Guest writer this week is Julian Colborn, Skyros Centre & Transfers Manager. Julian lives on Skyros island, Greece, all year round and is currently spending a few weeks at our head office in the Isle of Wight. He has been involved with Skyros Holidays since 1985, just one year after the opening of Atsitsa. I’m sure you have all seen, over the last few days, the terrible pictures of Athens and perhaps you've wondered how life really is at the moment in Greece, in general, and in Skyros in particular.
For those of us lucky enough to live on Skyros island, life goes on very much as usual. The ferry runs every day as normal, the buses shuttles back and forth to Athens, the domestic flight comes and goes on time, the cash machines dispense money and the restaurants are open and ready to welcome you.
Having said all this, life is harder for most people as salaries and pensions have been cut.
Yet the Skyrians are resourceful people and so it’s back to the land.All Skyrians own plots of land.
If they’ve neglected their fields in recent years, they are all now busily turning the soil and growing vegetables.
If they have kept a few chickens and sheep, they are now adding turkeys and pigs to their menageries.
If they've paid little attention to their olive trees, they do gather olives now either for preserving or for being pressed into wonderful Skyrian virgin oil.
If the rising price of heating oil forces them to switch off their central heating, they are happy to rely once again on their woodburning stoves.
The Skyrians really are a ‘Bulldog Breed’ and the ‘Dunkirk Spirit’ is alive and well on the island.
Athenians are, of course, finding life much more difficult as, without the resources of the land, they are struggling on reduced or no salaries to make ends meet. The awful pictures we've seen on our television screens are true, but only reflect the actions of a very tiny minority of demonstrators within a small area of central Athens.
Otherwise, life in Athens where I spend a couple of days a month throughout the year is normal. There have been times I've had to walk a bit more if the metro or buses are on strike, but I still get to enjoy my evenings out and about in Plaka, Exharhia or Gazi.
Having seen these images of Athens on television, I can understand if you may feel wary of spending time this year in central Athens.However, I'd like to assure you that the Metropolitan Hotel we have chosen for your overnight stay is in the seaside suburb of Paleo Phaliro, away from the centre.
We'll have the shuttle bus waiting for you at the airport to take you to the hotel before your comfortable transfer by air-conditioned coach to Skyros island next day. The trade unions have a policy not to disrupt the tourist trade, and the coaches we use and also the Skyros Ferry are privately owned. So be assured, take our transfer and we'll take care of you all the way through.
All of us at Skyros Holidays together with the Skyrian people look forward to welcoming you to our beautiful island which deserves all the support that it can get at this time.
Make this the one season you can't miss!
I'll be in the head office for the next few weeks, so do give me a call on 01983 865566 to secure your place this summer. If you know of others who would be interested to find out more about Skyros and these exceptional holidays, please do share this link. Our Early Bird discount ends this Friday, 17 February so get in touch asap if you'd like to take advantage of this special offer.
With all my best wishes,
Julian Colborn
Isle of Wight
Skyros, described by The Guardian as 'the first and still the best' alternative holiday, offers outstanding courses with world class teachers in beautiful locations in the sunshine. Check the rave reviews from press all over the world. Course options include those at the Writer's Lab, named 'Number 1 of the World's Five Best Writing Holidays' as well as yoga, dance, comedy, mosaics and much more. See www.skyros.com.
