Being in Granada in Spain was wonderful: enjoying the warm, winter sun and sharing wine with people from the caves. Camping in the mountains in Israel was amazing: sitting around the campfire, gazing at the stars and listening to friends playing Simon & Garfunkel on the guitar. Having a party in an underground pub with live music in Germany was great for being between lots of friends and dancing the night away. Now, this birthday, I’m not sure where or how it will be celebrated. Perhaps, with luck, Danielle and I will make it to Albania or Macedonia.

I’ll be 30 when I wake up in Athens tomorrow. It’s a funny thing; being in Athens, and using these numbers to keep track of your age like that.

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Dear friends,
Just as a quick update; I post one email I send to a fellow hitchhiker we met some months ago at the gasstation of Michendorf, Berlin:

Hey Jared,
After almost a whole moon spent on the island of Ikaria, Greece, I got
back to Athens and easy access to internet… It’s really nice reading
what you’ve been up to and hearing how you manage your nomadic life!

I also spent many nights outside – in caves, under trees, on the
beach, etc. No city lights & no moon – so it was amazing to look up at
the night sky which is covered in stars. Some people told me Ikaria is
a kind of ‘robbers’ island, and it’s definitely got a good feeling to
it. Met some great people, one time I came out of the high mountains
tired and cold and within 10 minutes of getting to a sleeping village
some good people invite me to their home. From there I started
hitching, and the first car to pass, an old lady with a dog, stops.
She points to the back of the pickup truck, I hop in, and enjoy the
fresh air and great views as we drive down close to the sea, up
through the high mountains and dodge the many goats which are roaming
the roads. She lets me out in Levkada, an awesome place where there
are hot springs in the sea. Of course I jump straight in for some
total relaxation… And just when I start wondering where to sleep I
meet four Spanish, German and Greek people whom invite me to a friends house, to stay in somewhat of a flatshare style, without electricity, but with home made wine, olive trees, and lots of home grown food… Such great hospitality.

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