Journeys I´m made of... - Italy (1991)

That summer I participated in an archaeological excavation in South Italy, in a village called Poggiardo, near Lecce. Sleeping in a school, using the same sheets for three weeks...; waking up every morning at 5, to avoid working under the sun during the very warm hours; breakfast at a tiny local café (‘cappuccino’ in a waterglass and chocolate croissant every day); eating the same pasta for lunch during the whole time, or so it seemed; washing just with cold water in improvised showers in the school toilets (two english girls always the last in the queue, so that they wouldn´t have to shower in front of the others, making fun of themselves and their upbringing); taking long siestas, waking up to wash and register the findings during the afternoon; in bed by 10 in the evening, at the latest. A very special suntan that summer, with my neck, arms and legs marked by the clothes I was wearing at the field. Free time only on Sundays. And… I loved it! Yes, me, Miss Comfort. I simply loved it.