Still Not Dead...
By Marty Page

Location: Europe
Date: July 27, 2000

Where do I start?!?

The last couple of months have been crazy. I've been to that many parties that even I, Partymarty, am starting to feel the strain of the European summer. I'm now in Santorini, in the Greek Islands, taking a small breather between spending way too long in the party island of Ios and before heading to Israel tomorrow morning.

Here is a brief summary of the last 2 months...

Homelands...a rave outside of London that Allan and I trekked all of the way from Amsterdam to attend. We arrived in London to find out that it was sold out but went anyway and managed to get tickets of scalpers out the front. England brought out it's best and it rained the whole time. We made it home 24 hours later and covered in mud...brilliant!!

Spain...what was meant to be a few weeks turned out to be about 6. I love this country! They don't care about working, have siestas every afternoon, eat dinner after 10pm and don't go out until 2am. And they sure know how to throw a bash!

My first Spanish fiesta was the Hogueres de San Juan in the beachside town Alicante. They have huge paper mache stautes all over the town that on the final night, they set on fire. It went for about 5 nights - the streets packed with people going nuts! I ended up in Alicante for about 2 weeks all up. Some places are hard to break away from...

Then there was San Fermines - or as you may also know it...the Running of the Bulls. Every person is dressed up in white and red (we found this out when we went out the first night - not dressed in white and red!) drinking and dancing each night away. I had always thought I would run but was having second thoughts prior to the festival. What do you know, I spent the whole night out and ended up standing on the road at 8am on the first morning of the running. The nervousness, the anticipation...the tiredness... Then just when I was psyched to do it, the Spanish gestapo decided we were in the wrong spot and herded us out of the road.

I was disappointed but not deterred. I had come close and was set on doing it now. So I came back alone at 8am the next morning and went for it again. It was very exciting avoiding the large beasts and all of the bodies sprawled on the ground - also very tough considering I am not exactly in peak fitness. Anyway, I did it and ended up in the ring afterwards when they let out smaller bulls. At one point one run at me and I had to push off it. Now I can say I've literally 'grabbed the bull by the horns'!!

Oh...and then there was those few days in Ibiza...

Now I'm just finishing a 2 week stint in the Greek Islands. Funny, but after 10 months on the road, I really needed a holiday. You wouldn't believe it, considering most of the last 2 months have seen me at the beach by day and partying every night. But, yes, as I said, I am feeling the strain.

It is all going so fast! I head to Tel Aviv tomorrow for 7 weeks in Israel, with some time in Egypt. Then I head to Sydney for the Olympics and I'll be home in less than 2 months on Septmeber 21st....12 months to the day. Talk about getting value for a 12 month ticket!

So keep those emails coming. I love hearing from you all even if I can't reply that fast. I miss you all - you'll never understand how you have all contributed to this experience.

Speak to you soon.

marty

Read more of Marty's adventures