Don't Stop Believing : 2012-10-14

Perhaps it is because everyone is secretly searching for love, the one, and their happily ever after, but people seem to be extremely curious to whether or not I have fallen in love while travelling. The short answer is no. I have not given my heart to anyone nor whispered those three very sacred words. But (and there is always a but) travel romances have definitely knocked on my door, once or twice. I think it is almost impossible to travel the world, for any length of time, and not have at least one travel romance. Now by travel romance I don't mean the undying feeling of complete infatuation or visualizing your life with the person but merely a roller-coaster lust that leaves you feeling light headed and happy.

Now don't read into this too much and assume in Greece I had a whirlwind of a travel romance because that would be false. I am merely expressing the reality that travel romances do happen and they forever change your world.

When travelling you meet the most a-amazing, like minded, outgoing, interesting and beautiful people one probably ever meets. On top of that you meet these remarkable individuals in some of the most beautiful and breathing places in the far hidden corners of the earth. It is truly phenomenal how two people who barely know each other are willing to open up their lives like books and allow the other person to pick the chapters they wish to read. In some ways I am afraid that when I return to my own motherland finding a man who can keep my interest will be an impossible task. Yet, there is no point in worry about so far in the future when tomorrow hasn't even arrived yet.

The bitter-sweet reality of travel romances is that the majority are doomed from the beginning. Each person, usually, has a very different travel itinerary and path in which they are meant to follow. Thus, before a travel romance begins both people already know it will end. On the flip side, or positive side, that doesn't stop any backpacker from jumping in with two feet into waist deep water....

We all hear the stories of two people who met in some foreign country, fell deeply in love and have been together ever since. In my experience these people are the exception and not the rule. This doesn't bring any molecule of sadness into my heart though because some of the most unforgettable people have entered my life and then had to leave it. Plus, I didn't venture out looking for love. Perhaps if you are, your travel romances take more from you and they provide.

So for all those curious ears; at the end of the day I still crawl into my single bed bunk and wrap my stolen air plane blanket around me. I may miss being a little spoon but I don't miss having someone beside me whispering 'I love you' in my ear as we drift off into dream world because I know one day soon another unforgettable person will enter my life. Perhaps it will be for a day, perhaps for a week, perhaps for a month, or perhaps for forever. Who knows?! But until then my stolen air plane blanket does the job of keeping me warm just perfectly.

My family trip is Greece will be a vacation I will remember forever.

Kate and I arrived from India and were greeted by my father at the airport with a backpack of ice cold beers. After travelling from India --> Russia --> Paris --> Athens, over the span of almost 36 hours, we needed that beer!
That night we ate dinner at a beautiful restaurant with white linen table cloths, proper cultery and waiters tending to our every need, as we stared at the beautiful Acropolis.
It was a dramatic shift in culture and sceenery but Kate and I welcomed it with open arms.

Together the three of us explored all the ancient monuments of Athens while we waiting on my Dad's girl friends arrival. Once Diane had joined our threesome we head out to the beautiful island of Santorini. (It is on the map, above Crete but it is very small).

Santorini is one of the most stunning places on earth I have ever seen and definitely battles with my number one spot, Gili Air in Indonesia. We spent a few days in Santorini watching gorgeous sunsets, drinking cheap red wine, laying on black/red sand beaches and absorbing the never ending beauty of Oia. If you ever come to Greece I highly recommended going to Santorini especially the area of Oia.

The next island we conquered was Crete.
Crete is a much bigger island with many more places to see but doesn't compared to Santorini beauty wise (in my opinion anyways). We started our journey on Crete in Hersonissos to celebrate Kate's Birthday....and celebrate we did! :) Kate and I found an amazing place to stay that night; cheap, large rooms, full kitchens and a free bottle of wine on arrival. Definitely our kinda spot. My parents took the room above us and we spent a few nights there laughing, chatting about life and catching up on the balcony over red wine and olives.
After our dose of Hersonissos we headed off to Georgioupolis, home to the longest, white sandy beach on the island of Crete. We spent a few days there simply relaxing on the beach and reading the various love novels Diane found. Close to Georgioupolis is a little town where we connected with our neighbours from Winnipeg whom were visiting their home town. They live two doors down from us yet I had never officially met them. Our encounters were limited to the occassional drive by wave. It is an interesting world when you are meeting your neighbours from home, for the first time, in a remote town on a Greek island. They are great people whom we enjoyed a delicious dinner with and many laughs and perhaps too much raki (traditional Greek liquor).

From Georgioupolis we continued to drive to the west end of the island hitting up almost every major town along the way. We went from Georgioupolis to Chania, to Kissamos, and then back to Rhythmom and finally back to Hersonissos were it all started. In each place we spent a few days getting to know the area and exploring the local sites. We took a boat ride around the end of the island by Kissamos and saw a beautiful lagoon with goregous crystal blue water. We climbed many mountains to view ancient rocks, no wait,... I mean ruins, and rode ATVs around Santorini. We ate the most expensive sushi I have ever had. Kate and I went out to a rock bar one night with my Dad and practiced our air guitars. We shopped, we danced, we stuffed ourselves full of Greek food and wine, we laughed, we explored, but most of all we simply got the chance to spend time together. After six months of being away from home seeing my family refreshed my soul and relieved any bits of home sickness that had started to reside in my heart. In so many ways I am blessed with two fasntastic parents. They love me unconditionally and willingly travelled around the world so they could hug their daughter.