Back in the Metaphorical Saddle Again

I have finally made it back to C'ville! I woke up this morning at 6:30 (thank you jet lag) and I figured that today was the day to get back in my kayak. I retrieved it from Kelli's house, cleaned it up, bought some gatorade and water, and headed for Beaver Creek. I used my gloves, paddle leash, and skirt that I've had but never really knew how to use. I got in the boat and sat in it next to the dock longer than I usually do. I think part of me didn't want to let go of the dock. So I sat there for a little while and then I pushed off into the calm, flat, well protected waters of Beaver Creek. I paddled the entire perimeter and saw maybe 3 other kayakers at different points in my jaunt, but mostly I was alone, which is what I wanted to be during this paddle. I could paddle much better than I could before my trip and I generally feel at home in my Carolina. I brought along my ipod and stuck it in my lifevest so I listened to some tunes, and just prayed and thought about the words of the preacher who was on tv at 6:30 in the morning.

Kalimera Again!

Goodmorning to everyone! I just enjoyed my last Greek breakfast of yummy yogurt with honey. I'm going to go upstairs, throw everything in my bag (I mean pack nicely mom) and head out for the metro (thank you Olypmics 2004).

I can't believe this is my last blog entry from Greece. What a trip! I'm going to miss being here.

Deann I hope your conference is going well. You are the smartest woman alive! (That motto always helped me in college.) I miss you and I hope to see you this fall!!

Matt, I really hope that you feel better soon and that you can find someone somewhere to help you out! Give Deann a big hug for me in London. You two are the bestest.

Okay, I'm going to go get my stuff together.

Peace out. Love, Katie

Too Much Information?

July 11, 2006 My last full day in Greece.

Last night, I was turning in early when I got a call in my hotel room! It was Matt and he was calling to see if I wanted to do something. I said, "Sure!" and he said, "Great! I'm actually downstairs in your hotel lobby." I met him in the lobby where we consulted each of our Lonely Planet books to figure out a way to Psiri, the Athenian hot spot. We had to walk through "my neighborhood" which is great if you are looking for drugs or lady friends...oops...shouldn't have picked it, but you live and learn.

We made our way to Psiri which was really cool and sat at a cafe and ordered a bottle of really good white wine. It was so great to chat with Matt. We eventually ordered some appetizers and walked around. He told me what it was like to see me and Deann coming back from our attempt at crossing the Bay. He said I was like superwoman paddling fiercely and Deann was looking a little like a deer caught in headlights-steering but not paddling much!

Matt walked me home for which I was immensely grateful, and when I got in my room it was 12:45! We had sat for hours talking.

This morning I woke up to eat my included breakfast and go back to bed. I called Matt at our designated calling time, in honor of Mr. Complainsalotonourtrip who would have been furious over getting a day started at 10am!

So here comes the part with too much information. Matt said he was having a bit of an indigestion problem, which Deann, Matt and I spoke about at length for the past few days, and so he was going to spend time visiting the sights in his bathroom.

I decided to hop on a bus to Cape Sounion which is in South Attica. It has a temple to Poseidon and a small beach. I went down to the beach to the little taverna where Jackie Kennedy visited. They have a framed letter from her thanking them for their hospitality. The whole trip, though, was a little nerve wracking because it was very windy on the cape and it made me a little sick to my stomach.

I'm back in Plakas and I'm going to check on Matt to see how he is feeling. Then I'll hopefully enjoy my last dinner in Greece. I'm getting lamb!!!

Love you all. I can't wait to be home!!!!

Aftermath

Hi all,

Well I am back in Athens, home sweet home of sorts, though I would like to tell you about the last few days on Crete. There was no more kayaking after the "incident" partly because no one was ready to get in another kayak and partly because we barely had any left! We only had 4 holes remaining after the incident (in the form of a double and two single kayaks). The day after, I slept most of the day, and I got a massage from a guide who is also a massage therapist, then went into town to meet everyone for our last dinner.

