Wednesday 24th October 1984
Train to Menton then another train to Ventimiglia in Italy. I tried hitching from there but it looked bad so I returned to the information office and decided to go for a Transalpino ticket to Athens. Left for Rome at 9.40pm and spent an uncomfortable night in a 1st class carriage.
Thursday 25th October 1984
Got to Rome early morning; left luggage for my rucksack then set off to see the sights. Collosium was first stop, then the Vatican. I was very impressed by Rome. St Peter's is outstanding as churches go. The city also seemed to buzz even more than London or Paris at night. Left Rome terminus at 6pm for Pescara. Got some kip on the train from Pescara to Brindisi.
Friday 26th October 1984
Spent most of the morning in a park in Brindisi. Got together a spaghetti bolognese then embarked the boat at 9pm. Kipped the night between two groups of Americans.
Saturday 27th October 1984
Woke after cold night and here I am, now sitting in the forward lounge steaming towards Patras after a short stop at Corfu. Arrived (in) Patras at about 5.30pm. Got chatting in the railway station to an ancient Greek bloke, who advised me not to go all the way to Athens, but stop the night at Corinth, then head to Argos. After he left I chatted with a couple of American women then boarded the Athens train. After 1½ hours, 2 heavies got on and sat one in front of me and one beside me. Thankfully, I'd made up my mind to get off at Corinth (they enquired if I knew that when I got off*). Spent the night on the quay and woke to..........
*I had a gut feeling that these guys were planning to rob me.
Sunday 28th October 1984
......... a National holiday & celebration of the Greeks throwing the Italians out of Greece during the last war. Watched a procession of kids, some in national dress. Headed for the beach and sunbathed, slept and swam in the sea, then soaked up the buzz on the promenade before hitting a "pub" for a couple of beers and some good sounds - Bob Marley 'burnin' inc.! Then, after a heart-searching choice between more beer and economy, I kipped a second night on the quay.
Monday 29th October 1984
After meandering around checking the bus price to Argos, I decided to attempt the hitch. Walked out on the road to Argos when a pickup truck stopped and after something incomprehensible (in Greek), the bloke offered me work picking lemons. Met him later to find (that the) lemons had turned into a pig farm! But it was wages when I was down to my last £5 with no chance of calling for help as the Greek post office was on strike. After my first kebab, I took a bus and made my way to the farm. Was taken on for 20,000 drachmas a month (about £150). Got shown some of the ropes, then in the evening Ian and I hit 'Pablo's place' for a kilo* of Karasi, then to the 'fat man's bar' for another, then wandered back and finally got to sleep at 3.30am.
* Greek wine was sold in this measure, which I imagine is one kilogram weight of liquid. It was like buying a carafe of wine.
Tuesday 30 October 1984
First day's work; up at 7.30 - had 400 50kg sacks to unload (in the) late pm! Then to Pablo's bar for Suvlaki (10), salad and titbits. Looks like monotony for the next couple of months as there's only ½ day off a week and I'll be too shagged to get much excitement ----- but who knows??
Thursday 8th November 1984
Been here 1 week with few things worth mentioning. Have got to know & like Ian, and dislike the Indians, Rocky & Pabu. It looks like the later has got the sack, which means just 3 illegal foreign workers on the farm. The police have arrived twice, the last time they took away a pig, which means our jobs are safe in that respect. One night in Pablo's, a customer had one over the eight, overturned a table and smashed a chair while getting a bit over-excited with his dancing. Last night I caught the bus to Korinthos, met Ian and had a night on the piss. Mixed ouzo and beer, left Ian asleep in a cafe while I got a taxi back. I felt like death warmed up this morning. Staggered out at ¼ to 9 to have a sack put straight on my back and pens to clean. Afternoon was great, slept till 4 then fed (the) pigs. Night in tonight after yesterday's excess.
Sunday 18th November 1984
Today was our ½ day off. Enjoyed the luxury of roast chicken, which took the hassle of me doing chicken impressions in the local village shop to obtain (it)*. Time passes pretty quickly on the pig farm near Xylo Keriza, mainly because so much of it is spent in hard slog.
