Sasch's Blog #2: 82 Furry Friends, "Feeding Time," and a Little Hammock Wonder on Corfu

Do you still remember the Lukmanier Pass? After the hard battle against his own ego on the way across the Alps, our long-time Ticket To The Moon companion Der Sasch reached his major stage goal: he arrived in Corfu! He will spend the next few weeks volunteering at a local animal shelter.

Here is his unvarnished, emotional report after the first week between daily animal welfare work, full bakery shelves, and unexpected hospitality:

"DAILY LIFE" after a week in the shelter?!... NO! For that, everything is still too new, too unfamiliar, too exciting, too interesting. Incidentally, the question of whether my idea that a dog would choose ME is actually realistic is also interesting?! Impatience!? YESSS, it's spreading, and YESSS... patience is not my greatest strength.

Perhaps I won't meet my new travel buddy at the shelter, but on the street??

ANYWAY.

Back to the shelter. Back to numerous souls who stay here sometimes briefly, sometimes longer, or even until the end of their lives. Big, small, fat, thin, tame, aggressive. Everyone here has their own story. One tied to a tree, the other thrown over the fence.

And yet – at least in my perception – they look forward to us every day. To the attention, the cuddles, the food, clean water, and the daily chance to possibly find a new home soon.

As for the bipeds who work here in shifts...

At 08:00, the "feeding frenzy" begins. Currently, 82 dogs need to be cared for. Some of the bipeds then take care of the daily cleaning of the quarantine station, while others distribute medication, paired with tasty frankfurters, to those in need.

Calm sets in, everyone is appeased, the bipeds take a short break. Breakfast, coffee, blah, blah...

Then comes the best part of the day...

"Keep the poop away, keep the shelter clean all day" ;-)

It's a bit strange for the mind at first – and I am definitely NOT the dog expert – to enter an enclosure where a 30–40 kg dog is growling and barking at the fence. But as soon as you're in there with strengthened conviction, silence falls. And yet... eyes open! Never lose eye contact with the dogs.

Finally, the water buckets are refilled with fresh water as needed. This process repeats 365 days every morning with currently 82 furry noses. During Corona times, there were over 150.

Vet visits, neutering, maintenance work, buying food and medicine, as well as waste disposal complete the daily routine.

Finally, one of the most wonderful tasks comes: preparing adopted dogs for transport to their new homes... chipping, vaccinating, grooming, and wishing them a good journey.

The joy of being able to contribute to the preservation of this shelter and its four-legged residents for a long time has already been worth every kilometer cycled.

As for the joy of EXPERIENCES outside the shelter, the following words come to mind...

Barely two days passed. I had "settled in" one of the enclosures with my hammock, including underquilt, when a long-time shelter employee asked me if I would like to spend the upcoming time in an apartment nearby FOR FREE?

Actually, I had been looking forward to the nights in the hammock, as I sleep extremely well in it. But an oven, a shower, and a place far away from barking, I gladly accepted this incredible offer. Completely strangers caring for you... I could hardly believe it!!

Move completed, shopping done for the coming days – and so I explored the surrounding area by bike. Oh, how glad I am to be traveling by bike! With all these incredibly delicious baked goods that I fall victim to almost daily here, I would argue that the upcoming kilometers to Tuscany would otherwise be no fun. But thanks to the activity, the pounds are dropping and my fitness is increasing! ;-)

At 06:50, the first rays of sunshine come over the mountain, and I'm already in the saddle to greet the day in Lefkimmi – a place not far from my apartment – with a cappuccino in hand. I love to witness LIFE awakening in a foreign place.

Looking back at the first days of this adventure and everything that has happened so far, my anticipation for the coming days grows.

And who knows – maybe Sascha's new travel buddy is already waiting around the next corner? We're excited to hear what he reports next week!