Deann and I became friends for life after going through such a scary experience and spent most of our time together at meals and in town (along with her husband Matt of course). Throughout our conversations one of us would often refer back to the rescue and our memory of what had happened. While my first instinct was to want to go home, it was good to be with people who went through the disaster with me because only they know what it was like - especially Deann because we were in the same kayak. There is nothing like a near death experience to bond people together.

The dinner was good, and then afterwards we went to a disco for a final hurrah! It was fun to see the guides boogie-down, even Glenna was dancing on tables (she is a grandma-but you would never know it). We had lots of fun fruity drinks with umbrellas and danced until 2 am!

Our very last morning together we drove to Matala and then to Heraklion. Deann, Matt, and I spent the day together waiting for our ferries to depart for Athens. Thankfully, our ferries left at the same time, though we were on different lines.

Once on the ferry, I went to the theater and watched the world cup game with fellow Grecian futbol enthusiasts. I'm glad Italy won, because I feel some sense of kinship with it because I studied there, although they played a little rough.

My ferry arrived in Athens at 5:45am and I took a taxi to my hotel. I don't love the neighborhood as much as I love Plakas, but the hotel is great. I slept until noon and then headed over to the National Archealogical Museum which was amazing. The works date back to the Neolithic Period which is 6000 B.C. I was just amazed by the quality and detail of the pieces and how well they have been preserved. I found the sculptures to be my favorite. I really admire the artists ability to know and create the human body in stone or marble. I found a giant head of Zeus and his left arm that was recovered to be especially beautiful and haunting.

Speaking of sculptures, the men were totally perfect with chiseled bodies and no fat, while the women, well, let me just say I was surprised to see that I share the same "problem areas" as Aphrodite...maybe they aren't "problem areas" afterall!

So I made my way back to Plakas on the metro. I feel right at home here. I may try to catch up with Matt for dinner. Deann went to speak at a conference in London so he is here alone. I may try, though, to make it up to the hill that Matt Lind recommended and watch the sunset from up there.

Peace. (Picture is of Loutro- town on Crete)

We're All Okay

Hi Friends and Family,

I'm writing to you from the little town of Agia Galini. Yesterday was hard in many ways, but we all somehow came out okay. The mileage wasn't hard, though at first Deann and I had a terrible boat that we christened "The F%^&ing D$#@it" :) We got to the 22 mile mark, at the point where we were about to cross the bay, when we hit terrible wind. We ended up having to be towed in by a passing jet skier (praise God he was there because NO ONE was out in boats on the bay yesterday). On our tow in, the rope was attached to my boat and we held onto Melissa's boat. Well, my boat's bow was dragged underwater and we had to jump out of the kayaks and swim to the rocks. They abandoned that plan and started to load people two by two on the jet ski. We climbed the rocks to get to the beach where the jet ski was dropping off other kayakers. I will give you more details individually, and I will try to call home as soon as I can. It was very scary, and I am happy that we are all okay, with only some scratches and bruises. I think I am in shock and I definitely am grateful for the people who I was with as we went through this time together.

I know this is probably a little hard to read, mom and dad, but I wanted you to know that I am okay. I can't wait to be home now! Love you, Katie

Kalimera

I am currently sitting next to Cocoa, the talking parrot of our hotel, who is telling me, over and over again, "kalimera" which means "good morning!"

I am still the couch potato, reality tv loving, chocolate chip cookie eating Katie. In fact yesterday I took the "afternoon off" by paddling back to Loutro at 4pm. It was great to hang out on the water and to take a nap!

Part of the reason for this nap was in preparation for today. I'm a little worried, so I got online to ask you to pray. Today I will be attempting to paddle 24 miles. Thankfully, Deann wants to paddle with me so I will be in a double for the first time. The 7 of us who are attempting this journey are supposed to be on the water by 7:30am. I am so excited. I have been visualizing this trip all night. I read a devotional this morning about spiritual power versus power of the flesh and I know that only God will be able to give me the strength to make it. I really love the 6 other people who are paddling out this morning. I think it will be a good group - not too aggressive or fast, just persistent...

