I’m leaving tomorrow

Dear Barbara,

I still can’t believe that I’m leaving tomorrow. It’s a pity that I couldn’t reach you on the phone earlier tonight. I have no idea what I could possibly tell you, but the truth is that it’s always nice to say goodbye before a departure. I still remember how this whole idea was born: talking in early August somewhere by the sea. The great decisions, the ones that define our future, tend to blur the memory. I can’t recall the exact place anymore. I just remember the sea.

And to the sea, I’m heading tomorrow. The first journey will be a quick one. I will take the morning ferry to Aegina. It’s going to be a short sail in the Saronic Gulf; it won’t last more than an hour and a half. It is more of a tribute to the days we spent there last year. I know that you liked Aegina, and I remember that you were longing for more islands. Unfortunately, I know you have to work, and this keeps you behind.

I’m leaving tomorrow…

…and I feel vulnerable. Throughout the years, I learned to handle this sort of sentiment. For a long time, I thought of it as a weakness, some sort of pre-traveling anxiety that can ruin everything. But as the years went by, I learned that this is something different: it’s a preparation to be again open to the world after a long period of stillness.

And the truth is that I’ve been in limbo for a long time. Writing a novel, and then another one, and then another one, made me realize how much I loved books and how much I disliked this industry. The night the idea of this travel blog came to life, I promised you something: that the next book I’m gonna write will be on my own terms. I plan to keep that promise and am ready to pay the cost.

To the islands of September

You asked me where I plan to go, and I replied that it was odd places with occasional stops by the sea. It is still summer, and I plan to visit some more islands after I return from Aegina. I’m desperate to visit my beloved Anafi and to find even more stories and places there. Even the photo you see here is from the slow boat to Anafi. I wrote last year about Anafi, but it was in Greek, and you could only check the photos.

And then, there will be a couple of more islands.

Later this year, the focus will shift from the sea: it will be about odd stories and bizarre places. I will announce all my travel plans to you soon. But I promise that the places will be odd, the stories, too.

With a small bag

I said I’m leaving tomorrow, but it’s already past midnight. I actually leave in a couple of hours. My small bag is ready. I don’t like suitcases and excessive weight. I just packed a couple of shirts, my camera, a pen, and a notebook. And that’s all I need in my bag. The most immense joy of any journey is to leave your home behind.

I’ll write to you from Aegina.

Yours,

George

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