pandemics and poison ivy

Noun: pandemic - an epidemic that is geographically widespread; occuring throughout a region or even throughout the world.

Greece continues. It continues to be really nice. Athens was a real treat and I enjoyed all of it. The Parthenon was, well, the Parthenon. The museums were full of really old, really neat things. We spent 4 nights in a typically dodgey hostel. The normal, 18 yr old, drunken roomates coming in late, the snoring and having to repeat your travel life story every day as new people come in and pleasantries are exchanged. I hate to admit it, but I think I am over hostels. Too old for that sort of stuff. The Student and Traveler's Inn couldn't really get me down though because Athens was so great. And there is nothing to make you appreciate a cheap hotel more than a hostel dorm room.

We left Athens on an 8 hour train ride around the Peloponnese. It was so beautiful and I began to get excited for the coutryside to come. We were headed for Kalamata, and then on to Koroni to meet up with Lis, the owner of our next Wwoof farm. We had agreed to a week at a home up in the hills amongst the olive trees, doing weeding and then some in her garden. The thing about wwoof farms, is that they are like a box of chocolates. We didn't know what we were going to get, and stood around in the square after being dropped off by the bus, waiting for Lis to pick us up. The speculations were many and funny, and we were glad to finally meet her and to know the truth.

Lis turned out to be a wonderfully spirited woman of 59, with a dying car and a very alive household. She and John (who was out of town), moved to Greece fom England 8 years ago. Their property is high and windy with views to the sea and plenty of wildflowers. We were not expecting to be in such a magical place, with foot paths running off into shady forests and olive groves and limestone boulders scattered about, appearing almost intentionally as places to sit for humans.

The house was stone with two stories and lots of character. It was cold inside, but the woodstove and cozy blankets made the evenings do-able. The house was powered by the sun, and the water heated the same way. I have never actually lived with solar power, and am pleased to report that it is fine. Normal. You are aware of the sun's rising and setting as the power switches on and off of battery and live sun. The gardens were stone terraces that stepped out into wild hillside, full of purple wildflowers and red poppies. Beautiful!

We were there with another girl, Elise from Montreal. So it was just the girls. We worked for 4 hours a day and spent the rest of the time talking, reading and eating. Lis and John's library took up a wall in every room, and Lis played librarian bringing you a new book everyday that she thought would suit your interests. It was wonderfully restful and pulling thistles or sawing firewood for a few hours a day hardly seemed repayment enough for the time we spent there, enjoying ourselves. It was a sad parting when we had to go. I had learned so much from Lis about sustainable living and how to make tofu. I had walked the fine line between de-evolution from a modern human being to a dirty, wild beast and enjoying the freedom of not being able to shower often. I had eaten fresh, healthy food. I ca't say I was looking forward to returning to instant coffee and preservative-laiden foods, but was ready to see more of Greece, including Naxos, the largest island in the Cyclades.

This was also about the time that I noticed itchiness on my skin. I thought it must have been that last romp in the thistles when it was too hot for a long sleeved shirt. I had this lingering headache too, which was annoying. I dismissed my redness and rash as a fluke, sure to heal quickly. We departed the farm and headed back north to a town called Napflio for some more winding-street, European enjoyment. Once we were there my rash was getting worse, and I started to feel sort of achey and sick. I woke one morning to the most horrendous headache (and I know headaches!). It was then that my fear of dying started to escalate.

I really wanted to see the Mycean ruins outside of town though! I took 4 excedrin migraine tablets and pressed on. The ruins were from some 1500 years BC, and they were large and impressive. I did my best to ignore the shooting pains in my back when my heals hit the ground, and the pounding thunder that went off in my head whenever my heart rate went up. After we returned to the lovely town of Napfoli, that I had hoped to further explore that afternoon, I felt really bad. Really bad to the point that my shuffling search for a pharmacy had to end when I broke into tears. I went slowly up to bed, and remained there for the rest of the day. Melissa, my nurse, brought back food and found a pharmacy and we began to treat me for poison ivy.

I felt pretty terrible as we left the next morning on our way to Naxos via bus, train and ferry. After arrival and a good sleep I felt a little better, still wondering what the back pain had to do with poison ivy. We got in touch with Kristen, my healthcare providing friend, and she asked me a few more questions about my rash, which had become a bubbly, disgusting mess on my arm and chest. She said, 'Sorry, thats no poison ivy, you have shingles and you better not be going around infecting people.' Oops. Shingles. Perfect. 3-5 weeks of pain and suffering. I think my case is very mild, and I already feel better though. I feel good enough to walk the towns here on Naxos and explore, under the care of Advil.

I worry now about the likely, thousand, people that I have spread my poison to. The buses, the train, the ferry.. I fear I have started something terrible, like the white colonists spreading death and destruction upon the people they met on their conquests. Lets hope it's not so serious. In the meantime, I plan to get better as quickly as possible so that I don't miss anymore of this fine country, or my sweet baby, Roma. So here's to rashes, beaches, and Greek yogurt!