Page 38 of Take a Chance on Greece

‘I love books, you know that, and there is always wisdom to be found in their pages. But I think for language learning, perhaps it is better that instead of reading and reciting, we try speaking and listening.’

‘But what about all the rules for verbs and things?’ I asked, worried that even this question was betraying my ignorance.

‘When it comes to languages, rules are made to be broken. Let us forget that this is a lesson, and just chat. You will be amazed at how much is learned this way.’

‘I’m not sure I’m going to be up to this,’ I said, leaning past him and pretending to make a grab for the books. He gently caught my hand and put it back at my side.

‘I have faith in you,’ he said. ‘Trust me.’

‘But the books…’ I protested.

‘Ta biblia,’he said, gesturing at the volumes so I could be in little doubt what he was referring to.

‘Oh. Like bibliography?’

‘Exactly,’ he said. ‘I told you this would work. Come, let us find somewhere to enjoy our picnic and talk together.’

While Alexis collected his car keys from his apartment above the shop, I took advantage of his brief absence to smuggle my notebook back into the picnic basket. Whatever he said about putting the books to one side, I was convinced that writing things down would help me to keep my mind focused on the lesson.

This time he steered the Mini away from the coast towards the centre of the island, pointing out features of the landscape and saying their names in Greek. He seemed to have endless patience as I painstakingly recited the words back to him. As we drove past the car park for the Drogarati Cave, I felt a pang of loss which I realised was nothing to do with Absent Andreas, but more to do with the fact that the trip there would have been even more magical had it been in the company of someone really special. Someone like Alexis.

‘Ola kala?’ asked the man himself.Everything OK?

I shook myself out of my reverie and forced myself to reply with a steady voice. Thankfully Alexis seemed to accept my slow response to his question as being language-related, rather than anything else.

I stared out of the window and hoped he’d put the renewed colour in my cheeks down to the heat in the car.

‘I thought we’d visit Mount Ainos,’ said Alexis, then repeated himself in Greek. ‘It is the tallest mountain on the island, and the views are unparalleled.’

The road up the mountainside was narrow, and I hoped we didn’t meet a car coming in the opposite direction. However much I trusted Alexis’s driving ability, the thought of us having to reverse to a passing point with a sheer drop on one side was rather terrifying. The hairpin bends on the road to Antisamos beach were nothing compared to this route, and we both fell silent while Alexis gave his full attention to getting us to our destination safely. We wound our way up through mile after mile of forest, the sound of birdsong the only noise apart from the car’s engine. It felt like we were the only two people in the world.

When we were just short of the summit, Alexis pulled the car off the road into an area of parched scrubland which incongruously had a car park sign on display, and turned off the engine. I remained sitting while he got the picnic out of the boot, needing a moment to myself. When he came round and opened the door for me, I realised my legs were wobbly and I found myself having to grab hold of him for support.

‘Sorry, I’m not brilliant with heights,’ I explained.

Alexis’s face fell. ‘I apologise. It is very selfish of me to have made you come here.’

I squeezed his arm. ‘Don’t be silly. You weren’t to know. And I’ll be fine once I’ve adjusted to my surroundings. Besides, it’s worth it for the view. We’re practically above the clouds. They look like great big cotton wool chairs, soft enough for us to sink into them.’

‘But perhaps they would make a rather damp picnic spot,’ said Alexis, smiling at my flight of fancy. ‘If you feel up to moving, there is a perfect space for eating, and our lesson, just a short walk away.’

He offered his arm to me, and I accepted, even though my legs were fine now. We clambered upwards for about ten minutes, the trees thinning out, until we came to a long ridge with a path curving along it, and there was nowhere else to climb.

‘We’re on top of the world,’ I said, carefully turning on the spot to take in the view while making sure I didn’t get too near the edge. There was no real danger of me falling off the mountain, but better safe than sorry.

Alexis beckoned me over to a concrete post.

‘This marks the actual summit of Mount Ainos,’ he said, patting the smooth surface.

I followed suit, my little finger grazing his. I looked up at him and caught him watching me.

He glanced away quickly and moved to one side, suddenly intent on searching for something.

‘Here it is,’ he said, picking up a metal container which was partially hidden in a hollow at the base of the post.

He twisted off the lid and took out a battered leatherbound notebook.

‘The visitors’ book,’ he explained. ‘Here for everyone who reaches the summit so they can record their names and if they like, leave a message for those who follow in their footsteps.’

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