For once there was no time to listen to Pingvina’s complaints („Pingu this, Pingu that“ we heard that before), because I had so much to tell her! She thought I was the first ever Pingu explorer in South Africa and was extremely proud. But she threatened to destroy my throne if I ever travelled alone again as she was trembling with fear throughout the holidays, she already started picking an the expensive decoration. She’s also allergic to grandmother’s smoking. Pingvina is sometimes very determined. There I was in the old hero tragedy - conquer the world or stay home with my wife?
I’ve been to Greece before on a weekend so I decided she can come along for a test trip. The first time I liked Greece because it had plenty of good food and I could sniff some wine on every table. Being a weather god in Greece was easy: first because they are used to this profession and second because my caffeine levels were high enough from all the yummy cold frappe coffees.
It turned out Greece was a success for Pingvina but a real shock for myself. First to hear that this time we would explore the islands with all that water in between. But if there was no danger on our trip Pingvina would think I’m a wimp with wings, so for once I kept quiet and just let them book the ferry. The ferries were not all bad, as soon as we had coffee and sat at the bar I stopped trembling. Pingvina was never on a boat before and it was perplexing to see her enjoy herself, a woman full of surprises!
We had a lovely holiday, got rid of the stress and tensions of everyday life, it’s just not healthy these days, mind you we spend all our days two penguins on a throne built for one (and she’s not exactly ‚skinny‘). Greece is perfect to relax. It must be cheap because my parents really stuffed themselves. We smelled lots of flowers, rode a vespa to volcano summits, walked around temples and simply enjoyed ourselves. One of the highlights was a joy ride on a tortoise: they’re so deaf and old they didn’t even notice my rodeo stunt. I was finally able to prove to Vini that it was really me on the camels and elephants in India. We were so romantic, enjoying our candle light dinners, the improvised camping beds at night, the views and memories we shared....! I didn’t mind having her with me at all!
Then the nightmare began. Santorini was the most beautiful place on our trip, but it nearly cost me my life!!!! Sometimes happiness and peril are so close and even the most innocent (me!) are at risk. I lost some of my memory due to the trauma, but let me try to recollect the events.
One moment I was happily swinging in the trouser balcony of my dad, getting ready for dinner in a nice restaurant in town (by the way this town was built on a volcano, which is very dangerous in itself but let’s forget that for a moment), the next moment I fell head down onto the dark pavement, it was like a nightmare but I just couldn’t wake up! I heard the steps getting more quiet, then there was nothing at all but silence and darkness, I waited for them to run back and yell ‚surprise‘. But it didn’t happen. If I‘d had a drop of water in my body I would have cried. I lost my sense of time, just floating in loneliness, thinking about Pingvina, my parents, our travels, beer and and if I would ever see all this again. Then it got worse. Incredible noise, a jolt and pain I never felt before, then absolute silence again. No feeling at all. Looking back now I think I have been punished by the Greek gods for meddling in their affairs, the people were obviously desperate for some rain and I held it back against their will. Wow the gods down there are obviously extremely proud and xenophobic (one of their own words right?), never had the same problem with the Indian (nobody cared, probably too much of that ganja in the air) or Swiss gods (too regulated, can’t get out of control). Well I was lying down on the floor for hours reviving the senses in my toes and wingtips. Then suddenly out of nowhere my daddy’s soft caring hand picked me up from disintegration, my lesson was over. I couldn’t utter a word and he rushed me to the dinner table where mummy and Pingvina were waiting. It was like being in a christmas film. Two bottles of beer brought my senses back and we exchanged our stories until late at night.
Ok the next day Pingvina insisted that my belly was shining impressively and I noticed some improvement in reaching out to distant smells, but after near-death who wouldn’t feel like a reborn baby? I had the worst day of my life, for the first time I longed for my Maharaja bed and cushioned throne (if Vini doesn’t gnaw it). Well, we had the best and worst of times in Greece, in the end I got over it.
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