Skyros Writers' Lab participant is a bestseller!

All of us at Skyros, the leading course-based holiday, would like to send huge congratulations to Peter Wakefield who has just released his own compilation of short stories, already listed on Amazon as a bestseller!

Peter joined the renowned Skyros Writers' Lab holiday on picturesque Skyros island, Greece last September. He joined the writing holiday after winning a short story writing competition with Writing Magazine, sponsored by Skyros holidays and judged by author Crysse Morrison.

Whilst on his Skyros holiday Peter explored his dream of publishing a collection of short stories together with his partner about their various and inspiring experiences of living as expats in France. This was the theme of his winning short story and we're so happy he has met with such success!

Peter says “We are really delighted to hear that it has now become a bestseller. I would like to thank Skyros Holidays for their sponsorship of the competition and allowing me to enjoy a fantastic writing holiday on the beautiful Greek island of Skyros.

We will always be indebted to the judges of Writing Magazine as their positive comments on the short story gave the impetus for the decision to embark on writing  ‘Bon Courage’.

We really enjoyed writing the book together, for with all its ups and downs, writes and re-writes, it allowed us to relive one of the happiest periods of our lives.”

Peter's book was produced in association with London-based PublishNation. If you haven't checked it out already, you can do so here: 'Bon Courage, Les Anglais'.

If you would also like to explore turning your dreams into reality, take a look at what's coming up next on the Skyros Writers' Lab calendar of courses. The programme includes courses such as 'The Art of Writing Fiction', 'Your Writer's Voice' and 'Starting Your Novel'.

Courses are open to novices with a secret passion for writing as much as to writers who already have a book under their belt.

See the Skyros programme for the summer in Greece here: http://www.skyros.com/wl_atsitsa_program.htm There are also opportunities for weekend courses in the UK here: http://www.skyros.com/isle_of_wight_program.htm

Skyros is the leading provider of course-based holidays and offers inspirational holidays in Greece, Thailand, Cambodia, Cuba and the UK. With a wide range of activities including yoga, windsurfing, life coaching, creative writing, music, salsa and so much more, there is plenty of choice for everyone! 

Their celebrated Writers' Lab teaching programme has attracted prize-winning authors including Steven Berkoff, Hilary Mantel, Rachel Billington, Margaret Drabble, Hanif Kureishi, D M Thomas, Sue Townsend, Marina Warner, Hugo Williams and many others who have given hundreds of people the benefit of their experience: http://www.skyros.com/writers_lab.htm

Vote for Skyros in the 2013 Kindred Spirit awards...

Dear Friends of Skyros,

Yippee! We have good news: Skyros has just been nominated as one of the final six in the running for the Top Retreat / Healing Centre in the Kindred Spirit awards 2013 – and so a big thank you to everyone who put us forward. 

We're so excited and we would love it if you could vote for us. It only takes a minute and can be done online here: http://www.kindredspirit.co.uk/ksawards. Plus, if you do, you'll be entered into the Kindred Spirit prize draw to win some fun goodies too.

Thank you for your support,

The Skyros Team 

e. office@skyros.com w. www.skyros.com

Skyros is the leading course-based holidays with centres in Greece, Thailand, Cambodia & Cuba. You'll find a wide range of courses including yoga, windsurfing, life coaching, creative writing, music, salsa and so much more. Skyros attracts mostly solo holiday-makers from all over the world. A huge majority – over 80 per cent – report the Skyros experience had a lasting positive effect on their lives. Nearly a third come back again and again. Good food and great company - it’s a winning combination! www.skyros.com

Happy New Year from all at Skyros Holidays...

We would like to wish you all the very best for the year ahead. May 2013 be filled with all you love most! Here we're looking forward to the new holiday season and the many new insights, lasting friendships and exciting discoveries yet to come. It's a lovely prospect thanks to all that you bring individually and collectively to this rich community life that is Skyros. Thank you!


Here at Skyros offshoot, The Grange in the Isle of Wight, guests celebrating the New Year are relaxing after a plentiful New Year's Day lunch, courtesy of Taki's delicious cuisine. Taki is visiting from Skyros island in Greece before cooking for another summer in Atsitsa. Tonight's the final night for the three night New Year's break and there are whispers of a cabaret on the cards!



