After a long day of travel I arrived in Hydra. Hydra is an island not far off the coast, about a 90 minute ferry from Athens. It is unique for being an island that allows no cars or motor vehicles, only walking and donkeys. It’s a frequent stop for yachts and day visitors from Athens. A recent visit from Jeff Bezos put it in the spotlight but generally Hydra is a bit off the grid. Which makes it lovely.

This will be my home for a week. My little Greek island home is authentic and funky, but sits right on the sea. I think it is just what I need.

On my flight from Atlanta I sit next to a quiet gentleman that shares that he is going to visit Crete. He doesn’t share much more so I’m thinking it may be his first visit. But before he lands he shares that every year he circles the globe as a “way to check on our earth”. He is going from Athens to Hong Kong. He loves Southeast Asia, especially Thailand where he goes once a year. This is a traveler and I’m feeling a bit like an amateur. I tell him he should write a book and he says he has! It is called Poetry of A Traveler, and he gifts me a copy. Thank you Ira Davis. His book leads with “Travel is where you rendezvous with Life”. What a beautiful gift and way to start the trip. Ira, if you are reading this blog please know that you deeply inspired me.

So, back to Hydra aka Ydra. I discovered this lovely island many years ago with my friend Susan Williams, after crossing on the overnight ferry from Brindisi Italy, which we called the Hell Boat. We were so keen to get off that boat and off the backpacker path. A couple guys on the boat told us we should get to Nafplia in the eastern coast then take a Flying Dolphin ferry to Hydra. We fumbled our way here and fell in love with swimming off the rocks by the port. I’ve returned a few times as I love the simplicity of this little island.

I wrap up my first day here with a swim off the rocks, which feels amazing after the flight.

I meet a few lovely people from Adelaide Australia who have also had very long flights and we marvel at how refreshing and restorative the sea feels.

At night I walk to a lovely restaurant just in time to see a peak at the sunset.

As a walk back thru the port town I see places that have been here for decades, the Pirate Bar, Isalos Cafe. In a way everything has changed yet nothing has changed

For Hydra and for me.