HE SAID

We left Tuesday, and today is Thursday…I think. Jet lag is a real thing for sure. It doesn’t help that it’s rainy and dreary today. But this is what I remember of our getting here.

Dallas to Frankfurt The first leg of the journey is best summed in pictures.

Excitement. Exhaustion. Over it.

I soon found that the older gentleman next to me did not consider the armrest to be the boundary line for his elbow. The headphone jack didn’t work on my headrest screen, but thankfully I had downloaded some movies on my phone. And while it was cool at various times, I was quite warm by the end. Being tired, hot, and squished meant that I was on the verge of profanities. No one like cranky Michael, me least of all.

But the food was alright, the seats were relatively comfortable, and at the end of the day, it was a free ticket for us.

Frankfurt to Athens

I think we were on a plane or something like that. I was too tired and was conked out. By the time I came out of my stupor, Athens was upon us. Or the other way around?

Athens to Our New Home

This is where the excitement flushed back. Despite our plebeian status, or so I keep joking, we did not drive to our destination from the airport. Instead, we loaded into a helicopter because our host family has a helipad in their front yard. Yes, you read that correctly. A helipad.

We flew over Athens, viewing the Parthenon from a truly unique perspective. A few minutes later, we soared over the water, swinging around the beautiful island of Poros before landing. The sun peaked out from behind the clouds at this point, highlighting the cinematic landscape. Capping the movie-like experience, a host of friends were waiting outside to greet the family upon arrival with laughs, hugs, and gifts.

The journey was exhausting but at the same time exhilirating. We were soon introduced to half a dozen people, most of whose names I’ve lost, shown around the incredible property, given a thousand suggestions of sites to see and trails to hike, and lent a “murk” for our expeditions. (It turns out murk should actually be spelled merc since it stands for Mercedes, as in a sporty Mercedes-Benz that we get to drive around whenever.)

Our Home

We are staying in the quaint vacation home next door in an orange and olive grove. Truly picturesque. Now to get settled in and adjusted to life in Greece!

(That’s only a brief overview, but maybe Micaela can give her perspective soon.)