On April 19th 2022 (Happy Birthday Sophie!!) the time has come. Way too early (at 07:00) we glimpse at the harbour in Genoa, our ferry already turning to dock. As if out from nowhere, Europe has reappeared in front of us overnight. We can continue on our journey. Leaving Morocco and everything we have experienced behind us. Crossing new borders. Hearing new languages and tasting new food. And although we have spent three days on the ship, it now suddenly seems so infinitely fast. We waited so long for this, there were moments that seemed endless. But they all passed and we set off, right into the hustle and bustle of Genoa. In the middle of a country that is, at least in part, familiar to us. The (very, very good) roads wind along the coast, we do all the shopping (organic supermarkets with vegan assortment - how I missed them) and look for a first place to sleep. The choice falls on Bergeggi. Simply because it's also a take-off for paragliders.
Unexpected Flight in Itlay
We don't actually expect to fly. At least not today, because the whole sky is cloudy. Unexpectedly we see tandem pilots at the small launch site set up by the local club. We even meet a member of the clubwho gives us a few tips and explains the area before he takes off. When we are finally ready, the wind has picked up a little. The tandem pilots take off with a cobra (a glider laid out sideways to the wind). Luca also makes it into the air. A pilot from Belgium wraps his glider around the antennas at the edge of the launch site while sorting the lines. Not exactly motivating...
Only when everyone is gone do I summon up my courage and give it a try. And lo and behold, it works. Much better than I expected under these circumstances. And it takes me up, and up, and up. It's rising everywhere, although everything above us is grey. A dense cloud cover. The others slowly land and I too fly towards the beach. We are lucky, because from 1st of May it is no longer possible to fly here, as the bathing season begins at this time. And in Liguria that means one deckchair next to the other. But the beach is still empty. For us it's a narrow but super long runway. At least we think so. But the thermals just won't cooperate. No matter where we fly, it rises. Only far above the sea does it slowly start to sink. So it takes me almost 20 minutes to land. Absurd conditions, but I don't really want to complain. Everything was very familiar and also looked a bit like the flights in the south of France, around Monaco. Just smaller.
Down at the landing site, the guy from the club waves at us. He has been watching us and now just drives us back up to our bus. Out of hospitality. So nice.
Unexpected Encounter
When we reach the top, we already see another camper. A family of 5 from Switzerland, near Zurich. We invite them to join us in make a fire together in the evening. It becomes very cosy and Luca can even finally eat Swiss cheese again. We didn't expect all this happiness.
It is only when we are lying in bed that we realise where we are, what we have just experienced. It feels so unfamiliar and at the same time familiar to be here. It is the first time in 5 months that we meet campers who are not stuck, but are on a 2 weeks planned holiday. They speak Swiss German, they know the town where we still have our rooms, our old work places and understand our eating habits. It is so simple and yet so absurd. It feels like we're back, like the last few months didn't exist. From the ferry, to all the shopping, driving, flying and fire with such a sympathetic family: the first day was so full, we are completely wiped out. Add to that the 2-hour time change and we are exhausted and fall into bed.
Unexpected Visit
We'll stay in the area for a few days and then go to Laigueglia. My parents happen to be here this weekend. With the cycling club my dad is a member of. So of course we meet them. We are even allowed to stay at the hotel for the next two nights. The reunion is wonderful. We spend the next 2 1/2 days with walking through Italian towns and mountains, eating very, very good vegan food, drinking Spritzer and lots and lots of talking. We can also give them a few things that either have no more room in the car or are gifts. So this stopover is not only nice, but also very practical and convenient for us.
But here, too, from the very first moment, it feels as if we are back, as if the last few months have disappeared. Not only because the rest of the guests in this hotel come from Vorarlberg and Switzerland. We both notice that we just don't really fit in. Maybe not yet, maybe not any more. It doesn't really matter. The important thing is that we realise that we both want to go on, that the journey is not over for either of us, that we are drawn further, out of Europe again, into the Asian continent. The list of countries is still uncertain, as the political situation is constantly changing. Nevertheless, we want to try to get as far as we can. Until we both feel it's actually time to return. We don't feel that yet...
So we say goodbye on the third day and drive towards Ancona. From there, the ferry will take us to Greece the next day. We spend the last evening in a pizzeria. Then it's "Ciao Italia" and "Yia sas Hellas"!
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