Diary 23. An Uncomfortable Situation
We recently agreed that meeting other interesting people is perhaps the best part of travelling, even more so than the beautiful places we visit. With such positive experiences under our belt, we were not prepared for the day ahead...
We were on an unmarked, long and windy dirt road around a cliff. It was a little slopey, and there was only shade where another car had parked, so we sat, lopsided and sweltering for the afternoon, hoping the car would move. As the sun began to set, we figured it wasn't going anywhere, so we set up the bed for the night and began making dinner.
It was at this point a young chap appeared from down the cliff side, sweating profusely and taking a break in the shade. Bailey barked at him a little, but then spotted the piece of bamboo he was using as a walking stick. She wouldn't leave him alone, but he seemed ok with having a very tired play with her.
Not too long afterwards, a woman and child came by and they were happy to see each other. She was carrying a huge hikers backpack, plus two tote bags, and the little girl had a bag as well. Off they went down the mountain while we nosily wondered about their connection and their destination.
We were on an unmarked, long and windy dirt road around a cliff. It was a little slopey, and there was only shade where another car had parked, so we sat, lopsided and sweltering for the afternoon, hoping the car would move. As the sun began to set, we figured it wasn't going anywhere, so we set up the bed for the night and began making dinner.
It was at this point a young chap appeared from down the cliff side, sweating profusely and taking a break in the shade. Bailey barked at him a little, but then spotted the piece of bamboo he was using as a walking stick. She wouldn't leave him alone, but he seemed ok with having a very tired play with her.
Not too long afterwards, a woman and child came by and they were happy to see each other. She was carrying a huge hikers backpack, plus two tote bags, and the little girl had a bag as well. Off they went down the mountain while we nosily wondered about their connection and their destination.
Two days later, while we were aching from a trek down the mountain to find a hidden cove and desperate to move on to refill our water tank and wash our clothes, the young chap appeared again.
He looked rather agitated, pacing around, and he came over to the van to ask if we had seen a taxi come by at all. We had no idea a taxi might even think about picking someone up at the end of this dirt track, let alone that someone would choose this as a meeting place. We said no, Matt offered him a glass of water, and we carried on with our morning routine.
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| Our parking place |
While I was attempting to evacuate my innards, he came over again, half laid down on the bed through the side door and started chatting to Matt!!! He was babbling a lot, and in between the chatter he was constantly phoning the taxi company. When Matt finally took him away from the van, I got up, madly sprayed deodorant around the place, and went out to see what the commotion was about.
It was hard to piece together the whole story, but from what we could gather from his ranting and flicking between subjects, his friend and her daughter came to stay, and he wasn't good with children. He didn't know she was bringing her daughter, and so had no food in the house for a child, or activities for that matter.
There had also been an incident the night before involving his house guest and his car. As they clearly hadn't called an ambulance or requested a lift to a hospital, we assumed perhaps it was a small bump into a wall somewhere with a little shock afterwards. As we gathered the information, he called the taxi for the fifth or sixth time, and told them not to bother as his friends would take him. What friends we thought? Well, that would be us apparently.
To add to the insanity of the situation, his phone would ring every five or ten minutes, and the ringtone was…..interesting. He had already told us he was gay, not a problem with us at all, but his ringtone was anything but. For those who aren’t familiar with 90’s/00’s hip hop music, this won’t make much sense. I implore you only to look this song up if you aren’t easily offended and have a strong stomach. His ringtone was ‘My Neck, My Back’ by Khia.
It was hard to piece together the whole story, but from what we could gather from his ranting and flicking between subjects, his friend and her daughter came to stay, and he wasn't good with children. He didn't know she was bringing her daughter, and so had no food in the house for a child, or activities for that matter.
There had also been an incident the night before involving his house guest and his car. As they clearly hadn't called an ambulance or requested a lift to a hospital, we assumed perhaps it was a small bump into a wall somewhere with a little shock afterwards. As we gathered the information, he called the taxi for the fifth or sixth time, and told them not to bother as his friends would take him. What friends we thought? Well, that would be us apparently.
To add to the insanity of the situation, his phone would ring every five or ten minutes, and the ringtone was…..interesting. He had already told us he was gay, not a problem with us at all, but his ringtone was anything but. For those who aren’t familiar with 90’s/00’s hip hop music, this won’t make much sense. I implore you only to look this song up if you aren’t easily offended and have a strong stomach. His ringtone was ‘My Neck, My Back’ by Khia.
For those of you who do know the song, you’re probably laughing already. Not only was it the extremely explicit version of the song, but he sang along to nearly the entire thing, every single time his phone rang.
Anyway, he offered to pay for a lift into the nearest town and back so he could go to the shop and buy some food for him and his guests. He started showing us loads of 100 Euro notes in his backpack. He seemed as though he was on something, and the money backed that up a little.