Last Sunday Ian and I took a walk to the sea (about ¾ hr walk), it was a sunny day but by the time we got there it wasn't warm enough to swim.
A few days ago we had a kamikaze pig that jumped 12ft off a ledge, suffered a nose bleed, but then got the chop (excuse the pun) after apparently having a nervous breakdown. Relations with Rocky and Papu (who avoided the push) have deteriorated somewhat after we were reported to the boss for not being clean i.e. not doing their washing-up for them, and not working hard enough, which took some swallowing after they've both taken what amounted to a week's holiday in the past 3 weeks. Also Ian's food was eaten by Rocky (presumably), petty things which build up when living in close proximity.
Friday night I got totally bevied on Krasi (Retsina) in the fat man's bar. Drank 2 kilos, vomited into a glass, then staggered back holding 2 eggs above my head - got them back in one piece too, somehow. Felt like death warmed up Saturday but both Kryla and the doctor recognised my incapacity and eased my workload down. Slept about 16 hours and have only fully recovered tonight. Just as well, as tomorrow, just for a change, is another working day!
* This was before I started teaching English and let me experience first-hand what it's like trying to buy things (which aren't visible to be pointed at) from a small shop when you don't speak the language. Flapping my arms and making clucking noises was the only way I could get across to the shopkeeper what I wanted to buy!
Monday 3rd December 1984
One month completed on "Pigditz"* with little to mention of outstanding interest. There was nearly a fight in the Suvlaki bar (Pablo's) in Exilo (Xylo), Ian, Rocky and myself worked one of our Sunday afternoons off for Theo, a Greek with grand designs, perhaps beyond his capabilities, but he paid us well and was hospitable during an afternoon that was far easier than the morning on the farm and earnt us more than a day's Pigditz work (in 2 hours!). The last 3 days have been comparatively good. Friday was payday, Ian and I had a couple of beers and played chess in the Gambler's Bar, then went to Pablo's. It was the first really cold night of my journey, my espadrilles disintegrated on a trip to the outside bog, but all was not lost; Niko had words with son, Pablo, who went out and returned with a pair of his trainers in quite good nick! I couldn't have been more chuffed, especially as my boots have just about given up the ghost too.
Saturday night, me and Ian went into Korinthos. We got a lift in from one of the Exilo farmers, had suvlaki, chips 'n' salad, cakes 'n' coffee, then we went to the 'Pub' on the seafront (where I'd spent my first night in Greece) for good sounds before 10pm, beers, whiskey (and) tequila for Ian. when the pub shut we moved to a place that served beer accompanying food (spaghetti bolognese) where we watched a strange American film (Gordon's War) on the telly with Greek subtitles. Taxi back and crash: thankfully Sunday was quiet.
Only other news is Rocky, the Kenyan Indian, seems to have left (although his bag remains). He took a day off without permission (on) Friday, refused to work (on) Saturday and has been AWOL since. This is another thing that has contributed to a better atmosphere on the farm; Rocky was an archetypal back-stabber and double-crosser, who I got to dislike more and more as time went by. He's the first person I've come across on this journey that I would sooner leave a bar than drink beside him. Also, since his departure, Ian and I have become more indispensable, thus more respected by the bosses and Papu seems more tolerable too, despite him putting on the airs and graces of an overseer. It's ok though as he puts his back into the work. Lastly, oranges can be easily scrumped and fresh lemon squash and Greek creamed yoghurts are discoveries that make the icing on the top of the pig shit. Last night (I) found 2 rats fighting in the kitchen!!
* This is a play on words for the Nazi prison camp called "Colditz", which featured in a TV series in 1972.