2013: Your Best Year Ever...

Right: Skyros facilitators, Jo Wood and Andrew Risner in all their glory at New Year's Eve masked ball at The Grange. Jo and Andrew's advice for the year ahead?



'Use what talents you possess. The woods would be very silent if no birds sang except the best.' Henry Van Dyke. 'You do not need a great voice to be a great singer'. I hope these words encourage us all to use our voices and BE HEARD in 2013.' Jo Wood.


Many people tend to make resolutions at New Year regarding things they would like to stop doing such as smoking, drinking and eating. Why not plan this New Year to commit to start doing something that excites you and gets your juices flowing. Maybe it's dancing, singing, learning a new skill. Whatever it is, make sure it's something that you can look forward to starting, and even better, continuing.' Andrew Risner.

Contact us to find out more about Skyros in Greece, Thailand, Cuba, Cambodia and the Isle of Wight . . . 

Phone: +44 (0)1983 86 55 66

Email: office@skyros.com



Online: Chat with us online at www.skyros.com



From left: Aldona, Agata, Takis, Christine, Laura, Michelle, Yannis, Bev & Jenni (Gemma's just out of shot!).

Thank you for another fabulous summer on Skyros

As the Skyros season on Skyros island in Greece has now come to a close and the last remaining staff return from Athens, we would like to say a massive Efharisto (thank you!) to everyone involved. Whether you joined us as one of our inspirational facilitators, a member of the brilliant staff team (see more below) or as a holiday participant – you made our summer rock!!

Here's the latest from a few familiar faces who you may remember from your holiday in Greece ...


John & Zoë, Atsitsa Managers, with their son Felix ...

This winter Felix will have his first taste of cold weather and celebrate his first birthday in the UK. They'll all be at The Grange in the Isle of Wight later this month for the Cuban Salsa weekend and then John will jet off to the Caribbean sunshine to run the Skyros-in-Cuba holiday in November. Several London-based Family Constellations and Salsa workshops later, they're off to California before returning to Atsitsa next summer. Phew... it's all go for the Harris family!

Julian, Skyros Centre Manager ...


Julian returns to the UK this winter and says he'll be spending his time settling into his new home in Sussex, shopping for hats (such as can be seen in the photo), taking siestas, cooking lovely meals for his friends, sleeping some more, and training camels on a camel ranch in Jordan (wow, really?). Where time permits, he will head out to Greece and enjoy the surroundings of his non-native home. 



Andrew, Skyros Centre Assistant ...

Andrew says he's had a wonderful time in Skyros and has met some truly amazing people. Now he's ready for study and travel, perhaps in India again. He's also re-establishing his massage practice in Glasgow and possibly in London too. He'll be staying connected with Skyros supporting the launch of the Skyros Island Horse Trust as this is an exciting time for animal welfare and conservation on Skyros island. Lastly he'll be staying in touch by writing up some foodie blogs this winter on www.friendsofskyros.com recreating traditional Greek recipes from Vasso's kitchen.


Vasso, the Skyros Centre Chef ...


Vasso will be harvesting her olives and pomegranates, all of which will be thoroughly enjoyed - some combined to make the local Rodia liqueur. Yamas! Vasso will spend the winter relaxing (sort of) with her six gorgeous grandchildren (some of them pictured left) and then when spring arrives she'll be preparing another delicious batch of fresh homemade feta cheese for the next season at the Skyros Centre.



Jocelyn and Ivan, Atsitsa's Admin and Maintenance ...

After leaving Atsitsa, Ivan and Jocelyn are spending a few days in Athens, seeing the sights including Delphi before heading back to the UK where they will travel by train to Aberdeen. After taking in some Scottish highlights and visiting relatives they will then take a trip to Marrakesh for a well-earned break. Following this they will visit London and meet with the Harris family before flying the 23 hour journey back to Auckland, New Zealand! We miss you already guys!


Ellie, Atsitsa's Barwoman Extraordinaire ...


