The next morning, though we’re sleeping in a tent and hear the birds chirping, other campers snoring, still others zipping and unzipping their tents, others starting their cars and so on, getting up doesn’t seem the easiest thing to do, so we keep postponing, although sweaty and hungry, until around 9 o’clock.
It’s another hot day when we leave the camping, having said goodbye to the sea, the island a little bit hidden behind clouds, making it easier for us to go home, of course. We do some shopping for the road (mainly fruit for the little fruitarian runner, of course) and hit the highway. (Oh, yes, the supermarkets are open today in Greece, it’s Tuesday.) I realize only now how close we are are to the Turkish border and that partly explains the large number of Turkish campers who were our overnight neighbors.
I get a lump in my throat as we’re leaving. It’s been like a honeymoon in three and perfect just the way it was and I don’t want it to end. Ever.
We resolve to speak English on the way back and there is a short delay before we start. Stalling is something we are especially good at, by the way. English between us is awkward and I’m thinking about the little fruitarian runner overhearing our conversation and imagine he’s feeling a bit confused.
Sunflower fields are growing on the side of the highway and I can’t imagine why I didn’t notice them a week ago. For mysterious reasons, the GPS takes us on a detour through a narrow road in a fir tree forest before taking us back to the national road. It looks beautiful and deserted. Only later will I find out about the stories of the Bulgarian robberies and hijacks. I can only be happy I had no worries on the road.
We make a stop in Velko Tarnovo for a hot walk, to stretch our legs and see the castle there on the outside, before getting on with our trip, making plans for the time ahead so that the return doesn’t seem purposeless, pointless and joyless.
Related posts:
- A journey with the little fruitarian runner on board. Day nine: Leaving the island
- A journey with the little fruitarian runner on board. Day eight: Water. The last full day on the island
- A journey with the little fruitarian runner on board. Day seven: Chora and the beach
- A journey with the little fruitarian runner on board. Day six: 13 hours on Mount Saos
- A journey with the little fruitarian runner on board. Day five: A special day on Samothrakis
- A journey with the little fruitarian runner on board. Day four: The southern part of Samothrakis
- “A journey with the little fruitarian runner on board. Day three: The magic forests and the waterfalls of Samothrakis“
- “A journey with the little fruitarian runner on board. Day two: Alexandropoulis – Samothrakis“
- “A journey with the little fruitarian runner on board. Day one: Bucharest – Alexandroupolis”
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