Skyros: Island of Dreams

Seeing the extracts from my book Skyros: island of dreams appear on the Skyros website these last few weeks, I’ve been feeling proud, exhilarated and nervous all at once. I’ve been working on the book for several years and sometimes thought I’d never get to the end. I would grit my teeth and follow Dina Zohar Glouberman’s advice: give up hope, but keep the faith. In true Skyros spirit, I took the risk and finally made it.

I’ve been visiting Skyros since 1991 as tourist, journalist, participant and course teacher. My London housemate Pauline Lummas went in 1990, and fell in love with a Greek weatherman from the air base. By the next year they were living in Skyros village, so I joined them for a holiday and fell in love with the island, but did not do the Full Skyros Monty until 1999, in Tobago. Since then I’ve been to Atsitsa and the Centre a number of times.

As a Friend of Skyros you don’t need me to tell you how Skyros stimulates stories of island life and people’s transformations, in travellers’ tales, novels, plays, poems, paintings, photos, jokes, songs, images and imaginations. Yet back home I’d find myself tongue-tied when I tried to describe my experiences, especially to people who were sceptical of anything up close and personal or soulful. Writing it down seemed easier. And as I thought about my personal journey, I realised that the amazing Skyros story had never been fully told, let alone the myriad stories of Skyros people.

It turned out that Zohar and course director Julie McNamara, whom I’d met in Tobago and turned out to live near me in north London, were planning a Skyros book. Working with them at first, and later mostly on my own, I became a gatherer of tales, creating a tapestry that would also weave in the island’s history and culture, and the evolution and values of the Skyros organization. I also wanted to talk about how what we learn at and from Skyros can help make the world a better place. The six instalments being made available as free downloads come from the full-length book I finally completed last year. It was done unpaid in my spare time. Slaving over the computer in my chilly basement on a dark December evening, it could be hard to summon up the sun, sea and sand I wanted to describe, let alone the soul struggles and celebrations. Writing really is 99% perspiration, but the 1% inspiration somehow kept me going, along with my desire to give something back to the place and people who meant so much to me, and had shared their stories with me. Although the final product is mine, I dipped into an overflowing treasure chest in its making.

People involved with Skyros often adopt different roles, some changing over time. One of mine is a kind of griot: in West Africa, someone who delivers history as a poet and wandering musician, and carries the cultural knowledge and identity of the tribe. I hope my book carries and honours the cultural knowledge and identity of the Skyros tribe.

Lots of people are quoted, and many more appear in the wonderful photos that Yannis Andricopoulos has used to illustrate the book. Take a look, if only to see whether you make a guest appearance. And do post a comment on it if the spirit moves you. We writers love to know that we are being read!

Jane Salvage

To download the first four chapter's of Jane's book Skyros: Island of Dreams, visit the Skyros website at www.skyros.com

Thai Hospitality At It's Best, by Richard Lewis

I'm on the beach in white sands near to our resort hotel. The sun is shining, the waves sound lovely with a faint reggae in the background. Today I did yoga in the early morning looking at the beautiful sea below, had a very Thai breakfast of fruit and steamed fish and have come to the Seaside town to have some me time. I went for a fitting of the custom made cashmere wool suit I'm having made by Mr. Hem (yes that's his real name). The suit is fantastic and costing £100 is breathtakingly cheap which in Europe would be only a once in a lifetime treat. An indication of how amazingly nice the Thai people are is that after measuring me up the other night he gave me a lift back to the resort on the back of his moped, whilst telling me all about his wife who is expecting a baby any minute. I told him to go home and stop giving lifts to customers. He only laughed.

At our hotel the luxury goes on and on with gorgeous food, beach, spa, gym, massages, swimming pool, kayaking, etc etc. But the most important thing is the people. Not only do we get the intelligent, supportive and caring community we've come to expect from a Skyros holiday. But also a deep and life changing image work course from Dina, courses in music, creativity and photography, plus we are also experiencing a level of service which goes beyond the usual holiday experience. It seems to me that the resort staff who work at Ayapura genuinely like their customers and really care if we are having a good time. I think Mr Owen, the restaurant manager, may secretly be the Buddha in disguise. He learnt the whole groups' names in a day, remembers what we all like to drink, and more importantly gently shares his interest in having a healthy diet and mind. He lent me a book on Buddhism, took us to the temple to meet the monks, and when I ask for coffee he brought me a chlorophyll drink first to counteract the negative effects. None of this is part of his job, he just engages with us on a human level and in a special way.

