Volker and I reached Lefkada Island in Greece at about noon, the vacation
could start!
Volker asked me the day before if I want to join him for this trip,
I had no money, he didn’t care and there we were.
We weren’t sure for how long this vacation will last; we only
knew that if Volker’s money is close to none, that our vacation
will be over and that we need to go home.
Our place to stay had to be of course the cheapest, to camp somewhere
on the beach where no one will ask for money and we were not sure if
we will be able to find such a spot where it will be nice to stay.
The map which we brought along, guided us to the Vagelis beach, a beach
that is about two and a half miles long, with only one tavern and another
building which was still under construction.
After talking to the owner of the tavern, his name is Vagelis Yanalautus,
we were allowed to camp there free of charge, wherever we liked, as
long as it was on the right hand side of the tavern from the sea view
seen.
Great!!!
We put the tent on a spot where we had a bit a shade from the trees,
with a first class view to the sea of course.
During the next couple of days we did the usual stuff, enjoyed the beach,
the sea, explored the Island, got to know people and mainly relaxed.
A week past and I personally liked the place quite a lot; I liked the
place that much that I was sure I’ll stay.
I thought what the hell, back in Germany my girlfriend left me, I still
had two court cases open for selling hashish and for which a judge would
be more than happy to lock me up for a little while, and there was actually
nothing anymore that made me go back to Germany. Let’s put it
this way, I had nothing to lose.
I told Volker about my consideration and he didn’t take me serious.
I guess that he thought I must be totally out of my mind, no money and
fuck all.
Another ten days past and we had a great time on Lefkada Island.
Volker then said that we will go home in two days time ‘cos the
money will be gone and I made it clear to him that I’ll stay,
which he still didn’t want to believe.
Then the day before our departure I told him again that I’ll stay
and that surely something will come up for me where I can work and make
some money. Anyway, I was more worried to go back and end up in prison
for selling a bit of hash.
I called my mum and told her everything that went through my mind,
which wasn’t that much, “I like to stay, Volker will move
into my apartment, I need money and no, I don’t know what I’ll
do!”
She only asks me if I’m sure about my decision and wished me the
best of luck. She knew that she couldn’t talk me out of it.
Volker then also wished me good luck and all the best. I wished him
a great time in my apartment, we had a farewell and he drove off, as
simple as that!
There I was, I didn’t know what to do, or what to expect, but
I felt really fucking good. I had a tent, an air mattress, some clothes,
a beautiful beach where I was living on, a few Greek friends who were
living on the beach as well, and best of all, I had my freedom.
The tent I never really used, most of the time I slept on the beach
under the stars.
Two days after Volker’s departure, Vagelis asked me if I would
like to help out until my money comes. So I had my first job on foreign
soil. I worked for my food and drink only, no money, but I loved it
anyway.
The day my money came Vagelis asked me if I would like to continue
working and I agreed.
Some of the locals who were living on the beach as well made jewelleries
which they sold around Lefkada.
During my working hours I sold some of their jewelleries, the money
from this profit we used for parties we had every night on the beach.
Some of those parties we had with tourists together and some we were
just the beach boys and girls, quasi the residence from Vagelis beach.
My days were quite nice, I got up in the morning when the sun came over
the hill, at around 10AM, and then I went for a ten minutes swim, just
to wake up. Afterwards I moved my lovely body along the beach to go
to work. At the tavern I took a shower and Vagelis never let me work
without a proper breakfast, so I had my breakfast and then I started
to work.
In-between the busy hours I was hanging around the beach with tourists
or I got a motorbike which Vagelis organized for me and drove around
the Island.
Hey, I cycled around the Island as well sometimes, so you see, I’m
not that lazy.
In the evenings we organized drinks and food for our parties at the
lovely Vagelis beach.
The food we cooked over a campfire, we played some music and had a great
time.
I did that for almost three month until my mum called me with some
bad news. The officers of the law came by at my mum’s place with
a warrant for my arrest. Uhhh, I was a bit surprised that they didn’t
know that I wasn’t in Germany anymore and were wondering what
they still wanting from me, I’m a changed person!
My mum then said that I should call my lawyer in Germany and to talk
to him about it, which I did.
He then told me that I could come back and spend two to three years
in prison, or I could stay away from Germany for the next seven to ten.
My answer was really easy to get, I mean look where I was and what I
might have ahead of me!
He said also that the coppers might now where I’m right now ‘cos
of the calls which I had with my mum.
“Shit, what to do,” was all I could think of at that moment.
I really liked Lefkada, especially Vagelis, his family and all the locals
I met.
Vagelis even asked me if I would like to help during the winter time
to build his hotel finish, which was still under construction, and that
I could work there then next season.
It was clear for me, I had to move on and I told Vagelis that I’ve
to go. He asked me why and I told in a honest way why and even after
I’ve told him about my hashy-hashy business, he wanted me to stay
and said that if the police will come looking for me, then he would
just say that I’m not here anymore.
I really loved them all, I felt already like I was a part of the family
and therefore did not want to get them into trouble. It was hard, really
hard, but I had to say good bye.
A bloke I knew from Lefkas had rooms for rent and a car rental. This
guy gave me a room and a car for free after I told him my story and
my situation.
I was hanging around Lefkas with a view over my shoulders all the time
and thought of what to do, but had no clue.
Then I met Uwe, a German sailor who had a boat in the quay and lived
just off Lefkada Island on the mainland.
After we got to know each other he offered me a job on his boat, a bit
of renovation work had to be done.
The job with Uwe gave me a bit time to clear my mind and the conversations
with him gave me the right thoughts to move on into the direction which
is called east.
I came to the conclusion that I’ll go to Turkey and bought a bus
ticket to Tesaloniki, from there I bought another ticket to Alexandropolis,
which is close to the border to Turkey.
On a Friday morning I arrived in Alexandropolis and wanted to go strait
over the border to Turkey, but there was a slide problem, the border
was close because of the election in Greece.
The authorities closed the border ‘cos they don’t want people
come over from Turkey to get involved in the election in some way or
another. The same as they don’t like that their own people go
to Turkey and do not vote or whatsoever. Strange, but that’s the
way it was and I was told.
My money was going faster than I thought and I had to wait until Monday
to get to Turkey.
I was lucky though, I found a nice cheap room just across the railway
station.
Alcohol wasn’t allowed during the election, but no one said anything
about hash. A prostitute and I, we got a nice piece together.