As he was a little on edge, we decided that it would be best to take him to the town quickly, drop him back and get on with our plans for the day, to move to our next camping spot. As we only have two seat belts in the van, I told Matt to drive him (Matt doesn't get as nervous about getting directions when he doesn't know the roads as I do), and I would wait behind with Bailey for them to get back. It was also as a little safety measure, that if they weren't back within 30 minutes, I could call and check they were ok.
Anyway, he offered to pay for a lift into the nearest town and back so he could go to the shop and buy some food for him and his guests. He started showing us loads of 100 Euro notes in his backpack. He seemed as though he was on something, and the money backed that up a little.
As he was a little on edge, we decided that it would be best to take him to the town quickly, drop him back and get on with our plans for the day, to move to our next camping spot. As we only have two seat belts in the van, I told Matt to drive him (Matt doesn't get as nervous about getting directions when he doesn't know the roads as I do), and I would wait behind with Bailey for them to get back. It was also as a little safety measure, that if they weren't back within 30 minutes, I could call and check they were ok.
They got back fairly quickly, and the man insisted that we come down to his house where he would cook us some dinner and show us the many bits of land he owned on the cliff side.
We've committed to saying yes to offers on this trip, so yes we said, however reluctantly!
Off we set on the windy cliff roads for another descent into oblivion. It was insanely steep, and the man pointed down into some greenery to look at his car which was in the accident. No word of a lie, the car had fallen 50-70 feet straight down a cliff face! Now we were worried we may stumble upon a half dead house guest when we arrived. He certainly didn't seem with it, and all we could hope was that he hadn't attempted to play doctor the previous night.
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| View from where the car fell |
When we arrived, a man and a woman were sitting outside having a quiet chat, and the little girl was on the bed watching a film with a jar of Nutella in one hand and a spoon in the other. We were introduced to everybody, and told we could put our phones on charge in the pantry. While we were in there figuring out the one plug socket in the entire room, we heard,
"Well, this is nice what you two are doing but you can leave now....yes you're time is over, you can fucking leave thank you, this is not ok what you are doing. Bye".
We peeped out of the doorway, and the man who had been speaking to the woman was, with a mixture of cockiness and sheepishness, leaving the house. As he passed us, he gave us a look of what can only be described as 'get out, now'.
We peeped out of the doorway, and the man who had been speaking to the woman was, with a mixture of cockiness and sheepishness, leaving the house. As he passed us, he gave us a look of what can only be described as 'get out, now'.
Shit.
The woman had been introduced as Sylia, the little girl as Chloe, and Sylia had called the owner of the house Luca. Finally, we had a name. Luca and Sylia had a disjointed conversation about the man who had just left, all the while Luca telling us to sit down,
The woman had been introduced as Sylia, the little girl as Chloe, and Sylia had called the owner of the house Luca. Finally, we had a name. Luca and Sylia had a disjointed conversation about the man who had just left, all the while Luca telling us to sit down,
“That's enough standing, sit please.”
Ok. We sat.
It gave us the chance to eyeball everyone. Sylia was black and blue all over, with scratches and huge swollen lumps on her limbs. She then talked us through what had happened with the car, and that she had a laceration on her head from it too. She should've been in hospital. Instead, she was with Luca, who was already halfway through downing a 2 litre bottle of wine without the assistance of a glass.
The afternoon was spent in extreme discomfort, with no fresh drinking water, only warm water from the outside tap, no glasses, no food and an impending sense of doom.
Every 5 minutes Luca would begin crying crocodile tears and then saying he was fine, interspersed with him singing along with his outrageous ringtone in front of Chloe. He would ask us what he should reply to messages he was receiving from is boyfriend and friend, asking how much money he should send them to make them happy. He was also bringing up the man who was talking with Sylia when we arrived, Tommy, and starting the argument again and again with her as to why he shouldn't have been here.
It gave us the chance to eyeball everyone. Sylia was black and blue all over, with scratches and huge swollen lumps on her limbs. She then talked us through what had happened with the car, and that she had a laceration on her head from it too. She should've been in hospital. Instead, she was with Luca, who was already halfway through downing a 2 litre bottle of wine without the assistance of a glass.
The afternoon was spent in extreme discomfort, with no fresh drinking water, only warm water from the outside tap, no glasses, no food and an impending sense of doom.
Every 5 minutes Luca would begin crying crocodile tears and then saying he was fine, interspersed with him singing along with his outrageous ringtone in front of Chloe. He would ask us what he should reply to messages he was receiving from is boyfriend and friend, asking how much money he should send them to make them happy. He was also bringing up the man who was talking with Sylia when we arrived, Tommy, and starting the argument again and again with her as to why he shouldn't have been here.
