If you think living alone during lockdown was stressful, this man is here to one up you. Having lived alone on the Sardinian island of Budelli, only in the company of wild birds and cats for almost 32 years, Mauro Morandi is finally coming ashore to live in a city at the age of 82.
The Italian moved to this island in 1989 after attempting to sail from Italy to Polynesia by himself. He moved there because for a very long time, he didn't feel like talking to anyone or maintaining contact with anyone. He decided to move back to La Maddalena in May among the company of other people after Budelli was declared an environmental observatory and Mauro was forced to vacate his home.
"For a long time I have lived alone, and far too many years after I first landed on Budelli I didn't feel like talking to anyone. True, I cannot enjoy the island's solitude anymore, but my life now has taken a new turn, focused on communicating with others and being near other people," he told CNN.
He has used his pension to buy a home on the island, and according to reports, has also reconnected with his partner back from his younger days.
"I'm the living proof that a second, new life is possible. You can always start all over again, even if you're over 80 because there are other things you can experience, a totally different world," he said.
After deciding to stay in Budelli because he couldn't imagine a life anywhere else, he has finally embraced his new life in the presence of other people. Not only that, he has also authored a book on his life experiences and what it's like to live isolated on an island called 'La Poltrona Di Ginepro' (The Juniper Armchair).
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