We set off on our way with the sense of freedom and possibility, like free men, who could be stopped by nothing. We would often scream to the world our motto “we go and see!”“we are open to the world and all unexpected circumstances”..this indeed representing our daily adrenaline injection.
Our only organizational strategy and panacea “get up before the sun gets up.. so we have all the time to get lost” (trademark L.Scelsi) often meant a brisk 6am start of the day,a two hour zombie-walk and breakfast at 8am at some wonderful locations on top of a hill. Sounds pretty much like perfect.
However, we soon came to terms with an internal problem which could not be neglected.
Needless to say, this man was a constant “thorn in the side” trying to arrange all the minutiae of securing our food and accommodation even before knowing where we would end up (and if alive).
An imaginary shopping list made up of potential sources of worry is present in his mind since the early hours (if you incidentally wake up in the middle of the night you’ll find his frightening eyes shining behind a smartphone). He draws such an immense pleasure in virtually “checking all its boxes”, that you can see his expression turning from utter anguish to one of delightful relief each time he successfully manages to plant the seed of concern into his companions minds for such matters as food shortage (keep in mind we were in a country where almost even bread could be plucked from a tree), lack of accommodation (in a period when no other tourist were crazy enough to follow our steps) or the need to carry coke and butter on top of a mountain (you must know his deathbed wish would be a glass of coke – ahh,the nectar of gods!). So disillusioned was I, that I was ready to satisfy any crazy request from this fellow, just to avoid embarking in surreal discussions which couldn’t be won. Let it suffice to consider I was forced to abjure my faith in classical science and went as far as claiming that gravity is directed upwards, in order to quench an endless argument that couldn’t otherwise be closed!
No flaws in our daily planning could stand his ruthless scrutiny..continuous rework on the schedule was needed to quench his thirst for security and his need to be heard. Sudden cancellation of a hostel reservation to be replaced within the hour by night bus tickets!...advance dinner booking in the most expensive restaurant in town! A strict moratorium on knocking at hostels’ door haggling for a bargain! It was never too early to pay.. and all these are only a few mild examples of the consequences of his whimsical and unpredictable behavior! (to be continued)