Angel

What a read! I wouldn't describe this as a travel book about Greece, but more as a journey of resilience and discovery set in the beautiful, rustic and often rugged landscape of the country. From the simple act of appreciating olives to the enjoyment of the organic process of writing in this therapeutic setting, the author weaves the sights and sounds of Greece into her epiphany of sorts. Peppered with anecdotes that make the ordinary seem less ordinary, Sally Jane Smith gives you a charming glimpse of a fallible forty-odd year old travelling through the country and opening her introverted self to new experiences, sounds and sights. Her powers of observation are wonderful. I loved it for its authenticity and humour, often self deprecating. Underlying the journey through parts of Greece, is the author's own journey and healing process. Inextricably linked with the Greek odyssey are stories of the author's sometime tenuous relationship with family members, their travels together and her Mum's spartan (no pun intended) travel diary, which forms the cornerstone of this piece of writing. Both books written about travels through Greece (Unpacking for Greece and Repacking for Greece) were given to me by a writer friend Sam, who attended Sally Jane's book launch last year. She urged me to read them before I left on holiday to Greece. Finishing it after my return gave me an opportunity to savour the delights again. Perhaps feel a twinge of regret over some places I had missed and my lack of sensitivity to my surroundings? Greece can evoke a response from even the most hardened traveller, but if this book captures Sally Jane Smith's response to it, I think the country can inspire you more than you can imagine.