Hi Aimee, Mom and Tiff! I love listening to your conversations with each other. I guess I should have said Hi Aimee, Mom and Festos!

Peace.

A Clean Boat is a Happy Boat!

I'm here in Loutro, one of the most beautiful places that I have ever visited. I have a lot to catch you up on from my adventures in the last two and a half days. I haven't been able to write because the places we have been are very remote and they are only accessible by boat or foot. Most of the towns are just one or two inns with a taverna attached to the inn. What a beautiful sight to see a coastline with no stores, businesses or anything! I am so glad that there is still untouched raw beauty in the world.

Two days ago:
We loaded up the kayaks on the trailor and drove first to an ancient Minoan palace called Festos (Tiff I think you should name your first born after that palace), and then headed to a National Park called the Samarian Gorge. On the road I had one of the best omlettes in my life. Then we all unloaded and started the trek. Matt, Deann and I headed down the gorge together and we had a blast telling stories and laughing the entire 7 hour, 13 mile, steep hike! We would pass kilometer signs that were written on stumps. It would say "K.M. 9" or something like that depending on the place you were in the hike. Well we had become a little loopy from walking for so long, one does get a little tired at times, and Deann looked at the millionth sign that we were passing, and for some reason she thought it was a grave stone. The rest of the hike was dedicated to poor K.M. who lost his or her life in the gorge.

At one point in the hike, we met up with DeTracy who is a travel writer (check out her stuff at about.com- Greece Visitors - it is all hers), and historian on Greece. She tells beautiful stories of the mythology of Greece. The Samarian Gorge is where one of Zeus' mountains (Gigilio) is located and it is also the setting of the Oddyssy (spelling?-I have been in the sun a lot). She was telling us these wonderful vivid stories about Zeus going over to Libya in the form of a beautiful white bull to entice the gorgeous Europa and when she sat on the bull, he rushed off into the sea and brought her over to Crete. She told me, Matt, and Deann about Zeus' birth and his grandfather Uranus. At the mention of this name, distiguished professor, Deann, begins to giggle profusely!!! She looks at me with a look like a fourteen year old boy trying to see if I think it is funny too! From then on, any picture we took we said, "One, Two, Three, Uranus!"

At the end of the 7 hour hike, the three of us had a decision to make, do we go to our hotel, or do the optional hike up to some ruins. We indoctrinated the motto for the trip, "Just say yes." It was getting dark and we were worried we would be stuck up on the mountain so we ran, yes ran, to the top of the ruins. When we got up there we were ecstatic, screaming shouts of joy as if we had just completed a marathon (which they both have done 3 times). From the ruins, we had the most beautiful view of the Mediterranean Sea and the little town that would be our destination. We set the timer on the camera and took a million pictures which I will try to upload tonight. It was truly a feeling of joy and accomplishment to have hiked for so long and to have made it to the top. They call us the "Bonus Ks" because when faced with the option, we choose to go for more kilometers.

That day was also the 4th of July and the guides had decorated our taverna with streamers, gave us red, white, and blue lais, noise makers and at the end of dinner (which was also Zach's birthday dinner) we had a sing-a-long with patriotic songs!

Yesterday:
We had gale force winds so kayaking in the morning was not an option. Most people took the ferry to our next destination, but for us "bonus k'ers", we decided to hike the 8 or 9 miles along the coast to Loutro. We took off from Agio Roumeli and stopped an 1 1/2 later at Agio Pavlos which is named for St. Paul because he was there (Samaria-get it) and there is a church build in 900AD that is named in his honor.

Most of us "fun hikers" sat at the taverna eating and drinking for about an hour, three super hardcore people took off to continue the hike. Our next stop was several hours away, and it was beautiful. Marmara. We swam, ate some more, Matt, the guides and I went cliff jumping and just had a blast. Again, Marmara is a place that has one taverna and is only accessible by foot or boat.