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| Luca's Garden |
I couldn't help but feel sorry for him in some respects, as he was clearly a lost little boy, wanting love and acceptance, and unable to stabilise himself enough to be in receipt of such things. It was such a surreal experience, having him ask Sylia if she loves him as he drifted in and out of drunken stupor. Sylia was tactful all the while, despite obviously being in a lot of pain and now the mental anguish Luca was putting on her.
Somehow I managed to persuade him that he needed to go to sleep. He had said he didn't sleep all night, and now that bottle of wine number two was open, he was drifting in and out of consciousness on the floor, with a fag in his hand, and waking up strangely crying then announcing he was ok.
Bed was where this man needed to be, for the sanity of everybody in that house. As he went and lay on the bed in the living room, Chloe came out and started chatting to us. She was very sweet, and was clearly uncomfortable with the set up at Luca's house. Wouldn't you be, aged 9 and faced with clear mental illness?
Her way of dealing with the situation was to ignore Luca, which in turn prompted him to say mean things to her later on in the day. Certainly not the best environment for her. But Sylia was in such bad shape, that they couldn't leave, as Chloe wouldn't have been able to carry any bags, and Sylia certainly wasn't going to manage.
So, I offered them a lift. Luca had not only bought his 2 bottles of wine at the store, but a chorizo. Nothing more. He was supposed to be buying a drink for Chloe, which he drank on the drive back, and painkillers for Sylia. No such luck. I told Sylia that if she could make it up to the van, I'd give her some meds and creams, and we would drive her back to where they were staying, 2 beach coves over.
We allowed Sylia to break the news of us all leaving to Luca, as she knew him best. Safe to say, he didn't take it very well.
We thanked him for his hospitality, told him to make sure he went back to sleep and looked after himself. He gave us a sweet goodbye, and then slammed the front door on our heels as we left.
We asked Sylia if he would be alright on his own, considering the state he was in. She told us that he had experience of it, and not to worry, that he would likely be lucid again in the morning, and that it was common for him to have days such as this. We still felt a little guilty, but much relieved as the dark cloud Luca was carrying was no longer over our heads.
Sylia had lost her necklace and hat in the car accident, and also wanted to have a look at the wreckage, to affirm the experience she had had. She described getting out of the car as so serene, like things were clear now, and that the experience had changed her in some way.
Looking at the car up close, I can well believe it.
So, I offered them a lift. Luca had not only bought his 2 bottles of wine at the store, but a chorizo. Nothing more. He was supposed to be buying a drink for Chloe, which he drank on the drive back, and painkillers for Sylia. No such luck. I told Sylia that if she could make it up to the van, I'd give her some meds and creams, and we would drive her back to where they were staying, 2 beach coves over.
We allowed Sylia to break the news of us all leaving to Luca, as she knew him best. Safe to say, he didn't take it very well.
We thanked him for his hospitality, told him to make sure he went back to sleep and looked after himself. He gave us a sweet goodbye, and then slammed the front door on our heels as we left.
We asked Sylia if he would be alright on his own, considering the state he was in. She told us that he had experience of it, and not to worry, that he would likely be lucid again in the morning, and that it was common for him to have days such as this. We still felt a little guilty, but much relieved as the dark cloud Luca was carrying was no longer over our heads.
Sylia had lost her necklace and hat in the car accident, and also wanted to have a look at the wreckage, to affirm the experience she had had. She described getting out of the car as so serene, like things were clear now, and that the experience had changed her in some way.
Looking at the car up close, I can well believe it.
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| Car Wreck |
Considering she had been driving, and was the only one in the car, she had ended up in the back seat. Her hat was wedged so tightly between the roof metal and the window metal, that we couldn't get it out. She was wearing that hat when the accident happened. By rights, her head should've been between those pieces of metal.
Luckily, Chloe wasn't in the car, but she had seen it from the cliff top. Sylia said the sound of Chloe's screams were heartbreaking, but gave her the courage she needed to climb out of the car and make sure she saw her daughter again.
The wreckage was mind blowing. Parts of the car were littered down the cliff face and around where it finally landed, trees had been uprooted and were mangled into the wreckage, and the woman was standing right next to us, with no broken bones, just some horrible bruises and a life affirming experience. It was surreal and amazing and emotional to view it with her. Thinking back to it now still gets me a little choked up, imagining Chloe standing at the top screaming, and Sylia tumbling around in the car, and standing next to a survivor of the clutches of death.
The wreckage was mind blowing. Parts of the car were littered down the cliff face and around where it finally landed, trees had been uprooted and were mangled into the wreckage, and the woman was standing right next to us, with no broken bones, just some horrible bruises and a life affirming experience. It was surreal and amazing and emotional to view it with her. Thinking back to it now still gets me a little choked up, imagining Chloe standing at the top screaming, and Sylia tumbling around in the car, and standing next to a survivor of the clutches of death.
Amazing.