Saturday 8th December 1984
After long periods of calm turpitude another of those mind blowingly rapid bursts of action occurred last night. Ian set off for Exilo at 7.30 to meet Papu and make a phone call to his mate, Costa. I was quite knackered after mixing beer and metaxa (brandy) the night before so I decided to catch up on some kip. I got my head down at 9pm and surfaced again at about 12.30 to the sound of someone running up the stairs, bursting into my room and striding into the room shared by Ian and Papu. Then, Ian, who was as furious as I've seen anyone for many a moon shouted at Papu that he wanted him outside immediately to fight him. He then went downstairs, ignoring my bemused request for information as to what the hell was going on. Ian screamed at Papu to come down and fight or he'd come up and get him. There was a scuffling in the next-door room and sounds of someone making a very quick exit through the kitchen. Ian returned, looked, then demanded (to know) where Papu was. Not finding him out back he headed rapidly downstairs muttering that he'd find the bastard wherever he had hidden. I lay in bed wondering what the devil had angered Ian to these huge proportions. All the(se) events (of the previous page) took no more than 1 minute.
Next Lammy, the brother of the farm owner, was outside shouting for Ian, then him (sic) and Popu came upstairs and demanded of me where Ian was. After telling him I didn't know, to no effect, I was beginning to get riled myself but Lammy gave in, looked through into the other rooms then they both left. After that I was getting ready to go out and help Ian out if needed when he returned, still fuming, and proceeded to tear Papu's bed apart. When he'd reached a lull between kicking doors, beds, punching walls and stamping on Papu's shampoo bottle, he told me in the intervening time (that) he's nutted Lammy after he'd pushed Ian away from where Papu was hiding. For the next few hours Ian was wound up like a time bomb. He pissed on Papu's bed and resigned himself to being sacked then next day, but thrashing Papu first. At a quarter to four Ian had the idea of getting the work done before Lammy arrived at 6am. Sleep for me was out so I donned my boots and we had fed two pig houses before Lammy arrived at around ¼ to 6am. He was exceedingly amicable - possibly because he'd come across, for the first time, a foreign labourer who was not only willing to stand up to him but physically push him out of the way. He built a fire, put on coffee and washed the cups! Then the 3 of us talked in the office (I did more listening than talking). I thought at the time that Ian was talking bullshit a lot, but when placed in the light of events next day, he showed a shrewdness I didn't comprehend then. I went to get some sleep at 6.30(am); Ian did the same ¼hr later.
Author's note: As far as I remember, Ian never explained what had caused his fury (and if he did, I didn't mention it in my diary). However, I surmise that while they were in a bar in Exilo, Papu either tried to kiss him, or made an indecent proposal. Warning! This is NOT something any man should try to do to a male heterosexual working class Geordie, especially not when they're drunk!
Sunday 9th December 1984
Woke up at about a ¼ to 8 to see Papu and Lammy coming through the door to see the carnage that remained of Papu's bed. After making some tea I went out to help load pigs then got stuck into work. When I went 'up top' at 12.30, Lammy smiled at me and Micho (the afternoon boss) asked me unhopefully if I was going too. I surprised him by saying 'no', then joined Ian while he prepared to venture into the world beyond Pigditz. While we had a last cuppa he told me he'd attempted to get to Papu but the Greeks were there in force to protect him and he nearly had a tussle with Micho. As a last attempt to humiliate him, Lammy made him take off the coat Niko had put on his back but he set off, hopefully for a far healthier, more enjoyable had better paid environment. I spent a laid back pm going out to scrump a cabbage, for which I think I got sussed, as an agricultural type arrived on a moped and went to see Micho, but there was no come back. This evening I've got my journal up-to-date and reflected on the moving on of a very good friend, 3 weeks virtually incommunicado in Pigditz and my impending request for a pay rise!
Thursday 13th December 1984
Over 4 months since I left the shores of Britain and I'm still going strong (I should be bloody strong by the time I leave Pigditz after the incredible weights I've been lifting). I now have all the 'bottom' pigs to feed but life isn't too bad as Lammy and Micho treat me with kid gloves. I also have the satisfaction - which I wish Ian could have seen - of watching Fortis (the quack vet) unloading soya and radar* trucks.
