Symi Books (2)

Today’s books continue the living on Symi theme. ‘Symi 85600’ covers our first five years here, ‘Carry On’ covers the next year or so (see yesterday’s post), and ‘Village View’ takes us all the way through 2013. Symi, Stuff & Nonsense fills in some gaps, adds to ‘85600’, and contains some travel stories from my past.

Village View

A year living on Symi, a Greek island. James’ blog posts from 2013, edited and set out in printed form with images by Neil Gosling, take us through one whole year living on a small Greek island in southeast Greece. From winter storms to summer visitors, from photo walks to book signings, and from goats to shrimp festivals, Village View gives us an upfront, honest and mildly edited account of James and Neil’s eleventh year on Symi.

“Please read this book, it will give you a warm gooey feeling and make you laugh, and teach you SO much. His love of the Greek Island of Symi is immense and his concern for its future prosperity is humbling. We can all help these beautiful islands by continuing to visit and letting them know we really care.” Amazon review

Symi, Stuff & Nonsense

Part memoir, part observation, this scrapbook of anecdotes and witty observations takes us from Romney Marsh to Greece via a graveyard campsite, an adult film festival, and some unusual wordplay. What to expect when dining with the Turin jet set, what to learn when moving to Symi, and how to behave when held at gunpoint in Egypt; it’s all here along with a few train journeys, some mountaineering, and Symi’s first civil partnership.

“The logophile James Collins gives us a generous and entertaining peep into his life through his travels, his wordsmithery, and at times a quirky look at the day to day happenings on the magical island of Symi where he and his husband now live. Perhaps Symi has found its own Bill Bryson.” Amazon review.

Another book tomorrow…

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Symi Books (1)

While I am away, I thought I’d put up a list of Symi books that you might like to order or read on your Kindle. There will be other posts over the next two weeks advertising my books (‘cos it’s my blog) and all of them are available in print, on Kindle and on Kindle Unlimited where they are free – as long as you have KU.

Symi 85600

A collection of writings that present an honest and often humorous account of two ex-pats’ experiences of living on a small Greek island. This book also contains extracts from the symidream website and the complete guide ‘How to move to a Greek island or other place in the sun.’ “Even if you are not thinking of moving abroad this little collection will entertain and inform.”

“I cannot wait to read it again…..and again…..and again…..I want to be buried with it – which may well be sooner than I think since I nearly died laughing during some of his witty observations!” Amazon review.

Carry On Up The Kali Strata

(Which is like Symi 85600 part two)

Carry On Up The Kali Strata is a collection of articles about living in Symi, Greece. Previously written for symidream.com and The Symi Visitor, here they are gathered together in one volume. If you’ve enjoyed ‘Symi 85600’ you will like to read this follow up; if you’ve not yet discovered Symi island, then this is a perfect introduction.

“Symi is one of the most beautiful and quirky places on earth and we had just got back from two weeks there. Carry on up the Kali Strata took us straight back there with the extra dimension of local knowledge and perception. Beautifully written and very funny.” Amazon review.

More books tomorrow.

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Symi Architecture Photos

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Some Symi Church Photos

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Preparing for the off

Today is all about packing and washing and preparing things for our two weeks away. It’s also about preparing blog posts for that time and so tomorrow’s and Saturdays are going to be photos only. We are catching the 7.30 Blue Star tomorrow morning, so there won’t be time to get anything ready before setting off. I have posts ready for the two weeks after that, talking about books, as I mentioned yesterday, and then from around 1^st April, I shall be back to normal – well, you know what I mean.

It’s going to be odd, arriving back a week before Easter when there will be regular visitors and even some tourists here by then. We’ll be wondering where the winter has gone as we always do when we get to the end of it. When it starts, with a brief autumn at the end of October, we’re usually in that ‘Phew! Sumer’s over now we can stand down,’ kind of mode. There then follows a build-up to Christmas, and then the hangover from that which lasts until around the end of January, and then a cold and dark February and, before you know it, it’s Lent and Easter and, whoops, there goes my winter and ‘Hooray! It’s summer again.’ Mind you, I like both seasons, the winter because I am less tempted to hang out at the bar, the summer because I can.

This winter so far, I’ve published two new books and written a few others or rather, helped a couple of other writers write theirs – it’s complicated. So, a lot of work has been done, and a lot of fun has been had along the way. Now, with a rucksack to pack and a list of things to not forget, I have a day ahead that will probably not be as long as the to-do list I have prepared to fill it with. So, I’m just going to prepare Friday and Saturday’s photos and get them ready to auto-publish, and then it’s back to the decision over what coat to take. I want to wear my Crombie because I think it looks smart and when I take it off, the red lining tends to dazzle. It’s the right thing to wear to make an entrance, but it’s not the kind of thing to wear with a rucksack on your back. My other coat will probably be too hot and bulky, and I don’t have an inbetweener. Anyway, that’s between me and my dresser, and I better go and see to it now, leaving you with a ‘Bye, and see you in a couple of weeks.

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