We, then, had to continue to hike to our next destination, Loutro. We started the hike at 9:30 am and didn't arrive until 8:45. 11 hours of hiking. I can barely move. Three stairs take about ten minutes now!

Dinner last night was the best. I think we were delirious from the sun and tiredness, but we just laughed the entire night long. At the end when we toasted our raki, I said, "To Uranus!" and we all burst out laughing before we could take the shot!

Then came the surprize...We got to do a night paddle! Ahhhh I was so excited! 11 of us went out at 11pm and paddled in the moonlight. I don't think I've done anything cooler or more beautiful than that. We made up a song on our way home, that may eventually be posted on northwestpassage.com. When we got back into our harbor, the guides started a water fight, I was keeping on the outskirts, until they surrounded me and bombarded me with water. No one came out dry!

The best compliment they gave me was this morning when we were launching. You know how I told you that a guide always gets in the water first and a guide always gets in the water last? Well they asked me if I would be the first one in the water and take the place of the first guide out. I had to make sure that those who launched after me stayed away from the ferry, kept moving to reduce the chance of sea sickness, and perform a rescue if necessary. I was truly honored with this small form of confidence in my paddling. They have not asked or let anyone else do that yet.

If you are still reading this, thank you! Like I said, I will try to post pictures tonight.

Love you all! Peace.

HardCore Nine

What a day! This morning we were told to meet down stairs at 8am ready to paddle. We ate breakfast and then got outfitted for our boats with spray skirts, pfds, paddles, and then took the boats down to the beach where we had a lesson and fitted the boats' foot pedals and seats to each of us. Then, we all had to do a wet exit. So, you are strapped into the boat by your skirt, and you have to purposely flip your boat upside down so you are under water. Then you grab the side of your kayak, feel your way to the release strap, pull out and up, and push out of the boat, grab your boat and your paddle and wait to be rescued. Rescuing someone involves hoisting the boat, upside down, onto your boat (so all the water gets out), yadda yadda yadda until the person launches themselves back up over the boat and shimmies back to the cockpit.

After we were all wet, we took off for some sea caves. Amazing. If that was the only thing we did on this trip, it would be worth it. I had to use my headlamp, and at some points in the cave you had to go single file. The water was crystal clear and you could see large rocks underneath the boats. There were some bats in the first cave, but none in the next thank goodness!

After the sea caves, we headed over to Red Beach (the nudie beach) and slathered ourselves in the magical mud, waited for it to dry, and went swimming. Red Beach is gorgeous and only accessible by foot or boat. We then divided into two groups....the hard core, and the not so hard core.

The not so hard core went back to Matala to have lunch. The hard core, seven of us (out of 22) and two guides took off for a destination that would take over an hour of paddling in open seas to reach. The paddle there, for the most part, was great. We ate at a taverna on the beach, enjoying the view and the breeze. Notice I said breeze. As we walked back down to the boats, we were more aware of the giant swells and white caps that extended as far as you could see. We put our skirts and pfds on and I spoke with Lindsay about how this might be a little hard. She admitted that this was scary.

I sat in my boat facing the waves that were taller than me standing, (no jokes Tiff), and prayed. I was scared. My stomach felt a little queasy facing this challenge. We had a little pep talk from Andrea, we went over wet exits again in case we capsized, and then we got started. This would be our first "surf launch."

Whenever you launch, a guide is the first out and a guide is the last out. Andrea (guide #1) put in and took off like a pro. Adam then came over to me and asked if I was ready to go. I said no. He said okay lets go and started pulling me out. (What?! Why did I have to be first? Was running through my head, but this was the hardcore team, and I didn't want to wimp out.) I think I would have never been ready to tell the truth. So after two waves broke he gave me the final push and I paddled like crazy. The waves were so big that the bow would go up and catch air and than land with a thump back into the water. .. but I made it. I had to stay perpendicular to the waves so I couldn't look back to see the rest of the group. I let out a scream when I got past the breakers. What a thrill!

