The journey of a few hundred pages
Recently we received an email at the Travel Bug from local UBC professor and author Ron Walkey. He has self published a great book about living on the island of Tinos in Greece called Luminous Encounters. It has garnered much local attention and praise from a number of circles. Recently Ron contacted us to inform us of a shipment of his books he'd arranged to our store. The message was quite amusing and a fun take on shipping, globalisation and sense of place.
THE MYTH:
It is always a pleasure to watch a pair of donkeys as the make there way down over the stone stairs of the ancient roads here. Watching out for each foothold they pause, step down, and everything they might be carrying heaves and rocks to the side. Then down another step, and a heave left. As I sit in the sun at Stella's kafeneon with a small glass of Marko's raki in hand I can see the donkeys about 200 meters from me as they begin their descent from this mountain village the to the port. Marko is riding side-saddle on the first donkey, bobbing and weaving with the beast. The second, roped to the first is carrying large wicker panniers on each side that are filled with "Luminous Encounters". All this is making its way down to the small port to where the steamer will call this afternoon to load the packets off to Athens and then on to Vancouver where they will end up in a nest of travelbugs. Prodding the animals forward with his stick, Marko shouts "Hew-vrai!, hew-vrai!" Maybe they pay attention, Maybe not.
.
THE REALITY
Four Athenian taxi rides over three days to three different post-offices to wait in nine lineups to confront four different clerks to fill in eight forms in French and Greek to buy seven boxes, three rolls of tape, yards of brown paper and a small acreage of bubble wrap.
.
THE FACTS
Sent Tuesday, February 27, one box, 14 'Luminous'
Sent Wednesday February 28, two boxes, each with 42 'Luminous'
Total sent = 96
Two clerks said to expect arrival in Canada customs in 6 days.
.
Lemme know when they arrive, or if they are delayed.
Best to you both,
Ron