You’re Killing Me, Athens!
Athens, Greece - May 2024
I've been in Athens since May 1st and it's been both awesome and hell. And that's not even a joke.
Let's start with the awesome:
1. The people are so friendly, even though many of them don't speak a word of English.
2. The men are gorgeous.
3. The food is so much better than I expected it to be. Delish! And the streets smell divine.
4. My Airbnb apartment is amazing. After a terrible start in a less than good one, I was able to get a refund and change to one I actually love. (It was the first time the pics and listing didn't match and after a shitty night/early morning it was resolved.)
5. The supermarket by my apartment is excellent, and there's a 24-hour market next door to it that has outstanding produce.
6. I love the neighborhood. Once higher end, then sort of abandoned, now up and coming again. There's green space right across from my apartment and tons of cool stuff within short walking distances.
7. I haven't even begun to see the sights; there is so much to explore.
8. The men are gorgeous.
And now the hell:
1. In the early hours of the morning on my first night here I woke up to pee and was a little off balance, so naturally I fell into the wall face-first. That left a pretty nasty mark for about a week but fortunately has healed completely. Scraped up my back getting up, which left road rash that still hurts.
2. There are no flat streets. Well, maybe one or two, but I haven't come across them. Every place I've visited this year has been hilly, but this is ridiculous. The photo doesn't do most of the streets here justice.
3. It is impossible to have a package delivered to you here. Apparently, Greece uses ACS and they are notoriously crap. A package that arrived over a week ago finally made it to a local warehouse (after much messaging back and forth). Walked there today, waited in line an hour, finally got it.
4. It rained today and the sidewalks, which are largely tile, are slippery. With my predisposition to slipping/falling, and the sharp decline of the long street, I was paranoid the whole 25-minute walk to ACS. My calves were so freakin tight, and I got a charlie horse trying to grip the sidewalk in my sneakers.
5. Walked the 25 minutes back to my apartment on still wet sidewalks, uphill. Thought the footing might be easier. Nope. With the added bonus of a package in hand, I slipped and slided my way up the street, huffing and puffing, until I had to sidestep a puddle and all I can say is thank god there was a tree right there or I would have faceplanted on the ground. And bonus, bonus? After picking myself up I had to walk back down a few steps to get my package.
6. I have been forced by TMobile to get an eSIM for local data. Since I can't go without gps walking around, I spent the hour+ on the phone with them getting my new plan sorted but before we were done the call dropped. I waited for a call back but when that didn't come and then learned I can't call out, I bought the eSIM and had it activated. Guess what? Still can't call out. The eSIM company said I need to speak to TMobile, but for eSIM stuff you have to call. I. can't. call. out. So I finally got through to someone on help chat and they needed to send a one-time code to register the changes, but guess what? They can't send it to the phone that's being changed. Great. And I get that this isn't specifically Athen's fault, but it happened while here on an already challenging day.
7. And the gravy? I haven't slept since I arrived. I've taken prescription sleeping medicine for over 30 years. I've tried everything known to man. I ran out of my rx on the 30th, and the package that Gracie sent me last month with refills got lost. I do not sleep without it. I am wide awake until well into the next day, when I'm finally able to take short naps on and off. I also enjoy the wonder that is known as restless legs. That refill also got lost. When you add the pins and needles to the racing, repetitive thoughts, well you don't sleep. And weed isn't legal here (in case you were wondering).
Travel, they said. It will be fun, they said.
Actually, it is fun. It's fantastic. I'm so happy to be doing this, truly. But if I don't get some sleep someone is going to die. And I'm only kidding a little because right now I'm a sleep-deprived psycho.