The rest of the paddle back was rough, we had one capsize and rescue, but then we all made it back safe and sound. We made it back, however, at 5:30pm!!! The nine of us totally bonded over this experience, and I am so glad that I went. I feel like we could do anything because we made it back through those swells.

The people here are really cool and I have made connections with many of them to the point that we know that the world is small. One family is from Miami, and Lindsay went to my elementary school, St. Thomas. One couple I was speaking with about my interest in psychology said that they were both psychology professors (Matt-Clinical, which is what I'm interested in; Deanna-Cognitive), one girl went to Harvard so I talked about Michaella, some are teachers etc...Everyone is keeping up really well.

When we got back to the beach, Nancy (chief) said they pushed the hike back to 6pm. Oh good. More physical activity. Deanna said she felt like we were at fat camp!

Love you all! Too tired to find pictures to post. I may not be able to write for the next few days because we will be leaving Matala and going to more remote places that I doubt will have internet.

The Fountain of Youth

First - Ashdawg, I stayed at the Amazon Hotel in Plaka on Mitropolis. Loved it, would definitely recommend it. I will be staying at the Art Hotel in Omnia on July 10th and 11th. I would absolutely love to meet Chris.


Hi friends and family! So I'm in paradise. For real. Yesterday consisted of going to the pool, taking a nap, eating lunch, taking a nap, going to the pool, going to the beach and then going out with my guides and two other people who came to Matala early. Here in Matala, you wear your bathing suit all day long, whether you are at the beach or at a cafe. Love it. I have to tell you though, it is so beautiful here, looking at the limestone cliffs and blue water that I really wish one of you (or several of you) was here with me! I wish I could share this experience with someone I love!

So I do love my guides. They are Nancy (as the guy at the front desk calls her, "the chief"), Glenna, Andrea, and Adam. They invited me out to dinner so I took them up on it. Their company has been coming to Greece for like 20 trips and they know the entire town (it is a small town though). We basically had to climb up the cliffs to get to their favorite restaurant, run by another grandma. (And you do call them grandmas- the are the old Greek women who wear black from head to toe, but are so full of life and joy.) So we went to Grandma Ana's and it was like a scene from My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Grandma had framed the New York Times article on their company and had it hanging on the porch. We ordered a ton of food and she brought us more just because....and we had to eat it all or else we were being rude. We kept passing the food on our plates off onto someone elses and then made Adam eat the rest. Dinner lasted a long time! Tonight we are having a welcome dinner/drinks. Drinks at Grandma Ana's (and most likely food) and then dinner at Hotel Zafiria where we are staying.

Then I had my initiation to Crete. Raka. Just like the movie. It is customary for them to serve it to you without you ordering it. We cheered and then I took the shot of what tasted like burning. :) Apparently this will happen every night.

The guides are so cool and they made me feel like I was part of their group. Right now they are driving back to Heraklion to pick up the rest of the group from the airport. I have a little more time to myself before they return.

I am so excited to finally be in a kayak this afternoon! They are going to let people with experience take them out and they said last night, though I told them to treat me like a novice, that they aren't worried about me and they'll get me in one this afternoon! Yahoo!!!

This morning I finally woke up in the morning. 6:53 am. I walked down to the beach and layed on a chair and looked out over the water and the cliffs. And then it was like a scene from Cocoon II (which my sister was in), because 4 white haired grandmas and grandpas appeared at different parts of the beach, and all got in the water for a morning swim. One of the grandmas, who I met yesterday, walked down in her black dress with her cane, and the next thing I knew she was in a black bathing suit wading into the water with her cane! Those grandmas, they're sneeky.

I may venture over the cliff to hike to Red Beach. I hear it is beautiful, though parts are filled with people in their birthday suits. Hmmm...

I am convinced that I will return to Matala many times in my life and I hope some of you come with me!!!

Peace out.