Ellie is returning home to the UK from Skyros to catch up with family and friends, including some of the new friends she made whilst in Atsitsa. She's hoping to work in London in the lead up to Christmas and then has plans for exotic travels with her hut-mate, best friend and outstanding Atsitsa chef, Pop, before returning to Atsitsa next summer. Yippee!



Matthew, Atsitsa's Barman Extraordinaire ...

Matthew has lined up much-missed quality time with his family, friends and girlfriend Carol amidst the cold, damp but atmospheric weather of Scotland! Then he's off for Tantra practitioner training in November and he'll be helping to facilitate workshops through the winter and spring. He says that if the Snow Gods smile on the Scottish mountains he'll be there on the slopes. Then he'll be back to Atsitsa ready for next year's season!



Sorry we couldn't include everyone here, but a huge thanks to all the wonderful staff this summer (you know who you are!) including those in the head office in the Isle of Wight. 

Thank you all!

Although the season in Greece has concluded, SKYROS, the leading holistic holiday, will be running holidays throughout the winter including Salsa and Photography in Cuba; Life Choices and Yoga in Thailand; an Overland Adventure with Photography, Art and Personal Development in Cambodia; Christmas and New Year Celebrations, and Weekend Retreats in the Isle of Wight. Call us on 01983 865566 or email office@skyros.com for more information.

Rated 'Number one of the top five adventure retreats,' (The Times) and 'The first and still the best,' (The Guardian), these holidays are not to be missed. See www.skyros.com

The Writers' Lab in Skyros island, Greece

Skyros facilitator Phil Gladwin has been a screenwriter and editor in the UK television industry since 1995. He also runs the www.screenwritinggoldmine.com website. Here he talks about his recent experience teaching screenwriting at the Writers' Lab on Skyros island, Greece, 1 - 11 August 2012...

Screenwriting is the best job in the world. This August I've just been reminded of that even more forcefully: this August I facilitated a screenwriting course at the Skyros Writers Lab.

It was a small group and they all had very different backgrounds. Some with professional writing experience, some with none, but they came united by their desire to experiment and work with the form.

And work they did.

Was I a harsh taskmaster? I don't think so, but I did gently encourage them to make the most of their writing time.

We had three hour sessions in the morning, full of creativity experiments, the occasional lecture, writing exercises, and quite a lot of fun.

For the rest of the day went off to let their imaginations run riot in the (entirely voluntary!) exercises I gave them.

It says a lot that, despite them being on holiday on a beautiful island, in the middle of a beautiful summer, and then having SO many other distractions (you know, the wide sandy beach and the aquamarine Aegean Sea, Skyros town itself, curling up the side of the hill in a labyrinth of white painted cottages and tiny cobbled alleys, brilliant evening sessions from the ever inventive Ilene Sawka, let alone the ever wonderful long lunches and leisurely suppers on the shady terrace) each participant returned every morning with more and more terrific work.

The nine muses did their bit too, clearly taking a bus en masse down from Mt Helicon. Every single participant found their voice; every single participant wrote some electrifyingly good (and often very funny) material.

What's more, it wasn't uncommon to reconvene in the morning and hear a participant tell the story for a fully imagined feature film that had somehow arrived fully formed overnight.

Eleven days later and each participant came away with an inside take on the screenwriting business, a massive tool-chest of writing techniques, and the knowledge that, if they chose to, they could each write a great script in their own style.

Let alone the wonderful experience of making friends and bonding with a wide group of friendly people in an almost magically beautiful location. Not at all bad for a holiday in the sun.



For your chance to book a Skyros writing holiday call the office on +44 (0) 1983 865566, or drop a line to office@skyros.com. Please note that many of the courses are already full, so book soon to guarantee a space. http://www.skyros.com/writers_lab.htm

Do something good for yourself . . .

Peter Collins is a Skyros holiday participant who recently returned from his Skyros holiday in Atsitsa Bay, Skyros Island, Greece, and is due to return in just a few days. Here he talks about his first experiences of the leading holistic holiday, and the effect it has had on his life.

