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| Milos Island, Greece |
I have often dreamt about living on an island where nothing much happens. As I don't have a rich uncle who can gift me an island, I try to do the next best thing possible - travel to one whenever possible and spend a few happy days there imagining the island belongs to me. I also dream about saving somebody from the jaws of a fearsome great white shark. No. The shark won't be harmed in any way. Ok. Forget the shark. The poor creatures are in enough trouble as it is from us homo sapiens. Maybe I save this person from pirates who know Kung Fu. Now, do I know Kung Fu? Not really. But I will give these pirates the contact details of a financial adviser who can double their earnings in say a decade or two. A great retirement plan. There's also life insurance plus health coverage of 32 critical illnesses, including, STDs. I mean, they are pirates. I am sure they have a better love life than the average sailor. Remember that girl in every port of thing that sailors are known for. Well, pirates with their anti-establishment stance of not having to earn money by being cubicle rats should earn them enough bad-boy points with the ladies. Especially ladies of easy virtue. I don't think they go 'Arrr!…me beauty... I seem to have misplaced my box of prophylactics during a raid…why don't we instead study the Great Bear constellation tonight…our carnal activity can wait.' Nope. I don't think this exchange would happen. Carnal activity cannot wait when the ship is ready to sail. Hence, the STD coverage too.
Anyway, I am digressing. This person whose life I end up saving coincidentally turns out to be the owner of an island. A sunny Mediterranean island with a great seafood restaurant. In gratitude for saving his/her life and for giving another opportunity to play with his/her grandchildren every Sunday and watch the Twilight series with his cronies every Saturday evening, the person quickly bequeaths that island to me. But do I accept this great gift? No way. Anybody would have done what I did. Though I doubt whether that 'anybody' could have pulled of such a deal with the pirates. Not everybody knows a good financial adviser, you see. But yes, I do end up accepting his offer of a lovely chalet by the beach. Save somebody's life and see how insistent they can be about accepting something in return. It's only a certain percentile of humans that enjoy being mired in debt by giving in to their wants. Not people who own islands.
Well, I believe some dreams can come true. Especially this particular dream. Which means I should always be prepared. There will obviously be legal paperwork involved when the chalet is handed over to me. And that’s why my lawyer always accompanies me on my travels. Seen here in the photo taken just outside our B&B, is my lawyer, contemplating life and thinking how she ended up marrying a mad dreamer.