The week I spent in Belgrade was an eye-opener. The AA program there is extremely small but on the right track. NA is a little more popular, but not by much. In th sense that people are staying clean and sober, then both are a success. They are in a unique position that they need to rely on each other to get the job done for the small cadre of sober people. Anyway…It is working out for them and they are treating the Traditions as flexible entities rather than the draconian set of guides so many AA folk do in the USA. The result for me is that for the week I stayed clean and sober and 100% grateful for both fellowships.
Yesterday I boarded a plane at Nikola Tesla Aerodrome in Belgrade and flew to Athens, Greece. It took about an hour and a half. Then I took the local bus to the port of Piraeus, and from there a ferry to the little coastal island of Poros. It is lovely here, and the port is full of pleasure sailors in small flotillas. They are currently docked due to windy weather, but it has been a fun and sober time for me. Excellent fish, great coffee, and everyone speaks English. On top of that they are not offended if you speak English to them. Ah yes…Greece. They have been doing this longer than I have. Tomorrow I head off to Ermioni on a Flying Cat high speed ferry and the 15th Annual International AA Convention in Greece! Hooray!
Travel-wise, so far it has been a wonderful time and I will be back home in a little over three weeks. I hope that I will be bringing some warm weather back to Somewheresville as the reports I have seen have the highs somewhere in the mid-60’s. Right now it is that temperature outside, and it is 10PM. Today hit 90.