RECUPERATION IN GREECE

I had a very restful week at a small village on Lefkada, one of the Ionian islands between Kefalonia and Corfu. It's not one of the picture-postcard-pretty white and blue villages, as almost all the buildings were destroyed in an earthquake in the 1950s, but it was pleasant and laid-back, with lots of greenery.

Olive trees near my apartment

Heavily-laden lemon trees

Glorious bougainvillea

One of things I hate about being single is the problem of holidays - it's great when friends are around to go away with, but pretty much everyone I know has commitments to work and / or family, caring responsibilities, limited holiday leave, or stretched finances at the moment. In my 20s and early 30s when I was between relationships I'd happily go off backpacking on my own, since I was guaranteed to meet other backpackers, and in fact I had some of the most sociable times of my life when I was travelling. However after a certain age I simply didn't fit into that demographic any longer, plus as I've got older I'm no longer prepared to share dorm rooms and live on a meagre budget - I like the odd touches of luxury these days! 

So for a few years I went on half a dozen or so holidays with Explore Worldwide, a company specialising in small-group travel, and enjoyed the advantages of going to far-flung places (such as Central Asia, the Middle East and Africa) without the hassle of dealing with the bureaucracy, and with the company of like-minded people. However, Explore insist on full insurance cover - without proof of it they won't allow you to travel with them - so that's no longer an option for me while insurance companies won't cover anything cancer-related; plus right now I don't have the mental or physical energy to want anything too challenging (much as that pains me to admit). 

So I was very pleased to discover a small UK company called Serenity Retreats, which offers self-catering accommodation on Lefkada, along with optional meditation sessions each morning. There's also the option to do an introductory course on mindfulness, but since I did a very similar course last autumn I didn't sign up for that. It's designed for solo travellers who aren't looking to party all night, and you can do as much or as little as you like in terms of exploring the island or simply sunbathing on the beach. In the week I was there, there were only 3 other guests, and we all mainly did our own thing during the day but met up for dinner in the evenings. One day 3 of us went on a boat trip around the islands, which was a nice way to see a bit more of the area, and I also had a couple of massages. 

Our vessel for the day

Swimming spot off the boat

Other than that, since I was so tired, I did very little apart from the morning meditations, going to the beach, and reading copiously. I had a lovely apartment looking straight out over the sea, and although the weather wasn't as warm as usual for the time of year, with some cloudy days and windy spells, there was enough sun to bask in at least part of every day. The sea however was fairly cold so I only swam a few times.

Not sunny all the time.....

....but a wonderful view from my apartment

My local beach, as viewed from my verandah....

....and from close up

There was a bakery in the village and a few small supermarkets, a couple of cafes, and a reasonable number of tavernas along the harbour front. In peak season it's apparently full to bursting with Greek and Italian tourists, but in early June it was peaceful and tranquil.

Fishing boat delivering the catch of the day right to the taverna!

So it wasn't an exciting week, but it was definitely restful. Spending time on my own isn't something I struggle with, but equally it's not a treat for me - and it's hard to have "fun" on your own: that's generally a shared experience. All the same, I think it was good to have slowed down without having to feel guilty about not getting things done, or else worrying about my low energy levels. I came back feeling considerably better (and reassuringly recovered from the virus of the previous week), and have been really missing the beautiful intense colours and light of the Mediterranean.

Yet another irresistible shot of that beautiful view

Sunset over the bay