Symi, 85600

Definitely a day for staying in by the sound of it. Force seven at sea, wet and miserable. Shame we have to go shopping later, but it must be done. Yesterday started much the same but cleared up to the extent I put the washing out. It poured with rain and hail two minutes later. Hey ho.

So, today, I thought I’d mentioned ‘the books’ as I’d not done any self-publicity for a while. Below. There is a list of links to ‘Symi 85600’, the first book I wrote after our move to Symi. Well, some years after we moved, I put together the collection of notes and stories, emails, and so on, and it was later followed by three more. I know most of our regular readers have them already, but you might want to pass the message on to anyone you know who is interested, perhaps wants to know more about Symi, or what it’s like to move abroad and so on. Anyway, I’ll leave the links with you plus a couple of photos from yesterday and leave you alone while I batten down the remaining hatches.

Symi, 85600

If you want to know what it was like to move to Symi to live, this book tells you our journey as we experienced it back in 2002. It is followed by Carry On Up The Kali Strata, Village View and Symi, Stuff & Nonsense. All books are available via Amazon only, in various countries (in English) and in paperback, Kindle and on Kindle Unlimited. All details are on my author page: https://www.amazon.com/James-Collins/e/B005C7HWJI

Here are the links
(right click and open in a new window)

USA: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005AO9ZWA

UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B005AO9ZWA

Australia: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B005AO9ZWA

Canada: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B005AO9ZWA

Germany: https://www.amazon.de/dp/B005AO9ZWA

France: https://www.amazon.fr/dp/B005AO9ZWA

Spain: https://www.amazon.es/dp/B005AO9ZWA

Italy: https://www.amazon.it/dp/B005AO9ZWA

Netherlands: https://www.amazon.nl/dp/B005AO9ZWA

Japan: https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B005AO9ZWA

 

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Ramble

Yesterday morning I thought it was high time I opened the office shutters so I could see the view when at the desk. That lasted for about two hours before the wind grew too strong, and I closed them again. Hey ho. Am spending quiet days at home this week. The weather often prevents a long walk at this time of year, either that our something gets in the way like being asked to write a few posts for a new travel company that’s a rival to some of the larger book-now hotel and accommodation sites. Or at least, plans to be. Meanwhile…

The world outside the window turns. The Blue Star Patmos has been replaced by the Nissos Chios (I assume. I’ve not examined it but I think it was meant to happen and the boat looks different, so I assume it is), our new president is due to be sworn in next month while the orange one over the water has got away with gross illegalities, and who knows what’s now taking place on that island off Europe; I hardly read the news now Brexit has made me an Exbrit.

But one who will be briefly passing through the country in a few weeks on the way back from a better place, and during that return journey, we’re stopping to see Tutankhamun. (Thank you, Lynda and David, for the tips on how long the exhibition takes to go around. We’re meeting friends afterwards, so I can let them know roughly what time to expect us.) I first saw the treasures in London in the 70s where I was knee-high to a Nekhbet, then again in my 20s in the Cairo museum. I also saw the tomb twice and, on the second visit, then being an independent traveller, I found myself alone in there with only Himself, which rather than being scary or anything, I found rather moving. But I digress and ramble. Despite today’s photos from last week, it’s wet on Symi, so unless it’s cleared up by the time it gets light, I’m staying in and have work to do.

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Details

Here are a few local details found while out and about in the recent good weather. It’s still not bad, though rain and winds are forecast for the next couple of days. I’m hoping to get out there a bit later and stroll off up the hill, but it’s still too dark to see the weather forecast (the sky).

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Quiet days look like this

Quiet day yesterday. Early start, as usual, a bit of admin, a three-mile walk, 3,000 words, Australian Survivor (two episodes), a further 2,000 words, that Countryfile programme about Dungeness, extended Lord of the Rings part 1 (3 hours 45 mins), half of ‘Zodiac’ on Netflix and bed by 9.45. It’s amazing what you can get done in one day. Oh, also cooked lunch because Neil was on his six-mile walk. And during the above, I managed to upload a new MS ready for publication in a day or so and take a couple of photos of clouds, not very exciting but that’s how life is for me in the winter. Today I am planning a repeat of yesterday, but am already half an hour behind schedule. Will see how it goes.

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Monday morning thoughts

Today, some more views of Symi as we start the week. Apologies if the images seem rather repetitive over the winter months, it’s been explained before, but they basically show what we see; lots of wonderful scenery, light and sea, but not a lot of people or events.

Can’t believe it’s the 3^{rd of} February already. Four more weeks and we are off on our first proper holiday for a few years. Mind you, it’s not going to be a sun, sea and sand holiday, nor one where you get to chill by the pool for a week or two. Who needs that when you live here? This trip is going to be about boats, trains and planes. Boat to Athens for a couple of days, plane to London for a few days (two shows, one lunch and an afternoon catching up with old friends), plane to Toronto, train to Vancouver, plane back to London (Tutankhamun exhibition, lunch at a friend’s club), plane to Athens for a couple of days, then boat back to Symi just in time for my birthday. But that’s all a month away.

I don’t know if you watch Countryfile (if you’re in the yUK), but last night the programme featured Dungeness, Romney Marsh, and I’ve recorded it to watch later. Not only to see my old stomping ground and the pace I was born, but also because the lifeboat is/was featured, and that’s one of the places my brother volunteers at, as a navigator on the boat, so I was interested to see it. I shall save it for later today when I have worn out the ‘typewriter’ and, hopefully, been for a walk up the hill. Having realised that the holiday was only four weeks ago, I’ve decided I need to be able to fit into more than one pair of trousers. As I only own two, they have to be the other pair in the wardrobe and to do that comfortably, I need to lose a few more Christmas pounds – like a whole turkey worth. Not promising, but will be having a jolly good go to tighten the belt one more notch before allowing it to expand during the trip. Oh, and happy moving into the new house day, mother. I hope it all goes well.

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