The rest of the staff are the same. Happy, helpful, kind, funny and seemingly not resentful that we are having such a good time. This kind of interaction is more rare in UK hotels. We have ridden on elephants, a speedboat, been in the jungle, observed a Thai karaoke (although too chicken to join in!) and still had time to get to know each other, debate with each other, and make long lasting friends over dinner and drinks in the evenings.

This is truly a special kind of holiday and I feel lucky to have been part of it.

Richard Lewis

Komedie skriftlig på Skyros Centre, By Ingunn

Min plan var å finne en yoga-ferie i Hellas, da jeg synes Hellas er et flott ferie-mål. Ønsket var å kombinere ferien med yoga. Jeg googlet litt, men til min store glede fant jeg noe som var enda bedre. Komedie-skrivnings kurs.

Jeg har lenge lekt med tanken om å skrive komedie. Man kunne kombinere en uke med sol, strand og ca.fire timers skrive-workshop på formiddagen. Inkludert var det tilbud om yoga på morgenen og smykke-lagning på ettermiddag/kveld for de som ønsket det. Sunn god frokost og lunsj. Etter lunsjen gikk som regel turen ned til stranden. Man fikk lekser til neste dags workshop, men dette ble gjerne sett på som noe morsomt og kreativt.

Læreren var en engelsk komiker, Arthur Smith. En veldig uhøytidelig, utrolig morsom og hjelpsom mann. Klassen jeg gikk i ble en veldig sammensveiset gjeng. Jeg var eneste medlem i gruppen som ikke hadde engelsk som morsmål. Til tross for dette følte jeg meg veldig inkludert. Fra starten av var jeg innstillt på at det kunne bli litt av en utfordring å skrive komiske fortellinger/vitser på engelsk. Det er naturligvis veldig mange ord og uttrykk som er mye enklere å både uttrykke og forstå på eget språk. Det sier seg egentlig selv. For min del ga kurset likevel en boost i selvtilliten på det å skrive kreativt, som jeg aldri ville vært foruten. Personelig tror jeg man må være hundre prosent innstillt på å skrive på et annet språk. Samt bør man også virkelig brenne for kurset man skal delta i, så vil oppholdet bli vellykket.

Reise-lederne på senteret var også svært hjelpsomme og service-innstillte,og det bidrog til en flott ferie. Jeg ble kjent med mange veldig hyggelige folk fra andre land i gruppen.
På kveldene var det også tid til å titte litt i sentrum. Skyros sentrum som vi bodde i, var en koselig typisk gresk nydelig landsby. Jeg delte et lite hvitkalket hus/leilghet med en engelsk dame fra kurset. I løpet av uken var vi også på en arrangert utflukt til senteret på Atsitsa på den landre siden av øya. Det var virkelig en opplevelse. Atsitsa`s natur bød på blandt annet krystall-klar sjø, furu og daddel-trær som i et lite paradis.

Det virker som Skyros Holidays har noe for enhver smak. Denne uken i slutten av september var en uke med masse latter og glede.

Ingunn


Comedy Writing at The Skyros Centre, By Ingunn

My plan was to find a yoga holiday in Greece, as I think Greece is a great vacation destination. The desire was to combine your holiday with yoga. I googled a bit, but to my delight, I found something that was even better. Comedy spelling course.

I have long toyed with the idea of writing comedy. One could combine a week of sun, beach and ca.fire hour writing workshop in the morning. Included was the offer of yoga in the morning and jewellery layering in the afternoon / evening for those who wanted it. Healthy breakfast and lunch. After lunch was usually head down to the beach. You got homework the next day's workshop, but this was often seen as something fun and creative.

The teacher was an English comedian, Arthur Smith. A very unpretentious, very funny and helpful man. The class I went to was a very tight group. I was the only member in the group who did not have English as their mother tongue. Despite this, I felt very included. From the beginning, I was set in that it could be quite a challenge to write funny stories / jokes in English. It is of course very many words and phrases that are much easier to both understand and express in their own language. Needless to say, really though. For my part, however, gave the course a boost in confidence in the creative writing, which I never would have done without. Personal I think you must be a hundred percent set in writing in another language. Each one should also really burn for the course you should join, then the stay will be successful.

Travel Leaders at the Center was also very helpful and service-adjusted, and it contributed to a great holiday. I got to know many very nice people from other countries in the group.
In the evenings there was also time to look a little bit in the center. Skyros center that we stayed in was a nice typical Greek lovely village. I shared a small whitewashed house / leilghet with an English lady from the course. During the week we were also arranged on a excursion to the center of Atsitsa Landre on the side of the island. It was really an experience. Atsitsa `s nature offered among other things, crystal-clear sea, pine trees and date-trees in a small paradise.