Yesterday I went to Korinthos, got (post)cards posted, but that apart, it was an abortive day, cold, windy and all the shops shut. Papu seems to have been broken in body and spirit after the fracas with Ian (deservedly so). Lammy has worked the mill since Monday and I've had the Pigditz penthouse hovel all to myself. Two final pieces good news. I've furthered a friendship with the bloke in Exilo who first helped me to find the Gellis** house, and after some intriguing background work, I asked Micho tonight for a wage rise to 25,000 drachs and he told me (that) for December I'd get 30 thou(sand)!! Brilliant news, I'd be out celebrating if the Radar truck hadn't shagged me out.
* I've no idea what a 'Radar truck' is these days. I can only imagine that it's a product which was fed to the pigs along with the soya pig feed.
** Farm owners.
Saturday 15th December 1984
Went into Korinthos at 7.30, went straight to the 'Pub' with the good music, and was sat at the bar musing over the optics when someone grabbed my shoulders from behind and ducked out of sight every time I turned to see who it was. Turned out to be Petro, the young guy who took over a fraction of the work Ian was doing at Pigditz. His English was as bad as my Greek but he introduced me to his brother, who spoke pretty good English. We sat, talked and drank for a while, then after toasties we went to a disco - the 'Club My Fair' sic, and sick it was. I dislike discos at the best of times but Greek ones seem particularly stultified. Still, we got in for free and I was in good company. We arranged to go to Athens together one night, which sounds like a good crack if it comes off. Peter said (via Jason) that he'd thrown in Pigditz but I can contact him by phone. They saw me to a taxi and I got back to Exilo at about 2.30-3am.
Sunday 16th December 1984
After turning the idea over in my mind for the past month, I finally set out to climb the highest mini-mountain at (the) back of the farm. It took me 2 hours to get to the top, over some quite rough scree, but as always, it was time and effort well-spent. It was a clear day so I could see to Korinth and beyond, and all of the Isthmus (not the canal, though). Scrambled down collecting some lemons en route.
Sunday 23rd December 1984
I've been out on 3 forays from Pigditz in the past week. Tuesday to the Gambler's Bar, where I met Pano and 2 of his friends - a good evening, rounded off by a lift back to the farm on the pillion of a Honda 50!
Friday was a night out in Korinthos, with the same friends, to the 'pub' Grasshopper. Pano drove like the devil was after him and at one stage was swigging down brandy with one hand - the other on the wheel - (while) driving down a busy Korinth street! Some great sounds i.e. a Stranglers session. After a healthy number of beers, a lift back right to the bottom of the stairs at the Hovel*.
Last night, though, was best of all. Took the bus to Korinthos and got settled at the bar of the 'Pub' Senior (the first one I visited in Greece) was later joined by Jason, who suggested going to Loutraki where the disco has a good reputation. We caught the bus to the 'Tropicana' and after some deliberation as to whether we could afford to go in, the 5 of us entered (3 of Jason's friends had joined us). Until 12.30 it was disco music accompanied by the best light show I've seen so far, then they put on an hour of good music - Doors, Dire Straits, Bob Marley inc. We left at 2am and it turned out, as no one else had any money and my friends were talking of attempting to hitch the 10 miles back, I said I'd pick up the tab for a taxi. I must have got back to the penthouse hovel at about 3am this morning. It was an easy morning though, thankfully.
*This demonstrates what I thought of my accommodation at Pigditz.
Wednesday 26th of December 1984 - Boxing Day
Well, pigs have all been fed and after many attempts, Micho was finally able to get me connected to mum in old England. She said Ian had rung so he's obviously go back to the 'yUK'* ok.
Well, well, well, after a short break to shut doors, windows and feed (the) middle pigs, I went into the office to get my chicken jointed and hey presto! Micho handed me 500 Drachma note! Wow! What is Pigditz coming to?
