We got out of the bus, which drove us
from the airport and we waited patiently for our host near the Royal
Cinema. This moment was like from a gripping movie: who is this guy?
Will he turn out to be a pervert? Boring? Desperate? Are we going to
escape quickly from his house at 6 a.m. ensuring that we had a
wonderful time together? Or maybe it will be this night, which we
could not do without a knife under the pillow?
This is the first time, when we are
meant to get our accommodation through Couchsurfing. The first time
in my life. Although in theory the idea of communities of travellers
hosting each other is beautiful, we cannot hide that in fact we agree
to spend the night in the apartment of a stranger.
He's coming. Smiling from ear to ear,
forty years old skinny Italian. Dressed in a loos blouse with Inca
patterns. Wearing flip-flops and loos, bit broken jeans – you can
easily say: a pure hippy. Holds by the hand a tall brunette woman.
Both smiley, they welcome us and guide
us to the apartment. At the same time, we are informed that apart
from us there will be three other girls in the house – also Polish.
We entered the spacious flat in the
apartment house. Decoration was overthrowing. On walls there were
flags of different countries, furniture in the Art Deco style covered
with antique cameras, appliances, radios. Few paintings standing in
the corner, Lilian - beloved woman of the host – turned out to be a
painter.
On one side of the living room, on a
large table, there were decanters with few types of a local wine. We
were treated with a glass. First out of many. Soon afterwards other
girls came in.
I don't know how it happened, that
after half an hour we were chatting as if we knew each other for
years. A common topic of conversation, which naturally was
travelling, Sicily and Couchsurfing guaranteed us a logorrhea until 4
a.m. Gianni, who is a honoured senior member of CS community, brought
us some souvenir bracelets, stickers and maps. He gave us
professional advice on how to explore Trapani, which we trustfully
followed the next day. Gianni is a founder of a tourist company,
which provides accommodation and organises excursions around western
Sicily. If you are going to this region, I strongly recommend his
services to you. Such people are simply worth supporting, worth
knowing, worth giving them profit. His website: easytrapani.com
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