When we returned from our expedition to a complete eclipse of the sun, we were not quite able to absorb everything we had together, and yet another story began to be born.
We got a hit on Jarda.
Jard is 82 years old, blind, and has never been near the sea. And he would have wanted it.
So we thought, why not?
That's what Blind Sun is all about. A journey that may not remain a wish. People who meet, they come up with something, and then they just go on the road.
And so on Monday, September 28, we fly back to Spain. Not for the eclipse this time, but overseas.
Me, Lego and Jarda
I'm on my way with Karl, who nobody calls anything but Lego. Together, we already have one blind sun expedition behind us, so we know we can rely on each other. And sometimes things turn out very differently than we imagined.
This time, Jarda will join us.
And here comes one little thing. You and I don't even know each other yet.
The first time I see you is Sunday in Opava, the day before the flight. That's where we'll get to know each other, load up and go together to the Polish Katowics, where we'll sleep our first night.
On Monday morning we have a flight to Málaga, car rental and transfer to Estepona, which will be our home for the next fortnight.
A little crazy? Maybe.
But as they say, good people fit everywhere.
And we have no fear of not knowing each other. I mean, traveling together is one of the best opportunities to get to know each other.
And why not bring someone else?
If this road is going to happen, why not experience it with other people who want to put their hand to it?
From September 30 to October 6, our friend Adéla will meet us.
Adéla is, among other things, a great masseuse, but especially a person who wants to be a part of it and help where it needs to be.
For a few days, our men's quest will grow into another partner.
And who knows, perhaps after the first days of travel, her masseuse skills will come in handy not only for Jarda, but also for the rest of us.
In the end, it's quite simple. Each of us has something else to offer. Some can drive, some can cook, some can help with orientation, and some can make our backs hurt all day long.
The important thing is that we want to be together.
We're not taking Jarda with us. We're going with him.
This is probably the most important idea for me in the expedition.
We don't want to set up a 14-day program for Jard, where he's just a passive participant. We're not going to take him somewhere, show him the sea and bring him back home.
We're going together.
Jarda must be the one who determines what's going to be done and what's not. Where we go, what he wants to know, what he wants to try out, and when maybe we just sit down and do nothing.
We'll be his friends, his eyes, his chefs and his fellow passengers.
Sometimes we offer arms, sometimes we describe what's going on around us. And sometimes we just sit down for coffee and talk.
Maybe we'll take a trip to the mountains. Maybe we'll be walking around town all morning. Maybe we'll have something good on the market.
And maybe Jarda will say she just wants to sit by the sea today.
Then we'll sit by the sea.
We have no need to prove anything. We want to enjoy his big life trip together.
First time by the sea in '85
I confess, I look forward to one moment in particular.
When Jarda hears the sea for the first time.
When he smells the salty air, the wind on his face, and maybe he'll take off his shoes and enter the water.
What's it gonna be like for him?
I don't know.
Maybe he'll laugh. Maybe he'll be quiet for a while. Maybe he'll tell us something we never thought of on our own.
And maybe the whole thing will happen just as normally. He just walks up to the sea, dips his feet and asks when lunch is.
It's possible. And actually, that would be nice.
I don't want to direct the moment forward or attribute it to any great significance that might be completely different for Jarda.
I just want to be there.
Because the sea doesn't just have to recognize itself with its eyes. You can listen, feel, touch. And I'm really curious how Jarda will describe it to us.
Here we go again.
We have two weeks before us in Andalusia, from 28 September to 12 October.
We have tickets, secured accommodation, a plan to rent a car and some idea of what we could experience together.
But no solid script.
That's what I like about it.
The blind sun was never for me about the fact that the handicap doesn't exist or that everything can be handled at all costs. The restrictions are real and must be respected. But they don't have to automatically decide where to go and what to live.
After the eclipse, we got contact with a man who wanted to see the sea.
Here we go.
Me, Lego and Jarda. Adela will be joining us for a few days.
On Sunday we will meet for the first time in Opava, on Monday we will leave and then we will see what the common path will bring.
We'll tell you all about it in the diary. About what we did, what we screwed up, what surprised us and what we had together.
No big talk, no heroism.
Just the way it's gonna be.
Jarda, we're going to the sea!
And who will lead who after all? We'll see about that.