Lost in translation

- This one is in English. Not proofread. Carla-english -


I'm lost in translation. Me, myself and no one else, somewhere in Lithuania. Although, there are actually a lot of people in this little town called Druskininkai, two hours east of the capital Vilnius, but I don't understand a word of what everyone is saying and things are kind of different.

How did I end up here, all by myself?

The alarm clock woke me up this morning at 4 am. I took the first train of the day, together with all Saturday-night-party-goers, to get to the airport and to the meeting of the EFECW (Ecumenical Forum of European Christian Women) in Lithuania. As usual I was rather badly prepared for that travel (I remember last time when we met near Prague I almost got lost, due to broken phone and no ones phone number with me). This time, at least I printed out the sheet explaining the way from the airport to the meeting place. Self-confident I took the bus number 31 to Druskininkai. Almost there, I got a call from Martina from the Netherlands, saying that I was supposed to stay in Vilnius for one night, where I would meet Vivie from Greece. Apparently this information didn't make it to my e-mail-box. I would definitely have preferred to hang out in Vilnius with Vivie, but what can I do! Sorry, Vivie... :-)

And that's how I got lost in translation. For one night. Fortunately there was a room for me at the meeting place. Druskininkai is like a health center with spa hotels and sanatorium. I'm in a kind of sanatorium right now. Guests, some decades older than me, are going to get there pills at the reception. I was just checking in. On the other side of the streets happens to be a HUGE spa and aquapark. It seems to be famous in Lithuania. Everything is translated in at least three languages. www.akvapark.lt


It was not difficult to set the evening programme. Sauna, hot tub, roman bath, relaxing rooms... I missed almost all of it as I felt asleep on the hot Hammam stone for at least half an hour. Got out of the spa, ordered a take away pizza and two bottles of beer, went back to my hotel room, and here I am, writing my blog, in the middle of nowhere.

The fascinating thing about unexpectedly stranding somewhere is the complete anonymity you're in for a little while. It's like being out of the world - of my world. I enjoy it a lot - but I only enjoy it because I know that tomorrow I will meet my friends from all over Europe, and because I know that my friends are there, even if they are not here.

Imagine if it was like this every day of your life ---