My refuge was travelling.

I've always been leaving people, countries, situations . Whenever I was sad I was getting on a plane and I escaped. As the chronicle of a pre-announced death, my marriage was over. It was almost certain from the beginning. So I found myself depressed (once again) in Havana. At that time, I must have been one of the few women on holiday on an island full of men...

The first day I was approached by two sixteen years old boys. So I was giving them some money and they found me cigarettes, some descent food, a car... I took them with me to Varadero and on the way we picked up a friend of theirs. M. was totally crazy. She had a kid at sixteen-of unknown father-and all she cared about was salsa dancing and being picked up in clubs. I rented a big villa and we all lived together. They didn't bother me. We weren't talking beyond the essentials, and I was just going around like a ghost with my eyes cried out. Once in a while, I went for a scuba diving.

So, one day I was alone on the beach, full of black thoughts with libido unexistent... Suddenly... I see a god walking... Towards me... In fact, I felt him more than I saw him. In the next ten minutes, I'm in the water with him............ Once we went out -of course-my purse with my wallet, cards and passport have made wings! And suddenly I feel beyond the first surprise a wonderful release. I think I heard my depression break in 1000 pieces.

At the police station, I remember being on the lawn and laughing hysterically to the surprise of all the cops who asked me, "What were you thinking?!" I had a wild joy. I couldn't do a lot of things. I was in the hands of existence. The hotel was pre-paid, but it didn't make sense to stay there.

Like an angel, young M. says: "You've been taking care of me for so long. Now it's my turn. "M. proved to be a gang leader!!!!! In a little while, she shows up with money enough for the pirate driver to take us to Havana. So I'm in a car at night, with a bottle of rum in my lap left to the goodness of others. The Greek embassy only gave me money for a photo for the temporary passport... Disgrace! When I arrived the other day at the airport I realized that things were not good "Alitalia overbooked"... "No Way to leave"... Suddenly there is a Greek guy who is an airline employee.

He gives me the phone number of the Cypriot ambassador... He was Greek, he said.

He picks it up immediately.

I tell him my story...

In a short while, in the slum where I have returned, a limousine with a driver and the ambassador (who seemed to me like Santa Claus) arrive.

All I ask from him is to arrange with Alitalia to take me on the plane. And 2$ for cigarettes.

Mr. Ambassador pulls out a 100$ bill and won't accept a ‘no’ for an answer!

Wow!

I buy rum and pastries and we have a party with the whole neighborhood being my guests...

The next day I take M. and her family to Tropicana.

We eat pizzas and swim in the pool...

Life is beautiful...

How I returned to Athens is another story...