They were both a little hesitant to get into the van, but it was a short hop to their campsite, and Matt's the best driver. Yes, it was a little naughty to carry us all in the van, BUT it was for fair and just reason. Of course, I made Chloe sit in the front seat with a seatbelt, and me and Sylia huddled up in the back, squishing ourselves in so we wouldn't get bumped about too much. We decided to go down to the beach and check out where they were living. Another surreal experience for this unusual day.
They were both a little hesitant to get into the van, but it was a short hop to their campsite, and Matt's the best driver. Yes, it was a little naughty to carry us all in the van, BUT it was for fair and just reason. Of course, I made Chloe sit in the front seat with a seatbelt, and me and Sylia huddled up in the back, squishing ourselves in so we wouldn't get bumped about too much. We decided to go down to the beach and check out where they were living. Another surreal experience for this unusual day.
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| Helping Sylia and Chloe get home |
They had a foot pump and air bed with Chloe's cuddly toys and some blankets, in the middle of a thicket of trees, right on the beach. Around the back they had all their bags and food, and on the beach they had a little gallery of painted rocks they had been filling their time with, and two blankets under rocks, so the space was permanently reserved. No fridge, no toilet, no shower, no true home comforts, and a large trek back up the main road to get a hitchhiker's lift to a shop. True wild camping.
Sylia had lived in this spot for almost a year, but we never asked how long Chloe had been there. Sure, there had been some fallings out about the inability to watch movies or afford an ice cream every day, but equally, they were sharing time together, being creative, having an adventure. In some respects, I might even go as far as to say that it should be some kind of compulsory experience for modern day privileged children. Neither was malnourished, neither gave off a vibe of unhappiness, just Sylia’s aura of appreciation for the wilderness and the freedom it afforded her, and Chloe’s newly deepened love for her mother after the experience of the car crash.
While we journeyed with them, Sylia let us know a few things about Luca, some of which she could verify, others which she admitted were rumoured to be true, but may well be.
Luca was a Polish Jew, who had moved to Spain, where he met Sylia and the aforementioned Tommy, on a campsite, where they had lived in close proximity to each other for roughly 2 years. I think it was less of an official campsite, and a little more towards the alternative lifestyle of those wishing to forget things and discover others. Apparently, Luca’s Grandmother was extremely wealthy, and when she died, she left him all of her money, reportedly over a million Euros. Luca had had dealings with illegal substances in the past, admitted by himself to us earlier in the day. It could be surmised that these experiences are what left him emotionally vulnerable, but no-one other than Luca would possibly be able to attest to that.
With his inheritance, and illicit substance misuse behind him, Luca bought most of the property on the side of that cliff, and apparently a hotel and some buildings in the neighbouring town. He rented out the properties, and was living off of the income generated by them. To look at his house, and then to be told he was a millionaire and a property tycoon, the two images didn’t match up for us. Having said that, on more than one occasion, Luca had referred to his house as his sanctuary, his place of self love and peace, and who are we to judge what brings a man peace in his darkened hours. Another fly in Luca’s ointment was his intelligence. Sylia told us that his behaviour on this day was common, but not normal for Luca, and that he was a highly intelligent young man. She let us know that he dips in and out of lucidity, and re-assured us not to worry about leaving him on his own.
With his inheritance, and illicit substance misuse behind him, Luca bought most of the property on the side of that cliff, and apparently a hotel and some buildings in the neighbouring town. He rented out the properties, and was living off of the income generated by them. To look at his house, and then to be told he was a millionaire and a property tycoon, the two images didn’t match up for us. Having said that, on more than one occasion, Luca had referred to his house as his sanctuary, his place of self love and peace, and who are we to judge what brings a man peace in his darkened hours. Another fly in Luca’s ointment was his intelligence. Sylia told us that his behaviour on this day was common, but not normal for Luca, and that he was a highly intelligent young man. She let us know that he dips in and out of lucidity, and re-assured us not to worry about leaving him on his own.
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| Sylia and Chloe's Beach |
Moving forward, Sylia and Chloe had met a lovely family on the beach the week before, who had organised to take them to their village, ensured there was a place for them to stay, and even got them work picking strawberries, something Chloe was very excited about as she was set on eating the majority of her harvest! For €50 a day, Sylia said that just two days picking could feed them for a month.
We wished them a lovely time, a good recovery and safe travels, and hiked back up to the van, completely exhausted ourselves, both physically and mentally.
It’s been a while since we last connected with the two of them, but we sincerely hope that they are both well, recovered, rested and completely full of strawberries! It was a mad day (in all senses of the word!), but we’re glad we agreed to follow Luca to his house, because it enabled us to meet Sylia and Chloe. It meant that we could give them the help that they likely wouldn’t have had otherwise. Also, after seeing their camp and how simply they were living, we had a new appreciation of our tiny home on wheels, and all the little home comforts we were lucky enough to have.
J x
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