Location: Ócsa (Hungary)
Delicately she typed slowly and deliberately on the foreign keyboard "I look forward to seeing you." She paused and reread the email for the seventh time, until finally, she pressed send.
I was lazing around in the warm waters of the thermal spring. Close by two elderly women gossiped heartily whilst keeping a stern eye on the naked boy splashing gleefully in the surrounding puddles. The water smelt strongly of sulphur but regardless I was soaking up my first moments of solidarity like a kitten lapping up some creamy milk. I was intoxicated from the 33 degree water, or perhaps, from the martini I had been cautiously sipping on.
My mind trailed, in one day I would be in Spain. My stomach lurched, my chest glowed as if I had a glass of spiced mulled wine and instantly I was drowned in an avalanche of emotions. Restless Excitement. Nervousness. I had pondered my time in Spain for months, contemplating the endless possibilities, which was shared with an oceans worth of emails, lists and plans.
Dramatically, I sighed and rolled over uncomfortably. I had indeed had too much Martini! My eyes averted and in the distance, the sun was beginning to set behind the forest of green trees whilst painting the sky in an amazing pallet of colour. Birds sang softly in the distance and I was washed with serenity. Whilst lost in my own thoughts, minutes passed, and like all people in life, I looked down at my prune like fingers and asked myself "where had the time gone?" I danced out of the pool and into the change rooms.
On the way back home, we stopped at a winery for a leisurely stroll. We walked amongst the rows of private cellars tasting the juicy fresh plums and grapes from the surrounding trees and vines. Five men arrived shouting gaily "Szia!" (Hello) they invited us down to their cellar to taste their own brew. Of course I accepted!
I twirled down the rabbit hole with my new friends. After the men opened two iron gates, I was left standing by myself in an entirely pitch black room feeling vulnerable, shuffling could be heard while candles and lanterns were lit individually. My eyes adjusted and finally I could absorb my surroundings. The cellar was damp, the walls were lined with barrels filled with wine and bookshelves were filled with bottles covered in brown earth. A distressed table lay in the middle with clutter and an assortment of mis-matched drinking glasses. I found myself a seat on a wine barrel and drink was handed to me in a glass covered in old finger-prints. As I sipped the yellow substance, involuntary I gagged - was I drinking wine or a glass os straight Palinka? The men laughed pleasurably and the bottles went around the room emptying faster than they were initially filled.
I only had two hours to sleep before my flight to Spain, my head ached and the pit in stomach began to grow. As I climbed out of the underground cellar my hands were by my side and I was left asking myself softly - Am I too late?
My mind trailed, in one day I would be in Spain. My stomach lurched, my chest glowed as if I had a glass of spiced mulled wine and instantly I was drowned in an avalanche of emotions. Restless Excitement. Nervousness. I had pondered my time in Spain for months, contemplating the endless possibilities, which was shared with an oceans worth of emails, lists and plans.
Dramatically, I sighed and rolled over uncomfortably. I had indeed had too much Martini! My eyes averted and in the distance, the sun was beginning to set behind the forest of green trees whilst painting the sky in an amazing pallet of colour. Birds sang softly in the distance and I was washed with serenity. Whilst lost in my own thoughts, minutes passed, and like all people in life, I looked down at my prune like fingers and asked myself "where had the time gone?" I danced out of the pool and into the change rooms.
On the way back home, we stopped at a winery for a leisurely stroll. We walked amongst the rows of private cellars tasting the juicy fresh plums and grapes from the surrounding trees and vines. Five men arrived shouting gaily "Szia!" (Hello) they invited us down to their cellar to taste their own brew. Of course I accepted!
I twirled down the rabbit hole with my new friends. After the men opened two iron gates, I was left standing by myself in an entirely pitch black room feeling vulnerable, shuffling could be heard while candles and lanterns were lit individually. My eyes adjusted and finally I could absorb my surroundings. The cellar was damp, the walls were lined with barrels filled with wine and bookshelves were filled with bottles covered in brown earth. A distressed table lay in the middle with clutter and an assortment of mis-matched drinking glasses. I found myself a seat on a wine barrel and drink was handed to me in a glass covered in old finger-prints. As I sipped the yellow substance, involuntary I gagged - was I drinking wine or a glass os straight Palinka? The men laughed pleasurably and the bottles went around the room emptying faster than they were initially filled.
I only had two hours to sleep before my flight to Spain, my head ached and the pit in stomach began to grow. As I climbed out of the underground cellar my hands were by my side and I was left asking myself softly - Am I too late?