It seems like Skyros Holidays has something for everyone. This week in late September was a week with lots of laughter and joy.

Ingunn

Skyros Cambodia: Behind the Lens by Julian Doyle

Our journey to Cambodia begins with a trek through the jungle where we catch sight of a family of Gibbons swinging high in the treetops.


While we capture them on camera a hidden monkey watches us with equal interest.


On the road we encounter fascinating subjects for our flowering photographers.

A group of young monks at a service station...


... and the many beautiful children.


Our happy band are becoming proficient photographers and expand from recording the journey to surprising me with works of art.


And even skilled in capturing the small rainbow at the foot of a waterfall.


Or their dangerous encounter with elephants.


Then on to temples lost in jungles, where giant trees snarl their roots round dark doorways. Many rate the Women’s Temple one of their favourites with its delicate carvings.


We finish with a final rest in the cool shadows...


...before heading back for an ice cold beer in a bar in Siam Reap, feet dangling in a giant fish tank where minnows do a perfect pedicure on those tired soles or souls.


Let’s hope they’re not piranha’s!

Julian Doyle
With photos by participants on the Cambodia Adventure 14 - 23 January 2011

Julian recently facilitated ‘The Documented Journey’ on the Cambodia Adventure. Julian is one of the worlds most versatile Film Makers and is most famous for editing the Monty Python films ‘Life of Brian’ and shooting the Fx’s for Terry Gilliam’s ‘Timebandits’ and ‘Brazil’ which he also edited. Julian teaches at the London Film Academy.

Julian will be teaching at Atsitsa Bay in Greece from 1 - 11 June 2011 and at Skyros offshoot The Grange on the Isle of Wight from 30 Nov – 2 October 2011.

For more information on Skyros Holidays in Cambodia, why not take a look at the Cambodia section of our website at http://www.skyros.com/cambodia.htm

Skyros in Thailand by Kate Lester

To be honest when I searched for a holiday this winter I wasn’t thinking of personal development – I was thinking of warmth and escape from the cold British winter. So I searched for Yoga holidays in Thailand and Skyros came up. Now I had heard of Skyros – a friend had subscribed me to their brochures many moons ago – but I was a younger, more corporate me and the thought of all this hippy nonsense just didn’t do it. But after 3 years of recession and a feeling that it was time I did a radical life rethink I was ready to give Skyros a go. So I booked and found myself less than a month later in sunny Thailand.

The Sofitel in Bangkok is great – I felt like I was having a 'Lost in Translation' moment gazing out over the multicoloured cityscape of Bangkok whilst I enjoyed the first of many splendid meals in Thailand. The next morning I touched base with my companions for the next 2 weeks and we enjoyed a fairly painless transfer to the beautiful island of Koh Chang. My middle class sensibilities were amply pandered to at our atmospheric 5 star resort – and the room was perfect – great views, lots of space, nicely appointed.

The next day, the week was set out for us – Yoga at 07.45, then a variety of meetings, which would become the backbone of every day, then our morning session hosted by the inimitable Malcolm Stern, and then an evening course in singing. Evenings could and would be organised if we liked or we could our separate ways and explore Koh Chang. Bit more than the anticipated yoga break!

In for a penny, in for a pound I thought and decided to cast away my standard cynicism and participate. And participate I did. And I can’t believe what a revelation it has been. The yoga every morning was a great way to start the day. The Oekos group provided me with support I didn’t know I needed, the Courage to Change has brought about revelations that mean I can find a more authentic way of being, to be happier and more fulfilled, and the singing… oh the singing!! Well if I tell you I haven’t sung in public for 25 years and found myself on a stage doing a rendition of 'Summertime' by the end of the course you will understand that Sarah Warwick is an illuminating teacher who has the ability to inspire and motivate, not to mention the voice of an angel. Quite simply the whole trip was bliss. Amazing, thought provoking, sometimes controversial but truly life changing.

The only way I can describe the impact of Skyros is to give you a before and after picture of me. In all honesty before the course I was very stressed, at a crisis point in my marriage, career and facing my children going off to University with dread. Since Skyros I feel like I have found my self again – had 2 weeks of sunshine, am very bendy and feel that with continued practice I can create a more fulfilling life. In addition to that I have been massaged to the point of bliss, eaten the most glorious food and made friends I look forward to seeing again.

Try it. I can’t recommend it highly enough.

