Abored Abroad: Greecey Food and Cabin Fever 10/21/2014

Well, go ahead and Google Bahrain.

Now go to images.

I'll wait...

...

Okay come back.

Looks great, right? Lots of sweeping views and palm trees.

C is for Crapload of Money

That isn't a lie, in places this is a very beautiful country. There are palm trees alllllllll over. There is history here as well as a push towards the future. There are beaches and there are parks. There are malls...seriously walk outside and close your eyes...in Bahrain take two steps in any direction you will end up in a mall. I don't know how that works with time and space and all, but that's a special travel tip from me to you.

When I go to work, most of my day is working. I like work. I came here for work. Work keeps my brain busy. I have never been the type of person who can just lay on a beach or just curl up for a few hours with a good book. I have to be doing something.

Therein lies the problem.

Parks, beaches, views, malls...they are nice but I am not going to be crazy-single-park-bench-guy-who-feeds-pigeons-and-tells-kids-to-get-off-his-lawn.

I can't see myself being the pale-white-beach-guy-who-feeds-pigeons-and-tells-kids-to-get-off-his-sand.

I can't see myself being annoying-healthy-view-guy-who-inhales-deeply-as-he-enjoys-the-sunset-while-feeding-pigeons-and-tells-kids-to-get-off-his-horizon.

There is no way I am going to be early-mall-walker-guy-who-feeds-pigeons-and-tells-kids-to-get-off-his-handicap-accessible-kiosk.

By the way the pigeon-like birds we have here sound like a cow ate a crow and then was stepped on by a giant Whoopie-Cushion.

Back in my day, pigeons used to shine shoes and dance the Charleston for feed.

So Bahrain has forced my hand. Normally I make grandiose plans to go places and do things, and then I just kind of "Meh" them away and stay at home. Saves money. Wouldn't be worth it. I can wash my hair and dry hump the sofa at home - why pay to do that in a hotel?

I can always rationalize it.

But Bahrain made me follow through. I hit "submit" and my trip tapped out. As of yesterday I booked a trip...

...shut up! It's a big deal for me!

As of yesterday I am going somewhere I have always wanted to go.

And as of yesterday I have officially become vacation planner of the century.

Not only did I book a short trip for the Ashura break, which runs from the workday end on October 30 to the morning of November 4, but this trip is actually a pre-trip trip for my real trip in a few months. This trip is a pre-trip for my trip coming up, so this trip will not be "the trip" but is a smaller "trip" which is still a trip, though a pre-trip is more accurate form of trip for this trip.

And no, nothing I do isn't complicated.

So by now you are probably clawing at the screen wishing to know all the details. Shouting in tongues that I must tell you all, perhaps?

No?

Well I am going to tell you anyway. Try to act excited....

Home of the Murals! Wait...home of the murals? What...I mean...Athens is the home of painted plaster? Nice...

That's right! I am going to Athens! Wait...hold on...that doesn't look right.

I'll be right back...

...

There we go.

The picture was bigger but I accropped a lot out...ZING!

That's right! I am going to Athens!

Over Eid, the 5 day break earlier I learned one important thing about Bahrain. Much like my hometown, you have to leave. I do love this country, but over that break I discovered that too much free time WILL MAKE ME LOSE MY MIND AND I BECOME VERY SELF DESTRUCTIVE.

Believe it or not...

So now, when I have more than a long weekend I resolve to take a trip. There are places like Jordan and Oman I would like to visit. Lebanon and Hungary are very close. But when I pulled out my map of Europe, (I Googled it) I started in the North and slowly worked my way down. That's right map of Europe, you are getting eye-loved right now. Ooooooo girl, if I was a ship Ireland right on your coast, baby. There are so Ger-many, many ways I would travel all over you. Italy a long drive over your Alpen Curves, Ural love every corner. Look at those boots! You are a fine representation of a continent, Europe. But before we get started, let me Greece you up a little...

That's it!

While I was punning over the map of Europe I came across something I always knew was there, but from living in the USA it was always wwaaaayyyyyy over there. Now it was here! Greece! A short 4 hour flight to my childhood obsessions!

I was initially going to visit Crete for 3 nights and 4 days, but I would like to drive and my international license isn't here yet. So it was time for me to get my thinking cap on and logic and reason the fuck out of this trip. In December we have a longer break, enough where I can take 10-12 days and go somewhere. I would just end up sitting at home playing video games for Christmas anyway. So I thought: "Why not Greece?"

I think amazing stuff like that all the time.

But after doing some research I discovered that the 10 days in December just wasn't enough time to see what I wanted to see. The islands have long travel times and I didn't want to miss anything. 2 days in Athens, a Day in Delphi, a day on the island of Hydra, 2 days on Santorini, a day on Metora, a day in Thermoplyae, 3 days on Crete and hopefully at least 2-3 days in the North of Greece - add in the travel time and that is just impossible!

Improbable, but not impossible.

So my new amazing plan is to go to Athens, Delphi, and the island of Hydra over this short break. That will essentially cover 4 days of the 10 days trip in December, which will then allow me to get to Crete for a few days, hit Santorini over night, and do all sorts of fun things I don't even know about yet during the lobger holiday.

You don't have to yell "GENIUS!" like that. I know.

Okay, you don't have to yell "MODEST!" like that, either.

I was so satisfied it was like a man-god covered in oils, gold and jewels was giving me a back rub.

Little lower, Zerk. Lower...lower...lower...TOO LOW!

...

Lower...

So now I am forced to sit here and wait for this trip, which is only about 9 days. But I am nonetheless very excited about going. The first thing people here ask me is: "Who are you going with?"

...

Um, my backpack and some jeans? I didn't ask anyone to go. To be honest, I don't think I want anyone to go. I mean, I like the idea of people. I really do!

I may say this sometimes. But I don't always mean it. Sometimes.

I have no problem traveling alone. In fact, my last little 3 day stop in the London was a blast and I did that solo. I met some interesting people - like the girls who decided they were going to show a gay guy what it meant to be straight - and the gay guy who decided he would try to get me to take him back to his place instead of learn from these girls what it meant to be straight. I met "Corinna but say it like dinner" and had a good walk through the Love Fest there. The Eastern European bartender who worked at the Monkey Puzzle who was mean to everyone but her boss...weird. All off the cuff and just...well...fun.

Just do that in your hotel room. It's illegal to do that out here and no one wants to step in your DNA.

So off I will go on a whirlwind pre-trip trip adventure. I will certainly take pictures and meet interesting people and ride busses and speak confused broken tourist-english with people for about a 150 KM radius of Athens.

So, nothing to do now but train for my trip. I have to be in tip top physical form. How does one get in shape for Greece?

I will allow a sneak peak into my training regime...