1/1

Today was yet another beautiful Greek Sunny day without clouds in sight. My colleagues told me I got lucky. It was raining all the weeks before, sometimes raining so hard, they could barely hear patient talking working inside a tin box. The fireworks at midnight woke me up briefly but I slept all the way through.

I had a long chat to both of them while we went sight seeing today. The paediatrician has traveled everywhere.  She also did some volunteer in Jordan, and stayed there for a while learning Arabic. It's fascinating seeing how US medical system works. They had to decide which specialty they would like to go in at the end of med school. I wonder how they can even decide what they want to do for the rest of their life then. She tells me her ideal work life balance would be volunteer for 6 months a year, and then work for a year. But the shortest contract she can get anywhere in the US is 3 years, and they don't get to work like a contractor like me. I've never realised how fortunate I am to have this job. Freedom, money, autonomy. The other lady is a 60 yo ICU nurse from Arizona. She tells me that she used to do weekend volunteer in a Mexican clinic.

We went to the fortress of Antimachia, a fortress built in the 14th century by the knights of St John. There were prickly brambles along the way with rubbles either side. The view was magnificent. The most magical part was the chimes floating across the valley from the goats on the hills. It was like a giant wind chime was ringing in the valley.

We then visted a hot thermal beach. The ocean water was warm with steam coming out with the smell of sulfur. We could see bubbling in odd places by the beach.

The day ended with lunch with giant plate of mixed grills. A few cats sat around begging for food. And we got some complimentary drinks afterwards. The paediatrician tells me, it's winter so hardly ever any tourists, and people tend to get to know you. And you start to get free food afterwards. I guess that's a bonus.

31/12

I spent the morning watching youtube videos on how to drive a manual car. It looks like they are giving me a manual car. Press clutch, shift gear, gently lift pedal. Also have to remember to stay on the right side of the road.

Today I fly to Kos. The island which is 4km from Turkey, and was the location of the heart breaking photo of a kid washed up the beach after drowning in an attempt to flee to the island. Forum tells me I should be able to buy a sim card in the departure area past border security. They were wrong.

"Ah yes. We no longer sell the sim you want. We do have another. Let me check...hmm... nope, looks like our system isn't up and running yet. So we don't have any."

How hard is it to get a sim card?!?! At least the airport has free wifi.

I called him while waiting to board.
"I think I might have to learn to drive manual."
'Um...I don't think it's safe learning from youtube.'
"Isn't that what you did?'
'Yes. But when I did it, I knew the road was going to be on, and it was 11pm at night with no cars.'
"Anyhow, don't you think it's sexy if a girl can drive a manual car. Wouldn't that turn you on." I joked.

He laughed and laughed 'silly girl. No guy would like a girl who drives better than them'.

While boarding the plane, I received a wrapped pomegranate from the air stewardess.  It's customary to break a pomegranate on new years day.

A paediatrician and ICU nurse holding a home made sign of Joy picked me up from the airport. The apartment was dirty. The other volunteer had left 2 weeks ago. It has supposedly been cleaned, but there was broken eggs in the fridge, the milk still in it, there's crumbs on the bed, sheets unchanged, razor blades in the toilet bin. The cleaning equipment was still on the counter. Looks like the cleaner vanished in thin air in the middle of cleaning.

"There's a Hippocrates museum on the island. This is supposedly his birth place." The paediatrician tells me. She took me for a walk in town center, and I finally got a vodaphone sim, and bought some instant noodles.

I shouldn't have slept, but I did at 5pm, and had nightmares after nightmares. It was cold so I had gloves/scarf and my jacket on while waiting for the heater to warm my room. I woke up to take some more paracetamol and ibuprofen. I was meant to go to town to celebrate new year with the other 2, but I declined. I am tired.

30/12

After nearly 22 hours of flight time, 2 transits, 6 ibuprofen & 4 paracetamol, a  few crappy movies and music that gave me a splitting headache, I finally arrived in Athens. It was the typical Greek Sunny day which I saw 3 years ago. Clear blue sky with no clouds. The wind was cold but did not bite.

I had booked myself in a small apartment close to the airport before flying off to the island of Kos the next day. First task, I had to try and get a sim card so I can call up my accommodation shuttle to pick me up. And they don't sell any at all at the airport...

"Try the post office, I think they sell international sim." The information lady said. When I asked the post office lady, who had a giant poster on the back wall yelling about international sim and internet packaging, as well as a small pamphlet booth on her side.

"Hmm. International sim? Not worth it, too expensive. You should just buy a local sim outside."
'But I need a sim now. At least, can you tell me what the package is like?'
"No, I don't know it, but it's so expensive. Show me where you are staying...ah, definitely should have phone company in that area", There was nothing I could do since she refused to sell me the international sim.

I lined back up to the information lady enquring about a public phone. She told me regarding a coin operated pay phone upstairs, which meant I had to go to the convenient store to split up on $20 note. The convenient store guy told me he's never seen a coin operated phone, but wished me luck. Thank goodness he was wrong.

The apartment was in the middle of no where. Tina's apartment. Tina is the name of my wife, the owner tells me. The room is small, only has a space to fit one double bed with a rim of space around it that I have trouble walking through. The shower was a small space where I could touch the toilet seat in front of me and the sink to my left side. But it was enough for me. I could see the ocean in the distance. Tina had 2 son. And I saw the 6 year old run up to her with a bunch of wild flowers he picked in the field somewhere, and she gave him a big hug.

I was still in pain, and took more ibuprofen and paracetamol and slept.