Kate Lester
www.katelester.com

Kate joined Skyros in Thailand for celebrations over the New Year. Skyros-in-Thailand is hosted in the exquisite Aiyapura Resort and Spa on the magical island of Koh Chang. The holiday included courses such as life coaching, singing and yoga as well as optional spa treatments, snorkelling and elephant trekking. To find out more about Skyros holidays, including holidays in Greece this summer, visit www.skyros.com.

Atsitsa Enhanced My Life by Sue Harris

I spent two lovely fulfilling weeks in Atsitsa, Skyros in 2008. It had taken me 10 years to get there after somebody told me it had changed his life! I really wanted and needed to get in touch with my creative self which had been buried under the weight of life for too long.

Singing in the sea and on the rock overlooking the sea were probably two of my highlights of the trip. But the eureka moment was during a course run by Julie McNamara. We explored our creativity and had the chance to write poems, draw etc in a supportive environment. I used to write poetry in my teens but hadn’t written any since school. I realised how much I enjoyed it.

I spent a year just writing my own musings in a book, not showing them to anybody. Then I decided I wanted to get these musings into a form that others could read and enjoy. I set up a session with Felicity Fair Thompson at The Grange on the Isle of Wight - we ended up spending 2 hours instead of 1 hour and it gave me the pointers I needed to make my musings into poems and I haven’t looked back since.

I have got about 40 poems now (written in just over a year) and I have put some of them into two competitions recently. Felicity has been wonderful at giving feedback on my poems and I have been back to the Isle of Wight twice in the last year, spending time with Felicity on both occasions to develop my poems.

I love The Grange in the Isle of Wight and I have used it as my place to go for a rest and recuperation over the last 2 years - it is a home from home.

I'd like to share some of my poetry with you which was in part inspired by my time at Atsitsa.

Sue Harris

RACE FOR LIFE - CELEBRATE BEING ALIVE

Pink ribbons flapping
Pink women running
Cancer for day banished
Love for life cherished

Sun beats down
on the ground
to the happy sound
of bees buzzing
butterflies strumming
people happily humming

Illness, death, becomes race for life
Women no longer Mother and wife
Together as one run and strive
To celebrate being alive

Picnics eaten
barbecues beaten
relaxing on the ground
in pink surround
laughter and tears abound
race for life profound

Sue Harris - June 2010

LUSTFUL AUTUMN

Cool breeze masks sultry heat of summer’s passing.
Luscious, vibrant , berries unveil lustful Autumn waking
Yellow, red, purple, round and juicy
Beckoning like a large breasted floosie.

Her songs once more caress our ears,
Energy returns for Autumn indulgence
Nurture for mind, body and senses,
Warmth for winter’s long impotence.

Sue Harris - September 2010

RHYTHM OF THE TRAIN

Swing it boys
Let it rip from the hip
Life in the fast lane
Slowed down by the train

Trees swaying in time
Cows chewing to the rhythm
Train meandering through semi tones
Swing it boys once again.

Sue Harris

Sue visited Atsitsa Bay for a holiday in 2008 where she had the opportunity to choose from a wide range of activities including personal development, windsurfing, painting, singing, dance, sailing and yoga. For more details about Atsitsa Bay or any other Skyros holiday visit www.skyros.com.

She also visits Skyros offshoot The Grange guest house on a regular basis. Visit www.thegrangebythesea.com for more details including our varied programme of weekend courses and B&B room rates.

Atsitsa Bay - The Place by Kate Shore

In a place where the waves sway soothingly against the rocks,
Where the silky rhythm tunes into your heart,
Where the calm is inhaled from within,
There is no anguish
There is no sorrow.

In a place where the sun reaches into our soul,
Where the light shines through our hearts,
There is no darkness
There is no hollow.

At dawn, the wind breathes into our bodies,
Exhaling any insecurities,
Cleansing our souls from deep within.
At dusk it settles our hearts,
Renews our strength,
And gently eases our sorrow.

In a place where the past is history,
Where the future beckons us on and moves us with force,
Where nature is at ease with itself,
Shining on as an example,
Leading the way to move on.

In a place where my wound is healing,
Where my judgements and decisions are clear,
Where no past can haunt the future,
But the unexpected shows us no fear.

Atsitsa Bay – the healer and the journey,
Beckoning us and believing in us to encompass what lies ahead.
The gate,
The path,
And the way.

Kate Shore
Written 29/09/10, Skyros Island, Greece

Kate visited Atsitsa Bay for a holiday in late September this year where she had the opportunity to choose from a wide range of activities including personal development, windsurfing, painting, singing, dance, sailing and yoga. For more details about Atsitsa Bay or any other Skyros holiday visit www.skyros.com.