Tan Lines (crossed through)

My first destination out of Harare was Athens, and there I had a few problems arranging to be able to get to the Cyclades. A few days after landing at Athens (it's actually a year and two months and fifteen days ago, now) I got passage to Naxos.

I looked for the name reference I had been able to find in my Mum's journal, and as I knocked on the door and waited this man came from somewhere behind me and said: "Γειά σου! Μπορώ να σε βοηθήσω?"
(Geiá sou! Boró na se voithíso?)
I tried English in reply, as I wasn't confident speaking Greek: "Is this Tassos's house?"
He replied: "Είμαι Τάσος!" Converting to a heavily accented English: " I'm Tassos! "
I smiled, and said: "I'm so pleased to have found you! I'm your cousin Francesca from Zimbabwe!" He looked surprised , even quite taken back and said in Greek: "Αχ Κάθριν εγγονή! Πέρασε Μέσα! Καλως ΗΡΘΑΤΕ!"
(Ach Káthrin engoní! Pérase Mésa! Kalos IRTHATE!)
And that was my welcome, and immediate acceptance by my family in Greece. You're Catherine's granddaughter come in!

I stayed in the islands for four months! I was accepted. Only the priest and some of the older women objected to my walking between Tassos' house and my soon -to-be found new boyfriend's house three houses away naked!

"Δεν θέλω μαύρες γραμμές"
(Den thélo mávres grammés)
Was my standard reply!