I booked my holiday at Atsitsa at the last minute - literally - as I had to find flights and depart the following day. Making the commitment to book was quite scary for me as I had not been coping well with life and was not feeling good. I knew that I needed to makes some changes in my life but was unsure how to start. Someone recommended an 'alternative' holiday at Skyros and I had read the brochure many times but always found an excuse not to book. 'Alternative' anything was something new to me.

I remember reading something along the lines of 'If you keep doing the same thing you will keep getting the same result' and that had certainly been true for me so possibly time to try something different. Everything fell into place once I had decided to book. The flights were available at the right time and price and I was running out of excuses.

I had been to Greece many times and love the place. For me it has the perfect combination of environment, lifestyle, weather, food and people so I was not apprehensive about being there, but Atsitsa and all those new people was something I was not sure about. Still I told myself that I did not have to take part in anything, I could hide away if I wanted, but perhaps I might learn something on the courses.

Well 10 days later I did not recognise myself. I felt better than I had ever felt, I had learned the basics of yoga, meditation and mosaics, I was tanned, fit (thanks for the runs Berny) and felt so incredibly healthy (the food is amazing). But most of all, and completely unexpectedly, I had learned most from all those other participants on the courses. Those wonderful people who sat, listened, gave advice, related their own experiences and life journeys and became friends. That is the essence of Skyros for me - the people.

Thank you so much for giving me my life back. The experience for me was life changing and I will never forget it.

Kind regards,

Peter.

For your last chance of a taste of Greek sunshine this season, give us a call on 01983 865566 and reserve your place on one of the few remaining spaces for holiday 11 - 21 September in Atsitsa bay. Alternatively, why not join us for a holiday in one of our offshoots in Thailand, Cuba, Cambodia, or the Isle of Wight, UK. Book now and do something good for yourself. More information at www.skyros.com.

The joy of (teaching in) Skyros

Recently returned from a renowned Skyros holiday, life coach and facilitator Claire Schrader shares her recent experiences of the leading holistic holiday and the wonderful Greek island that is Skyros. Thanks Claire, for blog and for the lovely pictures too!

Photo above shows Claire (in the red trousers) with her participants, enjoying a cool drink at the Skyros Village centre.

My first sight of the view from the Skyros Centre, brought tears to my eyes. They were the tears of not only of a beautiful sight but of all the memories of the last time I was in Skyros – the people, the inspiration, the fun, the magic. How could this time be even better? But it was!

The title of my course this year was A Call to Adventure – and I found myself on a bit of an unexpected adventure.

A few days before I came out, I was knocked over by a moped. As I looked down at the two inch gash in my leg – the skin had torn like a piece of cloth - I wondered if this was going to be a problem. I was patched up with 5 stitches and hobbled out to Skyros, hoping that it would heal up quick and I would be only too soon swimming in that glorious sea. But it was not to be. My wound developed an infection and I was taxi-ed to the Skyros Medical Centre, where the doctors frowned at my wound – and did what was necessary to heal it up.

For anyone who has ever worried about something similar happening, let me first applaud the superb treatment I received from the Greek medical system - and to Julian and Andrew who took magnificent care of me. I could not have been in better hands. And thanks too to the wonderful participants on my course who made sure I didn’t jump around too much!

But this did nothing to mar a wonderful time – a time that is hard to put into words. And I hope these pictures give you some sense of what we experienced...

A gorgeous evening shot of the Skyros beach at sundown as we waited for freshly caught fish to be cooked at the fantastic fish restaurant on the beach.

The beach where we wiled away many an hour....

I may have been hobbling but I could still strut my stuff as the MC.

 One of the highlights of the holiday for me was the celebration of Saint Agios Ermileous - a holy day in which hundreds of people gathered on the Molos and piled into fishing boats to be taken across to a little island where there was a special service to celebrate the saint’s day.

Applause at the end of another fantastic cabaret night of heart warming creativity – after which Orville (Mez Packer’s husband) “dropped some tunes”. Dancing to James Brown and Bob Marley till the very early hours.

The hilarious sweeping scene

  

And then it was time to go...

Here art facilitator Michael Gahagan enjoys the appreciation of the group for his wonderful work

Saying goodbye to those lovely hills to return again next year??!!