The journey south took us almost two weeks.
It was probably one of the longest trips of my life.
We could have gotten there faster if we hadn't stopped, but since I was primarily concerned with Ruby's comfort, we often made stops to rest or spend the night at local hotels.
So, in the end, the trip really did take us two weeks — but I couldn't say that those days were wasted. Although long, the trip was surprisingly peaceful and even a little calming for both of us.
The landscape gradually changed: dense forests gave way to wide plains where the wind blew gentle waves across the grass, and hills covered with a silvery carpet of olive trees were visible on the horizon.
Ruby looked lively the whole time. She kept looking out of the carriage window, watching with delight as each turn of the road revealed new scenes before us. Sometimes she would point something out to me outside the window and happily share her impressions, like a child on her first trip.
