody to be seen. My callings get devoursed by the wind. Walking around on the private properties while searching for the driver of the parked car feels not very good. I try four doors and back yards, but I have no luck. So I go back to Rosinante and check how I can manage to drive her reverse through the tight and downhill corner. Out of nowhere a Greek man runs towards me and the parked car. He’s waving his hands and shouting something that I take for an apology. I’m saying “οκέι, οκέι”, but I don’t think that he can hear me. After the blockade has been cleared, I continuing my way down to the ocean.

I’m reaching the coast and a tiny harbour. But Tinos home is still a few kilometers away. It seems like these kilometers will be on a rocky gravel road along the coast. After entering this road, there is a fence gate blocking the road. The Greek use gates like these to keep their cattle from running away. I’m passing the gate and finally arrive on the alien planet. The whole scenery consists of so different but beautiful elements. All together they make a magnificent picture. The dark blue ocean is laying on the left. The wind is drawing interesting and ever changing patterns of waves on him. Next to the ocean is a rocky coastline in different shades of grey protecting the land from the ocean. The waves are getting smashed against the rocks and the spray gets tossed into the air. The land consists of healthy, fresh gras, flowers and green bushes. But the very special is, that the land is dotted by yellow bushes. The plants grow as far as they can up a slope. But at some point there is a massive cliff blocking them. The cliff is shining in different shades of ocher and brown. All together this scenery is just amazing! I continuing my way to the location Tino gave me and soon I see his car. I’m searching for a spot to park Rosinante and have to maneuver her on the narrow road, sharp stones until I found a good place for us.

Tino comes over from his car and I’m happy to see him again. We welcome each other and have a chat about this and that. He has the plan to investigate a nearby cave and I’m thankful for this adventure.