Xmas Eve I went to Korinthos for the 3rd time in 4 days, met Jason and co, but (he) was sat with 2 people I didn't particularly like and when I found I was the only one with beer vouchers** and most of the people I liked had left, I began to get the feeling I was being taken for a ride. Left the Pub Senior for the Grasshopper solo & after an iffy start I was glad I'd gone there as they put the Benny Hill Christmas show on a video (Greek subtitles). After beer and ouzo I found it well worth watching. Wandered off to get a taxi at about 2am dropping the bottle of whisky I'd bought en route, something that made me furious - still no use crying over spilt Johnny Walker Red Label (sniff, sniff, sob, sob, whimper, whimper). Xmas Day I was shattered. Xmas tree looks good though!
* A play on words between 'the UK' and 'Yuk!'
** money
Monday - Tuesday 1st January 1985
After haggling with Micho about my wages (being offered 23,000 and getting 25), I set off for Excretia keriza at around 7pm New Year's Eve. Planned to get 7.30 bus to Korinth but missed it after ouzo, caught the 9.30 bus after beers and got a pizza. Was surprised to find Korinthos (as) dead as a doornail. After being ripped off for 2 whiskeys in the Grasshopper, I got a taxi back and spent the stroke of midnight in a taxi cab (by request) listening to Greek music. Best aspect of the night - after feeding Jimmy, the muppet dog, some bones, was turning on my radio (care of Jo 'n' B - see 3rd Sept. 1984) and hearing U2 - New Year's Day*, Led Zeppelin - Rock 'n' roll*, Rolling Stones - Satisfaction* and Journey - Big wheel in the sky*, on American Forces crap radio, then a hilarious religious channel followed by the Nutcracker Suite* then at 1am a happy new year from Radio Mediterranean!
* You tube video
Thursday 3rd January 1985
I'm slowly building up for takeoff now. Last two days, I started work at 9am or later, just feeding one set of pigs then 'doing a Rocky', which means either nothing at all or watching the automatic feeders. Only me and Papu to unload the last two trucks but as it was my last soya wagon (I plan to leave Monday) it didn't worry me too much. Yesterday evening I went to Exilo intending just to get some shopping done, visited the Gambler's for a beer and met my village friends. They left to go to Korinth then a couple of mins. later Jason returned and invited me along. Supped me beer up and next thing I was in a minivan steaming towards Korinth with 7 villagers. First stop was the Pub Grasshopper, after a couple of bevies we left the pub and they drove to Isthmia and I spent the next hour or so watching pornographic movies at a drive-in cinema (no pun intended). A somewhat out of the ordinary night without a doubt. After all; I got a lift right back to the penthouse.
Sunday 6th January 1985
Last full day at Pigditz. Last night was great, first to the Gambler's Bar where, after a while, I was joined by my village friends. We had 3 ouzos and watched the prawns turn to shrimps on the snack plate. At around 8 (o'clock), Pano drove me to Korinth and we hit the beers in the Grasshopper. then 4 of us drove to Kiato, a city about 25 mins. drive away where we went to a quite posh bar with very good music. 2 lifts back, a fond farewell to Pano, who I got to like a lot, and I hit the hay in the Hovel at 1.30am this morning. I fought off the lethargy to get the feeding done and was just preparing to put my feet up when the job of cleaning water from the grain silos arrived. At first I refused, then in order to give them no legitimate reason not to pay me, I gave Papu a hand. It made me vomit but thankfully it was only an hour-long job.
Wednesday 9th January 1985
Now I'm experiencing "Joy"! Arrived in Athens on Monday after feeding the pigs for the last time. Booked into the Hotel Joy, which has a good atmosphere and the English language prevails. Last night I went to an Athenian club with a live band. They only did cover versions but were skilful and had a musical taste similar to mine. (The) Ouzo was very expensive but I drank only 2 in the 3½hrs there. Got back to the hotel at 1.30. Did some sightseeing yesterday too, got a good view of Athens and (the) Acropolis from a hill just south of it.
Friday 11th January 1985
I caught the boat from Pireaus yesterday at 3pm after a quiet night at the hostel. I went out to see the film 'Rear Window' at a local cinema. (It was) A good film and welcome to see a film in English. I parked my rucksack on the top deck (of the boat) under a shelter and have a Norwegian girl, Dinah, for a neighbour. I like her a lot so I shall be content for the next few days.