Nomadic Tales My perception of small countries is that the chances of finding a secluded spot to pitch a tent without being seen are very low. The land tends to be expensive and fully utilized, and I imagined that landowners wouldn’t appreciate tents on property they’ve paid dearly for. I resisted the temptation to try even a single night of wild camping in Switzerland, fearing a hefty fine. However, I did camp in Luxembourg, not one, but two nights. In Kehl, Germany, just across the river from Strasbourg, I managed one night of wild camping, but it was far from comfortable. Two men walking in the distance kept watching me for about half an hour. Despite my green tent blending into the grassy ground with a forested backdrop, and being 400 meters from the road, they appeared suspicious, stepping left and right, perhaps trying to get a better view. Since wild camping is generally frowned upon in Germany, I usually avoid it, but I wanted to try anyway. I had spent a full week near ...
Nomadic Tales Vatopedi, a small village in northern Greece, is overshadowed in Google searches by the well-known Vatopedi Monastery on Mount Athos. Yet several stories from my trip are tied to this quiet and unassuming village, known perhaps only for its olive groves. While in Ierissos, I bought olives at the market, which I ate after leaving town. The olives were so good that I was tempted to go back, if it hadn’t been for the tedious climb on a dirt road that I dreaded repeating. So, I kept going, constantly kicking myself for not having bought more. The next day, about 3 km before Vatopedi, near the gate of a factory, a broad-faced, muscular dog took a liking to me. He came toward me like an arrow, with an almost imperceptible tail wag and a locked gaze. It was an uneasy encounter at first, seeing the dog rear up on two legs to greet me with his front paws, leaving me guessing about his true intentions. But he turned out to be extremely friendly, so much so that he sta...