Leaving Paris to go back to Athens was definitely not easy. The week preceding the start made me feel anxious, I had a lot of people to say goodbye to, equipment and luggage to prepare. Like always, my lack of planning forces me to make some sacrifices and adapt my ideal plan. All of this makes me anxious and questions the need to go travel across Europe just with a bicycle and 3 t shirts.
When I finally arrive at charles de Gaulle airport, I feel relieved, make some calls, and slowly, the anxiety transforms into excitement of traveling and discovering the world. In the plane, it feels like the time stops, that you teleport to your destination, and in some ways, I don’t want the flight to end. I just want to keep listening to music and look through the window.
I had 2 short but interesting conversations in the plane with a Greek girl around my age and 35ish year French man coming for a film festival. We got recommended a book called”A Decolonial Feminism” by Françoise Vergès.
The stress starts again in Athens, it’s raining, and quite dampy. it is also a weirdly comfortable 20c. So I feel sweaty and sticky, but at least I am warm. have no plan other than getting to thessaloniki at some point to get my bike, and that feels scary. I don’t even know how to get there yet, and the whole country train system is down due to a horrible accident that killed at least 55 people. The trains have been down for 3 weeks now, so I will have to find a bus. At least 6 hours to thessaloniki.
Due to my extreme lack of organization, I really feel overwhelmed by all the options in front of me, I have to get used to making decisions fully alone again. I should have arrived long before the 23rd of March to stay with Apolon in Thessaloniki and slowly prepare the trip. But now I can’t go there before the 26th.
I figured out the solution under a tree, protected from the rain. While sitting in the park right in the center of Athens, I decide to wait for apollon, enjoy Athens for 5 days to my change mood. Go rock-climbing and eat good food. So I have to find a place to sleep. This also means I will only have 1 day to prepare my bike. Hopefully, I will have a smooth Monday in 6 days to start the adventure on the 28th.
After finding a place to sleep, a small hostel 55 eur for 5 nights (I share the room with 12 people) I felt way more relaxed, from then the anxiety disappeared after unpacking my stuff on the bed. Entering a European capital with no plans, a small bag makes me feel free, so I decide to go walk around the acropolis.
