5 days on an island that was promised to be summer in January—the month I was born, always celebrated with cold and rain.
This year, I wanted it to be different, so I set off for the promised island. But, being the child of the storm that I am, I caught the worst days of the entire winter there—cold, wind (lots of wind), and rain. As you can imagine, it wasn’t the ideal setting for the plans I had in mind: camping, overlanding, filming, and photographing. I got frustrated, I got mad, but I eventually concluded that the best thing to do is embrace what’s given to us. And so, I roamed the island—sometimes chasing the storm, sometimes running from it.
I drove along wet, deserted mountain roads, was chased by a cow that didn’t want to be photographed (even after I told her I was vegan), and set up and took down the tent more times than necessary in 5 days. I was cold, I was scared, and I didn’t sleep much over four nights. I camped in places so remote that the only thing I could hear was nature and my own thoughts. When the storm decided to hit in the middle of the night and the car shook because the tent was acting like a sail, there I was—55kg with a headlamp—hanging onto the car, closing everything against nature’s bad mood. I don’t blame her.
After all the struggles and effort, I’d bundle myself in blankets and a sleeping bag on the back seat of the car, trying to sleep to the rhythm of the wind rocking me. By morning, usually with the sunrise and over 1,000 meters of altitude offering stunning views, a hot coffee and a full belly made the new day feel hopeful—but no. It was 5 days of battles and self-overcoming, with few photos for obvious reasons, but vivid memories in my mind. I’ll try to share some of these adventures with you and how this island can be beautiful even during its stormy winter.
A big thank you to Esteller for the top-tier gear, to @campingonwheels for providing my home on wheels, to @paulabelbut for the care, dedication, and daily support with everything needed on the island (like a rescue team!), and to all the friends who, when I felt like running away, told me to stay and document the moments I’ll laugh about in the future—you know who you are. ❤️
