It is funny how the mind works isn’t it?
On arrival on the Greek Island of Kos early in the morning after a night of no sleep and continuous road and air travel, Kos seemed to be a scruffy wasteland of a place unkempt and even perhaps dilapidated. Arriving at the resort we had selected admittedly without much thought other than it catered for kids, it seemed large, impersonal and frankly, as if it had seen better days. I felt a rising sense of disappointment.
A few days later and perhaps with a sleep refreshed mind, I was wondering how I could possibly wangle a permanent move to a place like Kos. The island now seemed ruggedly beautiful sitting in an arid heat haze. The volcanic origins of the island plainly observed in its angular and rugged mountains and in the rocks and boulders strewn over the landscape. Its beaches comprised of volcanic rounded pebbles or in many instances, a fine grey volcanic sand were lapped by a deep azure and amazingly transparent Aegean. Periodically, small remnants of its former glory peaked from small areas set aside of preservation of its ancient Greek past and small stone columns seemed to be everywhere. Yes, as my mind adjusted to Kos, I began to like what I saw there. Even the resort grew on me – a little.
By the time we left, I was of course, sad to leave. I love Greek food but it doesn’t agree with me – too much olive oil perhaps? So there was a part of me that yearned for normal food and my own bed but other than that…. I wished I could have stayed.