When I started traveling, I was mostly interested in seeing the sights a place has to offer. It was not about the culture or about the interaction with people. Geography being one of my favorite subjects in school, it was all about knowing the countries, cities and the landmarks. Over the years, I started to get curious about the culture & traditions of a place and the interaction with people became important as well. Maybe, travel is one of the reasons I am no longer an introvert.
Greece impressed me with its wonderful landmarks and history. However, it was in Meteora that I had my first decent interaction with people who enriched my travel experience immensely.
As I was loitering on the streets, I saw this old man looking at events unfolding outside his window. He has been living here for a long time and the lucrative tourism sector is important for people like him, as it gives them an opportunity to make some money. Slightly worried about what the future has in store, he smokes his last cigarette before getting ready for another busy day. In many ways, I felt the photo was symbolic of Greece & people living there - smoking away their troubles, having seen the end of financially bountiful years and struggling in life. Maybe, they are reminiscing about the past & their great old civilization or they are anxious about what is coming next. It's probably an effect of the great Greek philosophers that I am becoming melodramatic as well !
Then there was my lovely host Stella. She made sure everything was perfect for my trip and was always ready to go the extra mile. The Greek hospitality is something I have heard about in articles or read online but this is the first time I experienced it. Her family opened the hostel 4 years back and has been doing very well. She handles the travelers and makes sure everything is comfortable for them. Her husband handles all the outdoor work and helps with the sightseeing and travel arrangements of the people staying here. Considering the "drinks on the house" option she offered me, I wondered how she will make this business into a profit earning venture in the next few years. I really wished I had spent more time here doing nothing but looking at the mountains & enjoying her free specials !
Last, but not the least, was Micki - an Israeli biker, who was on her first trip to Greece and her passion for biking was admirable. When I saw her bike parked outside my hostel, I was shocked to find an Enfield in Greece. I asked Stella if she knew who the bike belonged to and I was then introduced to Micki. Her back story is similar to many Israelis who spend their vacations in India (mostly, the mountains or Goa) after finishing their compulsory military service. A few years back, she rode the Enfield in Rajasthan and loved the experience so much that she decided to save for her dream bike. She had it shipped to Israel and has spent more than 11,000 Euros till date on the bike - the things people do ! One of the rare Israelis I met, who acknowledged the issue of her countrymen (and women) arriving in India and creating a nuisance. She offered me a ride for the next couple of days exploring the monasteries in Meteora. I would have loved to ride pillion & discuss a lot more with her but unfortunately, I was leaving town on the day she arrived. I told her "if only, I had met you a couple of days back. Maybe another time, who knows - on your next trip to India".
These sort of interactions, while you are alone on the road, make your day and it is a feeling that can not be expressed accurately in words. Ah, the joys of Traveling !
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