well, i kind of completely changed the purpose of the trip!
the original idea was to rent a room in athens to use it as a base to explore the nearby ancient cities, and maybe get a part-time job to pay for some expenses (hmm... going out expenses!). in the last couple of months i had been in contact with 2 people here in Greece (i didn't tell anyone about this because i think things don't happen if we tell) and that gave me some hope that things would work out great! but they didnt...
the first person is a friend of a friend whom i met briefly before. she is greek, lives in athens and has a spare room in her flat. so i thought maybe i could rent it of her for a month, but she just disappears. i know right now she is one of the islands. she hasn't replied to e-mails or text messages... so... i gave up on that. and the thought of flat-hunting in a strange country with a strange language is too terrifying. i remember how haunted it was in london and i can't imagine going through it here (specially in this heat)...
the other person i had been in contact with was the editor of the Athens News - the only newspaper in English in Greece. I had sent him a sample of my work and had arranged an interview with him the day after i arrived. I just thought that instead of working in a bar i could do what i know to do - to write, about fashion, obviously. so i thought it could give me good pocket money, but again i was wrong... first because he said he only publishes a fashion article every 6 weeks (in average), so i would have left Greece by then; second because they pay soo sooo little and it would hardly help. (i am not saying how much because someone who shouldn't know might be reading this). Anyway, i did agree to write a story for him, but that will only happen in September (related to London Fashion Week), so will be of no help right now...
so i got back to the hostel on tuesday feeling very frustated and lost... bless the 2 nice girls who were sharing the room with me - i started talking to them and it helped me to clear my ideas. i had a nice time with them drinking and going out for dinner. and then i decided i will just travel. so no more work and no more flat-hunting-staying in athens sort of thing.
took the 'day off' yesterday and went to Delphi (where people used to go to consult the oracle!)
and just spent this whole time here in the internet researching where to go. those girls are going to be in the island of Ios tomorrow, but their hostel is fully-booked, as everything else i looked in the islands. so, my theory - the idea of going with the flow is beautiful, but high season is not the right time to do it! i checked countless islands and couldn't find a combination ferry / hotel availability / price that worked on either of them...
so i created a plan B! but i will only say what it is after it happens!
xx
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